{{Short description|American football player and coach (1934–2015)}} {{other people}} {{Use American English|date=December 2024}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}} {{Infobox college coach | name = Charlie Coffey | image = Charlie Coffey, 1972.png | caption = Coffey, {{Circa|1972}} | birth_date = {{Birth date|1934|6|28}} | birth_place = Bedford County, Tennessee, U.S.<ref name="Hall of Fame" /> | death_date = {{Death date and age|2015|8|24|1934|6|28|mf=y}} | death_place = Shelbyville, Tennessee, U.S. | player_years1 = 1953–1955 | player_team1 = Tennessee | player_positions = Guard | coach_years1 = ? | coach_team1 = Hialeah HS (FL) (assistant) | coach_years2 = ? | coach_team2 = Southeastern Louisiana (assistant) | coach_years3 = ? | coach_team3 = George Washington (assistant) | coach_years4 = 1963–1965 | coach_team4 = Tennessee (DL) | coach_years5 = 1966–1970 | coach_team5 = Arkansas (DC) | coach_years6 = 1971–1973 | coach_team6 = Virginia Tech | overall_record = 12–20–1 }} '''Charles Edward Coffey''' (June 28, 1934 – August 24, 2015) was an American football player and coach. A native of Shelbyville, Tennessee, Coffey attended the University of Tennessee to play football for Robert Neyland. While at the University of Tennessee he played guard, lettered from 1953 to 1955 and was selected as the team captain his senior year. Coffey also maintained the highest grade average for four years of any member of the UT squad.<ref name="Hall of Fame">{{Cite web |title=Charles Coffey Obituary (2015) - Shelbyville, TN |url=https://obits.theadvocate.com/us/obituaries/theadvocate/name/charles-coffey-obituary?id=18463355 |access-date=November 29, 2023 |website=The Advocate}}</ref> Coffey served as the head football coach at Virginia Tech from 1971 to 1973, compiling a record of 12–20–1.<ref name="SR">{{Cite web |title=Charles Coffey College Coaching Records, Awards and Leaderboards |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/coaches/charles-coffey-1.html |access-date=November 29, 2023 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>
==Coaching career== After graduating from the University of Tennessee, Coffey began his coaching career as an assistant football coach at Hialeah High School in Miami, Florida. Then he spent five years at Southeastern Louisiana University. His next move was to George Washington University in Washington D.C., and then back to his alma mater for two years coaching for Jim McDonald and Doug Dickey.<ref name="Hall of Fame" /> He served as an assistant football coach at Tennessee, tutoring the defensive line from 1963 to 1965.<ref name="Letterman's Club">{{Cite web |date=September 30, 2005 |title=Coffey, Cutcliffe, Ford, Long and Wyant To Be Honored By Letterman's Club |url=http://www.utsports.com/genrel/093005aad.html |access-date=April 28, 2013 |website=University of Tennessee Sports |publisher=The University of Tennessee}}</ref> In 1965, Coffey received an offer to join Frank Broyles' staff at the University of Arkansas as defensive coordinator. During that time, Coffey was earning a reputation as a strong leader and an excellent football coach. After five years coaching at Arkansas with Broyles, three schools tried to recruit Coffey for their head coach positions. The first school he visited was Virginia Tech and in 1971 without even visiting the other schools, he became their head football coach. Once he arrived in Blacksburg, Coffey established a potent passing attack, which resulted in Hokies quarterback Don Strock leading the nation in total passing and total offense in 1972. During his time in Blacksburg, he set the program awash in orange, made a whirlwind media tour of the state to promote the Virginia Tech football team and improved the athletic facilities. Most significantly, the new coach broke with Tech tradition and installed a pass-happy offense. Attendance at Virginia Tech football games increased to record breaking numbers. The highlight of the 1972 season came when Tech upset 19th-ranked Oklahoma State in Blacksburg.<ref name="Hall of Fame" /> After completing his three-season tenure from 1971 to 1973, he compiled a 12–20–1 record.<ref name="SR" /> He was named to the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Coffey, Charles E. |url=https://tshf.net/halloffame/coffey-charles-e/ |access-date=2025-07-05 |website=Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Nationwide Express trucking== Coffey entered the trucking business in 1975. He founded Nationwide Express trucking company in 1980.<ref name="Hall of Fame" />
==Death== Coffey died at the age of 81, in his house in Shelbyville, Tennessee, on August 24, 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 25, 2015 |title=Former Virginia Tech football coach Charlie Coffey dies |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2015/08/25/former-virginia-tech-football-coach-charlie-coffey-dies/32343971/ |access-date=November 29, 2023 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US |agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
==Head coaching record== {{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Virginia Tech Gobblers | conf = NCAA University Division / Division I independent | startyear = 1971 | endyear = 1973 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1971 | name = Virginia Tech | overall = 4–7 | conference = | confstanding = | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1972 | name = Virginia Tech | overall = 6–4–1 | conference = | confstanding = | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1973 | name = Virginia Tech | overall = 2–9 | conference = | confstanding = | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Virginia Tech | overall = 12–20–1 | confrecord = }} {{CFB Yearly Record End | overall = 12–20–1 | bowls = no | poll = no | polltype = | legend = no }}
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category-inline|Charlie Coffey}}{{Virginia Tech Hokies football coach navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coffey, Charlie}} Category:1934 births Category:2015 deaths Category:American football guards Category:Arkansas Razorbacks football coaches Category:George Washington Colonials football coaches Category:Southeastern Louisiana Lions football coaches Category:Tennessee Volunteers football coaches Category:Tennessee Volunteers football players Category:Virginia Tech Hokies football coaches Category:High school football coaches in Florida Category:Sportspeople from Shelbyville, Tennessee