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An exemplary coach and role model, Frank “Muddy” Waters is one of the
most respected football coaches in Michigan football history. His coaching career began at Walled Lake High
School in 1950, before moving on to Albion High School. While coaching at Hillsdale College, his teams won 34
games in a row, a Division II record. Waters’ teams earned trips to the playoffs twice and also played in the 1957
Holiday Bowl. He was selected NAIA Coach of the Year in 1957, the same year Hillsdale was recognized by the
Washington D.C. Touchdown Club as the nation’s outstanding small college football team. Hillsdale record with
Waters at the helm from 1954-73 was 138-46-5. In 1973, the college’s football stadium was named Frank Waters
Stadium. One year later he accepted the head football coach position at Saginaw Valley State College and began
building a football program. The next year they were recognized as a varsity team and by 1979 he had led them
to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship. That year he was selected Michigan Coach
of the Year marking the eighth time in his illustrious career that he won the award. Waters concluded his coaching career at Michigan State University (1980-82). Outside of coaching Waters remained very involved in the
game of football. He was a four-time chairman of the NAIA Football Advisory Committee and was president of
the NAIA Football Coaches Association. Waters was named Michigan Coach of the Year eight times, received the
Distinguished American Award by the Michigan Chapter of the National Football Foundation, and was enshrined
in the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, Hillsdale College Athletic Hall of Fame, NAIA Football Hall of Fame and
College Football Hall of Fame. |
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