Former Vanderbilt, Memphis football coach Fred Pancoast dies at 90

Former Vanderbilt and Memphis football coach Fred Pancoast died Sunday. He was 90.

Pancoast, a Pensacola, Florida native, began his head coaching career after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps at Tampa in 1962. He landed his second head coaching job at Memphis from 1972-74 where he posted a 20-12-1 record.

He went to Vanderbilt in 1975 and led the Commodores to instant success. Vanderbilt went 7-4 in Pancoast's first season, which included winning its last four games over Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky and Army.

"I've been around a few, but Fred was one of the very best head football coaches I've ever been around," said Boots Donnelly, who served as offensive backfield coach on Pancoast's staff at Vanderbilt before going on to become the coach at Austin Peay and Middle Tennessee State. "He had a great knack for understanding what players were going through. But he was still tough and disciplined."

In 1978 Pancoast named Van Heflin Vanderbilt's starting quarterback and Heflin went on to become the Commodores' first Black quarterback to consistently start.

Another highlight came when Pancoast led Vanderbilt against No. 1-ranked Oklahoma in 1977 and the Commodores gave the Sooners a scare before losing 25-23.

Pancoast remained at Vanderbilt through the 1979 season and posted a 13-31 record.

Earlier in his career Pancoast served as the quarterbacks coach at Florida when Heisman Trophy winner Steve Spurrier was the Gators' quarterback. Pancoast was later promoted to offensive coordinator. He also was the offensive coordinator at Georgia (1970-71).

Pancoast was awarded the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007, and the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Fred Russell Distinguished American Award in 2011.

He also was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 and is in the University of Tampa Athletic Hall of Fame.

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After retiring from coaching Pancoast went into the private sector in 1980 working for Murray Manufacturing Company. In 1985 he founded Pancoast & Associates Inc., an employee benefits marketing and consulting firm in Nashville.

Aside from is professional life, Pancoast was involved in several charities, including being part of the organizing committee and remaining heavily involved in Room In the Inn, a program designed to bring in homeless people during the winter months in order to give them shelter and warm meals.

He was volunteered at Operation Stand-Down, The Campus for Human Development, and multiple drug and alcohol rehabilitation clinics, specifically the Buffalo Valley Treatment Center, which he was instrumental in establishing.

Through his work with Operation Stand Down, Pancoast received the President’s Volunteer Service Award by President George W. Bush in 2008. His favorite Bible verse was James 2:20, “Faith without works is dead.”

Visitation will be Friday at Christ the King Catholic Church from 9:15-11 a.m. with a funeral Mass to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Room In the Inn.

Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt, Memphis football coach Fred Pancoast dies at 90