George W. Dickerson

George W. Dickerson (January 27, 1913 – January 22, 2002) was an American college football interim head coach at UCLA for three games in 1958 while the university searched for a permanent coach after the sudden death of Henry Russell "Red" Sanders. Dickerson had been the assistant coach at UCLA since 1946. He was inducted into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame in 1987.[1][2]

George W. Dickerson
Dickerson at UCLA, c. 1958
Biographical details
Born(1913-01-27)January 27, 1913
Galion, Ohio
DiedJanuary 22, 2002(2002-01-22) (aged 88)
Laguna Woods, California
Playing career
1934–1936UCLA
Position(s)Tackle
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1947–1957UCLA (assistant)
1958UCLA
Head coaching record
Overall1–2

Early life and education

Dickerson was born on January 27, 1913, in Galion, Ohio.[3] Dickerson attended Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, California. At UCLA, he lettered in football for three years and rugby for four. He was also a boxer, and was captain of the 1936 UCLA football team.[1][2]

Coaching career

Dickerson came to UCLA to serve as an assistant coach for Red Sanders. When Sanders died of a heart attack before the 1958 season, Dickerson was named the head coach. Before the season began, Dickerson had been admitted to the UCLA Medical Center with nervous exhaustion on August 30.[4] He returned to coach the Bruins on September 11.[5] Dickerson coached for three games as head coach, losing to #21 Pittsburgh on September 20, winning at Illinois, then losing 14–0 at Oregon State. William F. Barnes was named acting head coach for the October 10, 1958 game against Florida (and subsequently coached the Bruins for the remainder of the season, and afterwards until 1964)). Dickerson had been re-admitted to the UCLA Medical Center late the previous evening, again suffering from nervous exhaustion.[6] Three of the assistant coaches from the UCLA's 1954 national championship season served as head coaches for the Bruins: Dickerson, Barnes, and Tommy Prothro.

Head coaching record
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
UCLA Bruins (Pacific Coast Conference) (1958)
1958 UCLA 1–20–1
UCLA: 1–20–1
Total:1–2

References
  1. "UCLA Today obituary for George W. Dickerson". Archived from the original on September 1, 2006. Retrieved December 2, 2007.
  2. "George Dickerson, 88; UCLA Coach and Hall of Fame Athlete". Los Angeles Times. January 31, 2002. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  3. "George W. Dickerson". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. January 31, 2002. Retrieved July 7, 2019 – via Legacy.com.
  4. Wolf, Al (September 2, 1958). "Dickerson's Condition Improves". Los Angeles Times. George Dickerson, new head football coach at UCLA, was reported "progressing well" yesterday at UCLA Medical Center, after being admitted Saturday suffering from nervous exhaustion.
  5. Wolf, Al (September 12, 1958). "Optimistic Dickerson Back at Bruin Helm". Los Angeles Times.
  6. Wolf, Al (October 10, 1958). "UCLA'S DICKERSON ILL, OUT FOR YEAR. Barnes in Charge of Grid Team". Los Angeles Times. George Dickerson, UCLA head football coach, late yesterday' was readmitted to the UCLA Medical Center after suffering a "bad setback" from the nervous exhaustion which hospitalized him just before the season began.
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