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William McAndrew
1913-16, 1921-38
Record: 83-79-20
Hired at SINU in 1913 to
develop a physical education
depar tment “ for boys ,”
McAndrew organized the
athletics program, which
previously had “club teams”
and occasionally an approved
team.
He served as head coach,
with the exception of years
spent in the armed forces
and while pursuing a second
degree, unt i l 1938. The
stadium opened in 1938 and
named in his honor in 1943,
shortly after his death.
Sam Patterson
1917
Record: 2-2
Sam Pa t t er son was a
volunteer coach for SINU and
filled in for one season after
William McAndrew joined
the armed forces during
World War I.
No Teams in 1918 and 1920
William Lodge
1919
Record: 2-2
Like Patterson, Lodge was a
fill-in for McAndrew. He also
coached the basketball team
and served as acting athletic
director.
Glenn (Abe) Martin
1939-49
Record: 31-42-5
Abe Martin starred on the
university’s only unbeaten
football team in 1930 and
became the second alumnus
to play professional football,
competing for the Chicago
Cardinals in 1932.
As coach at SINU, Martin’s
biggest milestone was guiding
the 1947 team to a victory in
the Corn Bowl.
In addition to coaching
football, Martin was SINU’s
interim athletics director and
head basketball coach in
1943 before eventually being
named AD in 1945. He also
revived the baseball program
in 1947.
Bill Waller
1950-51
Record: 3-14-1
A Benton, I l l . , nat ive,
Wa l l e r wa s an I l l i no i s
g r a d u a t e wh o p l ay e d
professional football and
baseball.
William O’Brien
1952-54
Record: 6-20
O’Brien lettered in football,
baseball and track at SINU in
the early 1940s.
After a stint in the Marine
Corps, he returned to SIU in
1952 and was named head
football coach at the age of
29. He coached until 1954,
when he became director
of SIU’s Outdoor Recreation
Department and embarked
on a career in footbal l
officiating.
O’Br i en had a l ong ,
productive career as an NFL
referee and was an observer
for the NFL until 1990.
Al Kawal
1955-58
Record: 20-15-2
Before arriving at SIU,
Kawal had eight years of head
coaching experience at Drake
and Temple.
The native Chicagoan, had
his best year in 1958, posting
a 7-2 record, including a
key, 32-31 win over Western
Illinois. He was unbeaten in
four seasons at SIU against
Eastern Illinois and was 3-1
vs. Northern Illinois.
Carmen Piccone
1959-63
Record: 28-20
The 30-year old Piccone
joined Southern Illinois’ staff
as an assistant coach in 1955
after serving under Al Kawal
as an assistant at Temple.
Piccone had been a star
quarterback at Temple and
captained its 1952 team.
In five seasons at SIU, his
teams never lost to Illinois
State (4-0), Central Michigan
(4-0) or Eastern Michigan
(3-0). His 1960 squad won
the IIAC championship with
a perfect 6-0 record.
Don Shroyer
1964-65
Record: 4-16
Shroyer joined SIU in 1964
after two seasons with the
football St. Louis Cardinals.
Hi s only wins at SIU
were over Louisville, Drake,
Nor thern Iowa and SW
Missouri State. He returned
to the Cardinals and primarily
helped develop former Saluki
standout quarterback Jim
Hart.
Ellis Rainsberger
1966
Record: 4-5-1
Rainsberger came to SIU
after serving as an assistant
at Kansas. He left the Salukis
after one season to become
an ass i s tant at I l l inoi s ,
where he spent six years.
Rainsberger later moved on
to the Canadian Football
League.
Dick Towers
1967-73
Record: 30-37-2
Towers was promoted to
head coach after just one year
as an assistant at SIU.
His teams bat t led top
compe t i t i on i nc l ud i ng ,
Louisville, East Carolina and
Oklahoma State. Towers’
teams posted three seasons
above .500, three below and
one at 5-5. After leaving SIU,
he returned to Kansas, later
serving as AD at Kansas State.
Doug Weaver
1974-75
Record: 3-18-1
We av e r wa s n ame d
athletics director at SIU in
1973 and added the head
football coaching duties the
following year.
Weaver had been an
assistant at Michigan State,
Missouri, Kansas and UCLA,
and head coach at Kansas
State prior to SIU.
He r e s i g n e d a t S I U
following the 1975 season to
become the athletics director
at Michigan State, where he
served until retiring in 1990.
Rey Dempsey
1976-83
Record: 54-37
Dempsey had a reputation
for rebuilding programs after
turning around the football
fortunes at Youngstown State
immediately prior to taking
over SIU. The Salukis became
a player at the national level
during his eight-year stay,
wi nn i ng games aga i ns t
Temple, East Carolina, Fresno
State, Marshall, Tulsa, West
Texas and NewMexico State.
His lone loss to Wichita
State in 1983 cost SIU a
conference title, but the
Salukis ultimately won the
Nat ional Championship,
and Dempsey was named
Division I-AA “Coach of the
Year.”
Dempsey left Southern
within a week of winning
the national title and took
over the football program at
Memphis. After several years
at Memphis, he resigned to
become a full-time minister.
MVFC CHAMPIONS
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2013 SALUKI FOOTBALL
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HEAD COACHING HISTORY