Dartmouth football coach Buddy Teevens has passed away at the age of 66 from injuries sustained in a bicycle accident. Teevens, known for his innovative coaching methods, including the use of robotic tackling dummies, had his right leg amputated following the accident in March. He also suffered a spinal cord injury.
Teevens’ family released a statement expressing their gratitude for the outpouring of love and support they received during his recovery. They also shared the sad news of his passing, stating that the injuries were too much for him to overcome. Teevens died surrounded by his family.
Sammy McCorkle, Teevens’ longtime assistant, has been serving as the interim coach for Dartmouth football team this season. McCorkle informed the team of Teevens’ death on Tuesday, and the team plans to play their home opener this Saturday against Lehigh with a moment of silence and a gathering of remembrance afterward.
Teevens had an impressive coaching career, with a record of 117-101-2 in 23 seasons at Dartmouth. He led the team to five Ivy League championships and was the school’s all-time wins leader. Prior to coaching at Dartmouth, Teevens served as head coach at Tulane and Stanford. He also worked as an assistant at Illinois and under Steve Spurrier at Florida.
While Teevens’ achievements on the field are notable, his efforts to make football safer are his lasting legacy. He focused on reducing full-contact practices and emphasized technique to protect players. Additionally, he played a crucial role in the development of the Mobile Virtual Player, a robotic tackling dummy created by Dartmouth’s engineering school, which has been adopted by other college programs and NFL teams.
Teevens also worked towards increasing opportunities for women in college football by hiring Callie Brownson as an offensive quality control coach for Dartmouth in 2018. Brownson was believed to be the first full-time Division I female football coach.
Dartmouth’s president, Sian Leah Beilock, and athletic director, Mike Harrity, expressed their grief at the passing of Teevens, stating that he will be greatly missed and remembered for the positive impact he had on the community.
Buddy Teevens is survived by his wife, Kirsten, their daughter, Lindsay, and son, Buddy Jr., as well as four grandchildren.
Sources: [AP News](source)