Bill McCartney, former Colorado football coach and national champion, passes away at 84
Bill McCartney, the celebrated Hall of Fame coach who led the Colorado Buffaloes to a national championship in 1990, died on Friday evening in Boulder, Colorado. He was 84 years old.
His family shared in a statement that he passed away “after a brave battle with dementia.”
McCartney, who became head coach in 1982, holds the record as the most successful coach in CU football history, boasting a 93-55-5 record over his 13 years at Boulder. He guided the Buffaloes to the national championship in 1990, triumphing over Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl, and secured three Big Eight titles during his tenure.
He was also the coach of Rashaan Salaam, the 1994 Heisman Trophy winner, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013.
Beyond coaching, McCartney co-founded the Christian organization known as “Promise Keepers.” He had four children with his late spouse, Lynne.