Don Read
Donald Bert Read (December 15, 1933 – January 3, 2024) was an American college football coach and athletics administrator. He was the head coach at Portland State University (1968–1971, 1981–1985), the University of Oregon (1974–1976), the Oregon Institute of Technology (1977–1980), and the University of Montana (1986–1995), compiling a career college football record of 155–126–1 (.551).
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 15, 1933 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died | January 3, 2024 (aged 90) |
| Playing career | |
| late 1950s | Sacramento State |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1960s | Placer HS (CA) (assistant) |
| 1960s | Petaluma HS (CA) |
| 1966–1967 | Humboldt State (assistant) |
| 1968–1971 | Portland State |
| 1972–1973 | Oregon (QB/Rec) |
| 1974–1976 | Oregon |
| 1977–1980 | Oregon Tech |
| 1981–1985 | Portland State |
| 1986–1995 | Montana |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 2004–2005 | Montana |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 155–126–1 (college) 19–5–2 (high school) |
| Tournaments | 8–4 (NCAA D-I-AA playoffs) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 1 NCAA Division I-AA (1995) 1 Evergreen (1980) 1 Western Football (1984) 2 Big Sky (1993, 1995) | |
| Awards | |
| AFCA Division I-AA COY (1995) | |
From 1968 to 1971 and 1981 to 1985, Read led the Portland State Vikings to a 39–52–1 record. From 1974 to 1976, he guided the Oregon Ducks to a 9–24 record (3–18 in Pac-8); the two previous seasons he mentored quarterbacks and receivers under head coach Dick Enright.
Read's best success came at Montana, where he went 85–36 (.702), including three 11-win seasons and an NCAA Division I-AA Championship in his final year of coaching, 1995. Read resided in Corvallis, Oregon, where he participated in scouting and game planning for Oregon State football.
Read died on January 3, 2024, at the age of 90.