Craig Howard, Tim Tebow's high school coach, dies at 64

Posted January 23, 2017 6:00 am

The Associated Press

ASHLAND, Ore. (AP) - Southern Oregon football coach Craig Howard, who coached Tim Tebow in high school before leading the Raiders to the NAIA national championship, has died at 64.

The university said in a news release that Howard died at home Thursday night after a day of recruiting.

Howard coached high school football in Florida from 2003 to 2010, leading Nease High to a state championship in 2005. His quarterback was Tebow, who later won the Heisman Trophy at Florida.

Tebow said in a tweet Friday that Howard was a mentor and father figure who changed his life.

Howard returned to his home state in 2011 to coach a struggling Southern Oregon football team. The Raiders turned things around, winning the 2014 NAIA title and falling one victory short of a repeat in 2015.

Article Comments

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.