Eastern Michigan Athletics
Former EMU Football Coach Rick Rasnick Passes Away
2/15/2019 11:38:00 AM | Football
Rasnick was head coach of the Eagles from 1995-99
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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Rick Rasnick, who served as the head coach of the Eastern Michigan University football team from 1995-99, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 13, at age 59. Rasnick, who was known as an offensive mastermind at just age 35 when he took over the EMU program, finished his tenure with the sixth-most victories in school-history with 20.
In his first year as EMU's head man, the program finished in the top 10 in the nation in passing offense, top 20 in total offense, and top 20 in scoring as the Eagles recorded a 6-5 record. That mark was the first winning season for Eastern since the 1989 campaign and Rasnick was the first EMU rookie coach to sport a winning record in his first year since the 1967 season.
Rasnick directed the high-powered, high scoring EMU offense to a school-record 33.0 points per game, along with records for passing offense, 302.1 yards per game, and total offense, 449. 09 yards per game.
The 1995 season saw Rasnick take over a program that was picked to finish seventh in the preseason MAC poll and keep them in first place in the league race for eight weeks. The Eagles faltered at the end and finished with that 6-5 overall mark and a 5-3 conference record, good for fifth in the final standings. The program would not post another winning season until the 2016 season when the team qualified for the Bahamas Bowl.
Before arriving in Ypsilanti, Rasnick was the offensive coordinator at the University of Utah from 1991-94. As offensive coordinator, Rasnick helped Utah to three consecutive postseason bowl bids and the 1994 squad turned in a 16-13 upset over the University of Arizona in the Freedom Bowl. The Running Utes also played in the 1993 Freedom Bowl against the University of Southern California and the 1992 Copper Bowl against Washington State. Utah was ranked eighth in the final 1994 USA Today/CNN Poll and 10th in the final Associated Press poll.
The 1994 Utah squad was ranked 11th in the nation in total offense with 445 yards per game, the 38 points-pergame average were the most scored in school history and the 10 wins recorded by the team were the most in Utah history.
The 1993 Utah team averaged 485 yards per game along with a 31 point-a-game average and the 1992 squad averaged 420 yards and 28 points each game.
Prior to his coaching stint at Utah, Rasnick was an assistant football coach at San Jose State University from 1989-90.
During his 14 years as an assistant football coach, Rasnick coached in seven bowl games, including four bowl champions.
A Los Angeles, Calif. native, Rasnick attended North Torrance High School where he was all-conference captain. He attended El Camino Junior College where he was captain of the football team in 1978.
Rasnick then moved on to San Jose State University where he was the starting offensive center in 1979 and 1980. SJSU's biggest win during his college career came over previously unbeaten and No. 10-ranked Baylor University squad that was led by middle linebacker Mike Singletary, 30-23, Nov. 1, 1980.
He joined the San Jose State football squad as a graduate assistant coach in 1981 and became the full-time offensive line coach in 1982 and was on that staff through the 1990 season. The last four years at San Jose he was the offensive coordinator. He became the youngest offensive coordinator in Division I-A football when he was named to that post at SJSU in 1987 at the age of 27.
During his tenure on the SJSU staff, Rasnick coached against EMU in the 1987 California Bowl, a game won by Eastern in a 30-27 upset.
In 2013, Rasnick was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease, a neurodegenerative disease with no known cure. In 2018, he was honored at the Beach Cities Health District's Spirit of Wellness awards.
A celebration of life is planned for Saturday, March 16, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Rice Mortuary (5310 Torrance Blvd. Torrance, Calif. 90503 - Phone: 310.792.7599).
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Rick Rasnick, who served as the head coach of the Eastern Michigan University football team from 1995-99, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 13, at age 59. Rasnick, who was known as an offensive mastermind at just age 35 when he took over the EMU program, finished his tenure with the sixth-most victories in school-history with 20.
In his first year as EMU's head man, the program finished in the top 10 in the nation in passing offense, top 20 in total offense, and top 20 in scoring as the Eagles recorded a 6-5 record. That mark was the first winning season for Eastern since the 1989 campaign and Rasnick was the first EMU rookie coach to sport a winning record in his first year since the 1967 season.
Rasnick directed the high-powered, high scoring EMU offense to a school-record 33.0 points per game, along with records for passing offense, 302.1 yards per game, and total offense, 449. 09 yards per game.
The 1995 season saw Rasnick take over a program that was picked to finish seventh in the preseason MAC poll and keep them in first place in the league race for eight weeks. The Eagles faltered at the end and finished with that 6-5 overall mark and a 5-3 conference record, good for fifth in the final standings. The program would not post another winning season until the 2016 season when the team qualified for the Bahamas Bowl.
Before arriving in Ypsilanti, Rasnick was the offensive coordinator at the University of Utah from 1991-94. As offensive coordinator, Rasnick helped Utah to three consecutive postseason bowl bids and the 1994 squad turned in a 16-13 upset over the University of Arizona in the Freedom Bowl. The Running Utes also played in the 1993 Freedom Bowl against the University of Southern California and the 1992 Copper Bowl against Washington State. Utah was ranked eighth in the final 1994 USA Today/CNN Poll and 10th in the final Associated Press poll.
The 1994 Utah squad was ranked 11th in the nation in total offense with 445 yards per game, the 38 points-pergame average were the most scored in school history and the 10 wins recorded by the team were the most in Utah history.
The 1993 Utah team averaged 485 yards per game along with a 31 point-a-game average and the 1992 squad averaged 420 yards and 28 points each game.
Prior to his coaching stint at Utah, Rasnick was an assistant football coach at San Jose State University from 1989-90.
During his 14 years as an assistant football coach, Rasnick coached in seven bowl games, including four bowl champions.
A Los Angeles, Calif. native, Rasnick attended North Torrance High School where he was all-conference captain. He attended El Camino Junior College where he was captain of the football team in 1978.
Rasnick then moved on to San Jose State University where he was the starting offensive center in 1979 and 1980. SJSU's biggest win during his college career came over previously unbeaten and No. 10-ranked Baylor University squad that was led by middle linebacker Mike Singletary, 30-23, Nov. 1, 1980.
He joined the San Jose State football squad as a graduate assistant coach in 1981 and became the full-time offensive line coach in 1982 and was on that staff through the 1990 season. The last four years at San Jose he was the offensive coordinator. He became the youngest offensive coordinator in Division I-A football when he was named to that post at SJSU in 1987 at the age of 27.
During his tenure on the SJSU staff, Rasnick coached against EMU in the 1987 California Bowl, a game won by Eastern in a 30-27 upset.
In 2013, Rasnick was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease, a neurodegenerative disease with no known cure. In 2018, he was honored at the Beach Cities Health District's Spirit of Wellness awards.
A celebration of life is planned for Saturday, March 16, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Rice Mortuary (5310 Torrance Blvd. Torrance, Calif. 90503 - Phone: 310.792.7599).
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