Lee Royer
| Sport(s) | Football |
|---|---|
| Biographical details | |
| Born | c. 1938 |
| Died |
November 20, 1973 Conecuh County, Alabama |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1962–1963 | Pennsylvania Military |
| 1964 | Connecticut (assistant) |
| 1965 | Boston College (DB) |
| 1971–1972 | Navy (assistant) |
| 1973 | Lynchburg Baptist |
Harold Lee "Rock" Royer (c. 1938 – November 22, 1973) was an American football coach best known for his role as the father of Liberty University football. He was the school's first ever head coach before dying in a plane crash while caught up in tornadic winds in his Cherokee 6 on November 20, 1973.[1] He also was a noted Baptist evangelist[2] and was known in collegiate football circles as "Coach Born Again".[3]
Coaching career
Royer left the United States Naval Academy where he had served as defensive coordinator to start up the football program at Lynchburg Baptist College, now called Liberty University. He served as the school's first head coach leading the Flames to a 3-3 record including three straight victories to end the inaugural season.[4] He also served as an assistant coach at Maryland[5] and he spent two seasons early in his career as head coach at Pennsylvania Military College, now called Widener University.[6]
Head coaching record
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Military Cadets () (1962–1963) | |||||||||
| 1962 | Pennsylvania Military | 5–5 | |||||||
| 1963 | Pennsylvania Military | 3–6 | |||||||
| Widener: | 8–11 | ||||||||
| Lynchburg Baptist Flames (Independent) (1973) | |||||||||
| 1973 | Lynchburg Baptist | 3–3 | |||||||
| Lynchburg Baptist: | 3–3 | ||||||||
| Total: | 11–14 | ||||||||
References
- ↑ "Bio by Ken Hay in The Wilds Newsletter, Fall 2007, p. 6" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-03-02.
- ↑ "Dr. Wendell Kempton Obituary mentioning Royer's widow". Retrieved 2008-03-02.
- ↑ "Dr. Don Callan on Royer in The Sting, Winter 2004, Vol. 21, No. 8, P. 2" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-03-02.
- ↑ "Liberty Coaching History" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-03-02.
- ↑ "The M Club History Records". Retrieved 2008-03-02.
- ↑ "2006 Widener College Football Media Guide, p. 44" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-03-02.
External links
- Lee Royer at the College Football Data Warehouse
- Royer Speech titled "Jerusalem or Jericho" delivered at 1973 Christian Education Association Convention - Published posthumously in The Projector, March 1974, p. 1