Morehead State Athletics mourns the passing of former Eagle football student-athlete and later head coach Cole Proctor. Proctor passed away at his home in Cincinnati, Ohio, this weekend.
Proctor was a member of the 1966 Ohio Valley Conference championship team and later returned to his alma mater to lead the Eagle program from 1990-93. After retiring from coaching Proctor was a longtime NFL scout for the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans.
Arrangements are not complete yet but will be sent out once they are.
A native of Wallingford, Conn., Proctor attended State College of Iowa (now Northern Iowa) first before enrolling at MSU. He earned his team the OVC title in 1966 and then graduated with his bachelor's degree in 1967 before earning his Master's Degree from MSU in 1968.
After returning to the Eagle sidelines in December of 1989, Proctor hired his staff, one of which was the notable Rex Ryan (his defensive coordinator). Ryan later went on to be an NFL head coach for the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills.
Proctor was promptly named the OVC Coach of the Year in 1990, leading his alma mater to its best league finish since 1979.
Before coming back to MSU, Proctor held assistant coaching positions at Utah (1986-89), San Diego State (1981-85), East Tennessee (1979-80), Gardner-Webb (1969-71) and Lees-McRae College (1968). He was also the head coach and athletic director at LM from 1976-78.
Proctor also held head coaching positions at Keene (N.H.) High School and Chatham (N.J.) Township High School.
