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Bob Packard '64 (1968-2001)

In 21 years as the head coach of the Yellow Jacket football program, Bob Packard established standards of excellence at Baldwin-Wallace College and throughout the NCAA Division III level that are difficult to match.

Packard did not experience a losing season while a head coach at Baldwin-Wallace. Nor was he part of a losing season during any of his 34 years as part of the B-W program. On a blustery Saturday
afternoon in 2001, Bob Packard passed his coach and mentor, the legendary Lee Tressel, to become the most prolific football coach in Yellow Jacket history with 156 wins. This showing also ranks Bob Packard among the top coaches in Division III.

Packard learned the Yellow Jacket system as a student-athlete, assistant coach and offensive coordinator under Lee Tressel. Packard strongly believes in the Division III philosophy of the student-athlete.

After taking over for Tressel in 1981, Packard compiled a solid 156-54-2 overall record, including an impressive 134-35-2 record and an .789 winning percentage against powerful Ohio Athletic Conference competition.

Under Packard's expert tutelage, the Yellow Jackets also won six OAC titles and went to NCAA post-season competition twice. In addition, B-W was nationally ranked virtually every year and the program produced numerous All-American, Academic All-American, All-OAC and Academic All-OAC student-athletes.

In addition to coaching football, Packard earned his position as professor in the Division of Health and Physical Education. Packard graduated from the College in 1965, and received his master's degree from the University of Colorado in 1966, while serving as a graduate assistant coach for the Buffaloes.

Packard also was an assistant coach at Orrville (Ohio) High School before returning to his alma mater in 1968 as an assistant coach for the Yellow Jackets. In 1974, Packard was promoted to offensive coordinator and in 1981 named Head Coach.