George Yarno

{{Short description|American football player and coach (1957–2016)}} {{Use American English|date=June 2024}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = George Yarno | number = 68, 66, 69 | position = Guard | birth_date = {{Birth date|1957|8|12|mf=y}} | birth_place = Spokane, Washington, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|8|8|1957|8|12|mf=y}} | death_place = Spokane, Washington, U.S.<ref name=obtgyrno>{{cite news |url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/spokesman/obituary.aspx?pid=181070930 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |agency=(obituary)|title=George Anthony Yarno (1957-2016) |date=August 9, 2016 |accessdate=September 20, 2016}}</ref><ref name=srobt/> | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 2 | weight_lb = 260 | high_school = Spokane Ferris (WA) East Anchorage (AK) | college = Washington State | undraftedyear = 1979 | pastteams = * Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|1979|1983}}) * Denver Gold (1984-1985) * Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|1985|1987}}) * Atlanta Falcons ({{NFL Year|1988}}) * Houston Oilers ({{NFL Year|1989}}) * Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|1990}})* | pastcoaching = * Washington State (1991–1994) Offensive line coach * Idaho (1995–1997) Offensive coordinator & offensive line coach * Houston (1998–1999) Assistant head coach & offensive line coach * Arizona State (2000) Offensive line coach * LSU (2001–2002) Offensive line coach * Washington State (2003–2007) Offensive line coach * Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2008) Assistant offensive line coach * Detroit Lions (2009–2012) Offensive line coach * Jacksonville Jaguars (2013–2014) Offensive line coach | highlights = * First-team All-Pac-8 (1977) * Second-team All-Pac-10 (1978) | statlabel1 = Games played | statvalue1 = 136 | statlabel2 = Games started | statvalue2 = 73 | statlabel3 = Fumble recoveries | statvalue3 = 1 | pfr = YarnGe20 }}

'''George Anthony Yarno''' (August 12, 1957 – August 8, 2016)<ref name=obtgyrno/> was an American professional football player who was a guard for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, and Houston Oilers. He also played two seasons with the Denver Gold of the United States Football League (USFL).<ref>''[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_HJQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EloDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3873,1171017 St. Petersburg Evening Independent]'' - Bucs expect players in USFL to try for release from contracts - August 5, 1986 - p.4C</ref>

Yarno worked as an offensive line coach for a number of collegiate and professional teams. After his release from the Detroit Lions following the 2012 season, Yarno accepted the offensive line coach job with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2013.

== Early life == Born and raised in Spokane, Washington, Yarno was one of six children; his mother Wanda died in 1962 when he was just five.<ref name=spdchdnt>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dadYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Z_cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5152%2C2326618 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |agency=(death notices)|location=Washington|title=Yarno, Wanda Lee |date=December 11, 1962 |page=17}}</ref> His older brother John (b. 1954) was an All-American center at Idaho,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wCBOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=m-0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6506,4857948|newspaper=Spokesman Review|location=Spokane, Washington|title=Yarno vs. Yarno: brothers jaw-to-jaw|last=Missildine|first=Harry|date=September 27, 1976|page=15}}</ref> and later a five-year starter in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks.

George attended Gonzaga Preparatory School as a freshman, then spent two years in Alaska with his father and went to East Anchorage High School.<ref name=ydelig>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7-9LAAAAIBAJ&sjid=be0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7194,5208856|newspaper=Spokesman-Review|location=Spokane, Washington|title=Yarnos not delighted by prospect|last=Payne|first=Bob|date=November 12, 1975|page=16}}</ref> He returned to Spokane and attended Ferris for his senior year, graduated in 1975,<ref name=yidea>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KcheAAAAIBAJ&sjid=STIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4327%2C3203397|newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune|location=Idaho|title=Yarno brothers don't like the idea|last=Drosendahl|first=Glenn|date=November 12, 1975|page=B1}}</ref> then played four years at Washington State University in Pullman under four head coaches (Jim Sweeney, Jackie Sherrill, Warren Powers, and Jim Walden), as a nose tackle and defensive tackle.<ref name=lgdoit>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3cteAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nzIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3276%2C624640 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=Idaho |last=Emerson |first=Paul |title=Let George do it |date=November 2, 1978 |page=1B }}</ref> He matched up often with his brother John in the Battle of the Palouse in 1975 and 1976, both games handily won by WSU at {{nowrap|Martin Stadium.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wCBOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=m-0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6506,4857948|newspaper=Spokesman-Review|location=Spokane, Washington|title=Yarno vs. Yarno: brothers jaw-to-jaw|last=Missildine|first=Harry|date=September 27, 1976|page=15}}</ref><ref name=tybro>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3usRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=re4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3404%2C1069195|newspaper=Spokesman-Review|location=Spokane, Washington|title=The Yarno brothers|last=Weaver|first=Dan|date=July 3, 1983|page=D1}}</ref>}}

==Professional playing career== Unselected in the 1979 NFL draft, Yarno was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a rookie free agent in 1979 and made the team on the other side of the ball, as a reserve offensive lineman.<ref name=eatcap>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PuYLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5VgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2228,145365 |newspaper=St. Petersburg Evening Independent|location=Florida|title=George Yarno: he smiled and ate his way into camp |last=Ledman |first=Gary |date=July 16, 1979|page=C1}}</ref><ref name=ygcash>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kVBSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eXwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4795%2C5025094 |newspaper=St. Petersburg Times |location=Florida|title=Yarno gets cash, thanks from McKay |last=Tierney |first=Mike |date=December 21, 1979 |page=1C}}</ref> He was a starting offensive lineman a majority of his career, including starts at tackle, guard, and center.<ref name=hsfrageo>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RFxWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1e8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4110%2C9929294 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review|location=Spokane, Washington|title=Houston signs free agent George Yarno |date=March 31, 1989 |page=C2}}</ref>

===Scoring=== Despite being an offensive lineman, Yarno scored one point in his NFL career, an extra point in the closing moments of the 1983 season at Detroit on December 18, indoors at the Pontiac Silverdome. As the team's emergency kicker, the straight-on left-footed Yarno entered the game with 77 seconds to play and down by four points. Head coach John McKay had removed the newly signed placekicker,<ref name=lebsos>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UW4fAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rmgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1658%2C10898557 |newspaper=Sarasota Herald-Tribune |last=Lasswell |first=Doug |title=Lions end Bucs' season of shame 23-20 |date=December 19, 1983 |page=10B}}</ref> barefooted Dave Warnke,<ref name=wkifhs>{{cite web |url=http://www.bucpower.com/feature-warnke.html |publisher=Buc Power |title=The worst kicker in franchise history |accessdate=December 18, 2013 |archive-date=December 19, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219024439/http://www.bucpower.com/feature-warnke.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> after two consecutive poor kicks: a failed extra point late in the first half and an unattractive low spinning field goal attempt in the third quarter from 29 yards, when the score was tied at 13.<ref name=ldfttpb>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=I90xAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ugIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6492%2C5669734|newspaper=Toledo Blade|location=Ohio |title=Lions defeat Tampa Bay |last=Taylor |first=Jim |date=December 19, 1983 |pages=22–23}}</ref> Following Yarno's successful conversion, heartily celebrated by his fellow linemen, division champion Detroit recovered the subsequent onside kick and ran out the clock to win the game by three points, 23–20, and hapless Tampa Bay finished the year at 2–14.<ref name=exp>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gVdWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5-4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4525%2C2334706 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review|location=Spokane, Washington|title=NFC |agency=Associated Press|date=December 19, 1983|pages=21–23}}</ref><ref name=bptgr>{{cite web|url=http://www.bucpower.com/1683report.html |publisher=Buc Power |title=Bucs 20 Lions 23 - The Game Report|date=December 18, 1983 |accessdate=December 18, 2013}}</ref>

== Coaching career ==

===College assistant=== Following his career as a player, Yarno entered the coaching ranks as a collegiate assistant at Washington State University; he coached the offensive line for four seasons under head coach Mike Price, from 1991 to 1994. He moved {{convert|8|mi|spell=in}} east to the University of Idaho in 1995 as offensive coordinator and line coach under first-year head coach Chris Tormey.<ref name=uibgmv>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YbwzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=S_EDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6091%2C2582520|work=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |last=Meehan |first=Jim |title=UI move big step for Yarno |date=January 25, 1995 |page=C1}}</ref> After three seasons in Moscow, Yarno left for the University of Houston in 1998 to become the assistant head coach (and offensive line coach) under head coach Kim Helton. In 2000, he was the offensive line coach for Arizona State University for a season, Bruce Snyder's last as head coach, then spent two seasons at LSU under head coach Nick Saban, again as offensive line coach. He returned to Washington State in 2003 to coach the offensive line under first-year head coach Bill Doba; following Doba's dismissal after the 2007 season, Yarno became a coach at the professional level.

===NFL assistant=== Yarno became an NFL assistant coach in 2008 as the assistant offensive line coach with Tampa Bay, his first professional team as a player. After a season in Tampa, Yarno joined the coaching staff of the Detroit Lions in 2009 as offensive line coach. He was recommended by offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, a former Idaho quarterback, whom Yarno had been recommended to by Nick Saban. Following a disappointing 4-12 season from the Detroit Lions after making the playoffs the year prior, Yarno was released as an assistant coach after the 2012 season. He was named the Jaguars offensive line coach on January 24, 2013.<ref name="fired">{{cite news |url=http://www.freep.com/article/20121231/SPORTS01/121231058/Lions-cut-ties-with-assistant-coaches-Shawn-Jefferson-Sam-Gash-George-Yarno |title=Lions cut ties with assistant coaches Shawn Jefferson, Sam Gash, George Yarno |last=Birkett |first=Dave |newspaper=Detroit Free Press |date=December 31, 2012 |accessdate=December 18, 2013}}</ref> On January 20, 2015, the Jacksonville Jaguars hired former Buffalo Bills head coach Doug Marrone replacing Yarno as offensive line coach. Marrone's hiring means offensive line coach George Yarno will not return to the Jaguars in 2015, according to a team spokesman. The Jaguars announced on May 29, 2015 that Yarno had been diagnosed with cancer (stomach) and was receiving treatment. He remained under contract.<ref>{{cite web|title=Doug Marrone joins Jags' staff|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/12199418/jacksonville-jaguars-hire-doug-marrone-assistant-head-coach|website=ESPN|date=January 20, 2015 |access-date=January 20, 2015}}</ref> Yarno died in Spokane at age 58 on August 8, 2016.<ref name=srobt>{{cite news |url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/aug/08/george-yarno-former-nfl-wsu-football-star-and-ferr/ |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |last=Blanchette |first=John |title=George Yarno, former NFL, WSU football player and Ferris graduate, dies at age 58 |date=August 8, 2016 |accessdate=September 20, 2016}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20131219031916/http://www.jaguars.com/team/coaches/yarno_george/be5b8699-d3e9-4bfa-ba87-55a52fb05a01 Jacksonville Jaguars] - George Yarno - offensive line coach  * [http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_football_nfl/2008/11/george-yarnos-k.html Video of Yarno kicking a PAT in 1983] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130131145109/http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_football_nfl/2008/11/george-yarnos-k.html |date=January 31, 2013 }} * {{Footballstats |nfl=2529497 |cfl= |afl= |espn= |cbs= |yahoo= |fox= |si= |pfr=YarnGe20 |dbf=YARNOGEO01 |rotoworld=}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yarno, George}} Category:1957 births Category:2016 deaths Category:Players of American football from Spokane, Washington Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers players Category:Atlanta Falcons players Category:Houston Oilers players Category:Denver Gold players Category:Washington State Cougars football players Category:Washington State Cougars football coaches Category:Idaho Vandals football coaches Category:Houston Cougars football coaches Category:Arizona State Sun Devils football coaches Category:LSU Tigers football coaches Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers coaches Category:Detroit Lions coaches Category:Jacksonville Jaguars coaches Category:Deaths from stomach cancer in Washington (state)