NEW YORK—Columbia Athletics is saddened to learn of the passing of former Head Football Coach Frank Navarro. Navarro, who served as Columbia's coach for six years from 1968-73, passed away at the age of 91.
"Columbia Football is saddened to hear of the loss of Coach Frank Navarro," Patricia and Shepard Alexander Head Coach of Football
Al Bagnoli said. "Frank enjoyed a long and illustrious career in college coaching. He had a very positive impact on a multitude of former Columbia football players, including some of the most recognizable and successful players ever to wear the Light Blue. Our thoughts and prayers are with Frank's family."
Most notably, Navarro led Columbia to a 6-3 overall record and a second-place finish in the Ivy League with a 5-2 record in 1971. Columbia's three losses during that season were all by three points or less and key victories included a 22-20 win over Princeton, a 15-14 victory over Yale on Homecoming, and a 31-29 victory over Dartmouth in which linebacker Paul Kaliades kicked the game's winning field goal in the closing minutes. Navarro brought in and coached such players as Kaliades, Don Jackson, Ted Gregory, Marty Domres, Mike Pyszczymucha, Jesse Parks, Mike Jones, George Starke, Mike Evans, John Sefcik, Mike Telep, Charles Johnson, and George Georges.
Navarro's six years at Columbia ranks as the fourth longest coaching tenure in Columbia Football history.
In 1955, Navarro began his college coaching career at Columbia as Lou Little hired him to be the Assistant Offensive Line coach under John Bateman, following a two-year teaching stint in the United States Air Force. After one season in New York, Navarro joined the coaching staff at Williams College, where he served as an assistant coach for eight seasons from 1956-62. In 1963, he was promoted to Head Coach and for the next four years, Navarro guided the Ephs to a spectacular 28-11-1 record, including a 7-1 season in 1964, back-to-back 6-2 seasons in 1965 and 1966, and a 7-0-1 slate in 1967 before going back to Columbia as the Head Football Coach in 1968.
Following a successful four years at Wabash College (Ind.) from 1974-77, Navarro became Head Coach at Princeton, where he guided the Tigers football program from 1978-84. He compiled a 99-99-6 career college football coaching record in 22 total years as a head coach.
A 1953 graduate of the University of Maryland, Navarro played guard on the Terrapins football team. He helped guide Maryland to a 1952 Sugar Bowl victory over Tennessee and subsequent national championship.
Interestingly, Navarro posed for the Norman Rockwell painting "The Recruit," which depicted Navarro as coach, a Williams student-athlete, and an athletic trainer.
He is survived by his wife Jill Navarro, his eight children, and 22 grandchildren.
