Harold W. Kopp (January 19, 1909 – May 10, 1998) was an American football coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Rhode Island, Brigham Young University (BYU), and Bentley University, compiling a career college football record of 51–39–6.

Hal Kopp
Biographical details
Born(1909-01-19)January 19, 1909
DiedMay 10, 1998(1998-05-10) (aged 89)
Rhode Island, U.S.
Playing career
1932Western Maryland
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1937–1940Northeastern (line)
1941–1943Brown (line)
late 1940sHarvard (line)
late 1940sYale (line)
1950Rhode Island State
1952–1955Rhode Island
1956–1958BYU
1959Boston University (line)
1960Connecticut (line)
1964–1970Waltham HS (MA)
1972–1975Bentley
Head coaching record
Overall51–39–6 (college)
Bowls0–1
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
3 Yankee Conference (1952–1953, 1955)
Awards
2× Rhode Island Coach of the Year (1953, 1955)
New England Coach of the Year (1955)

At Rhode Island, Kopp led the Rams to three Yankee Conference titles in five seasons (two shared, one outright). When they won their first title in 1952, it was the first championship in the Rhode Island football program's history. In 1955, he led them to the program's first bowl game, the Refrigerator Bowl, where the Rams lost, 12–10, to Jacksonville State.

As the coach of the BYU Cougars football team, Kopp produced winning records in his last two seasons, but was dismissed from the university when rumors surfaced that he had committed a potential NCAA rules infraction. From 1964 to 1970 Kopp was head football coach at Waltham High School. The team went undefeated in 1965. Kopp was also the first-ever head coach for the Bentley Falcons football program when he took the reins in 1972. He coached there for four seasons.

Kopp was author of a book titled I've Seen It All. He died on May 10, 1998.[1]

Head coaching record

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College

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Rhode Island State Rams (Yankee Conference) (1950)
1950 Rhode Island State 3–5 2–3 3rd
Rhode Island Rams (Yankee Conference) (1952–1955)
1952 Rhode Island 7–1 3–1 T–1st
1953 Rhode Island 6–2 3–1 T–1st
1954 Rhode Island 6–2 3–1 2nd
1955 Rhode Island 6–1–2 4–0 1st L Refrigerator
Rhode Island State / Rhode Island: 28–11–2 15–6
BYU Cougars (Skyline Conference) (1956–1958)
1956 BYU 2–7–1 1–5–1 7th
1957 BYU 5–3–2 5–1–1 2nd
1958 BYU 6–4 5–2 3rd
BYU: 13–14–3 11–8–2
Bentley Falcons (Independent) (1972–1975)
1972 Bentley 4–2–1
1973 Bentley 2–3
1974 Bentley 3–3
1975 Bentley 1–6
Bentley: 10–14–1
Total: 51–39–6
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ "Hal Kopp, 89". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. May 14, 1998. p. B7. Retrieved May 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com  .