The News-Times

Former coach Forzano dies at 90

- james.fuller@hearstmedi­act.com; @NHRJimFull­er

Rick Forzano, the former head coach of the NFL’s Detroit Lions who was UConn’s coach during the 1964 and 1965 seasons, died at the age of 90.

Forzano posted a 7-10-1 record as UConn’s coach. In his first season, the Huskies went 2-1-1 in the Yankee Conference marking the first winning mark in conference play for UConn since 1960. The 1965 season began with a historic 13-6 win over Yale. The Huskies entered the game 0-16 against the Bulldogs and were shut out in nine of those contests.

Forzano was also the head coach at Navy from 1969-72 and was an assistant coach at Navy when Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach played for the Midshipmen. He was the Lions head coach during the 1974 and 1975 seasons and the first four games in 1976.

Forzano had future NFL coaches Joe Bugel, Bill Belichick, Raymond Berry and Jerry Glanville on the staff when he coached the Lions. Future NFL coaches Sam Wyche and Dick Jauron played for the Lions during Forzano’s tenure.

KING HIRED

Matt King has been hired as the director of strength and conditioni­ng at UConn.

King has been the asssistant strength and conditioni­ng coach at the University of Washington since 2016. He previously worked with the football and field hockey programs at Columbia. King, who was an AllAmerica­n defensive end at Maine, had a stint as Maine's head strength and conditioni­ng coach from 2013-15.

King replaces Eric Klein who served in the same role for the last two seasons but was one of four staff members not retained by UConn coach Randy Edsall after the Huskies finished 1-11 during the 2018 season.

King will begin working with the UConn football players when they return to campus on Jan. 22.

 ?? Associated Press file photo ?? Rick Forzano, shown here in 1974, was the coach at UConn during the 1964 and 1965 seasons. Forzano recently died at the age of 90.
Associated Press file photo Rick Forzano, shown here in 1974, was the coach at UConn during the 1964 and 1965 seasons. Forzano recently died at the age of 90.

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