Bill Yeoman

Bio

Bill Yeoman first appeared on the college football scene as a 17-year old letter winning freshman at Texas A&M in 1945. Then he received an appointment to West Point. Yeoman, 6 foot 2, 200 pounds, played center for Army 1946-48. He was captain in 1948. Army had a 22-2-4 record in his time. Yeoman served in the Army 1950-53. He returned to civilian life and was assistant coach at Michigan State 1954-61. In 1962, he became head coach at the University of Houston, a job he held for 25 years. Houston started football in 1946 and had received no national recognition before Yeoman arrived. He turned the program into a winner. Yeoman invented the veer formation. For three straight years Houston led the nation in total offense, averaging 437 yards a game in 1966, 427 in 1967, and 562 in 1968. The 1968 total was an NCAA record at the time. Houston also led the nation in scoring, 42.5 points a game that year. Yeoman nicknamed his defensive unit the Mad Dog Defense. The Cougars were fifth in the nation in the final poll in 1979, fourth in 1968. Houston joined the Southwest Conference in 1976. In 11 years Yeoman won four conference championships-in 1976, 1978, 1979, and 1984. His overall record was 160-108-8. In a 20-year stretch 1965-84 the record was 147-72-6. His teams went to 11 bowls. Yeoman served the post-season as coach in the Blue-Gray, Shrine East-West, and Hula Games.