Mike McGee Dead at 80.

[chrishoke]

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.db...CLID=211809406

RIP Coach.

[sagegrouse]

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.db...CLID=211809406

RIP Coach.

Good man. Died too soon.

[Indoor66]

RIP.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

For those weren't around when Mike played, he was a superb guard before the platoon system of today's offense and defense. Some games he seemed to will the team on to victory like his senior year against Georgia Tech. Earned the only Outland Trophy awarded to a Duke player. All Conference, All America honors and College Football Hall of Fame were among the honors and achievements which filled his lifetime resume. His recruiting for Duke brought in some truly fine players.

His fraternal twin Jerry died in January. Both were special members of the Duke football family.

[Jim3k]

In the 1963-64 school year, I often found myself having lunch at Tiny's lunch counter, across from East. Mike frequently appeared there, too. He didn't really talk football, but was erudite about all sorts of things. (Tiny, however, was bigger. ) Anyway, I enjoyed Mike's company. He was a good guy.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

For those weren't around when Mike played, he was a superb guard before the platoon system of today's offense and defense. Some games he seemed to will the team on to victory like his senior year against Georgia Tech. Earned the only Outland Trophy awarded to a Duke player. All Conference, All America honors and College Football Hall of Fame were among the honors and achievements which filled his lifetime resume. His recruiting for Duke brought in some truly fine players.

His fraternal twin Jerry died in January. Both were special members of the Duke football family.

Mike served as AD at several universities. His work at South Carolina included hiring Lou Holtz, Ray Tanner (baseball coach with 2 national championships and current AD), Curtis Frye (current track and field coach) and Steve Spurrier. Along the way he earned a doctoral degree. In his tribute which appears in The State, Ray Tanner referred to Mike as Dr. McGee.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Mike served as AD at several universities. His work at South Carolina included hiring Lou Holtz, Ray Tanner (baseball coach with 2 national championships and current AD), Curtis Frye (current track and field coach) and Steve Spurrier. Along the way he earned a doctoral degree. In his tribute which appears in The State, Ray Tanner referred to Mike as Dr. McGee.

Yep, quite a career as it turned out...AD at Cincy, and then USC, then the "other" USC. Did well at all three. Hated by Eddie Fogler for some reason...which is probably a good thing. I thought he might be having a stroke when Troy Slade's long punt return for a TD was called back on a phantom holding call against NC State, in the game at Wade that ended 21-21. Worst tie ever.

Anyway - RIP to one of the first Duke names I ever knew.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Yep, quite a career as it turned out...AD at Cincy, and then USC, then the "other" USC. Did well at all three. Hated by Eddie Fogler for some reason...which is probably a good thing. I thought he might be having a stroke when Troy Slade's long punt return for a TD was called back on a phantom holding call against NC State, in the game at Wade that ended 21-21. Worst tie ever.

Anyway - RIP to one of the first Duke names I ever knew.

That tie was my senior year. The next week we tied carolina when we didn’t try to win it in the last minute. It was my turn to go ballistic. I destroyed my folding seat before leaving the stadium. Couldn’t believe we didn’t try to win the game. McGee wanted to preserve the tie and not lose. I was not a happy camper. McGee was fired shortly thereafter. Then I was a happy camper.

RIP Mike. You were a good man.

[Ggallagher]

Yep, quite a career as it turned out...AD at Cincy, and then USC, then the "other" USC. Did well at all three. Hated by Eddie Fogler for some reason...which is probably a good thing. I thought he might be having a stroke when Troy Slade's long punt return for a TD was called back on a phantom holding call against NC State, in the game at Wade that ended 21-21. Worst tie ever.

Anyway - RIP to one of the first Duke names I ever knew.

My best friend in high school roomed with Eddie Fogler their freshman year. I went over to visit one day, and Eddie scowled at me the whole time I was in their room. Maybe he just doesn't like anyone - or especially disliked people with Duke connections. But the hour or so I spent in his presence left me with a less than positive impression.

[devilirium]

That tie was my senior year. The next week we tied carolina when we didn’t try to win it in the last minute. It was my turn to go ballistic. I destroyed my folding seat before leaving the stadium. Couldn’t believe we didn’t try to win the game. McGee wanted to preserve the tie and not lose. I was not a happy camper. McGee was fired shortly thereafter. Then I was a happy camper.

RIP Mike. You were a good man.

My older brother played for McGee from '76-'79. Very good defensive coach. As Ozzie said, the consternation and frustration was related to the offense. Older bro once told me that there was a mutiny of sorts from the players after the '78 season, but in the same breadth he would talk about how McGee could get them fired up--a man's man as he said--extremely intense. Next time, any of y'all drop by Devines, ask Gene to relate stories about McGee. He will regale you for an hour or so.

[budwom]

When I wrote for the Chronicle in 1971, Mike used to take us out to lunch, and he was most gracious...some interesting conversations about black players finally working their way into the Duke (and the ACC) mix.

What I didn't realize then (among the hundreds of other things I didn't realize) was how young he was, 32 when he got the job? Yikes.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

From the University of South Carolina Athletic web page: https://gamecocksonline.com/news/201...sses-away.aspx

[Bob Green]

Jim Sumner on Mike McGee:

https://www.dukebasketballreport.com...outland-trophy

Mike McGee was professionally associated with seven different universities over a career that spanned a half-century. But the half-dozen or so times I interviewed him he always made his love for Duke abundantly clear. He leaves as one of the school’s all-time greats.

[roywhite]

Jim Sumner on Mike McGee:

https://www.dukebasketballreport.com...outland-trophy

Very nice piece by Jim. It captured the man and the time.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

That tie was my senior year. The next week we tied carolina when we didn’t try to win it in the last minute. It was my turn to go ballistic. I destroyed my folding seat before leaving the stadium. Couldn’t believe we didn’t try to win the game. McGee wanted to preserve the tie and not lose. I was not a happy camper. McGee was fired shortly thereafter. Then I was a happy camper.

RIP Mike. You were a good man.

Reading Jim Sumner’s excellent article, obviously my timeline was in error about the length of his career at Duke. My apologies. But I was happy when he was no longer the coach. Red means go! Well, that didn’t work out so well either after the two Spurrier eras (as OC and then head coach) and the abyss was upon us for 25 or so years. LGD GTHc!

[Atldukie79]

Mike McGee was the head coach during most of my Durham High School and Duke years. I suspect I made nearly every home game during his tenure, and many away games as a part of the DUMB. I did not understand then the impact of funding and administrative support on a football program.

I expected Duke to do well as the Duke legacy(positive at that time) had been passed down to me. My father told all the Wallace Wade stories. Bill Murray's success was recent enough that the father of one of my fellow cub scouts was Murray's receivers coach who taught us how to catch a football. I thought we should win. And of course you should play teams like Stanford and Alabama!

But like many others of that era, I used to participate in the derisive "dive, dive, dive, punt!" cheer as the 1950's style of football bored us and frustrated us. I remember Amos Lawrence taking 2 draw plays for big yards in the UNC come back win that sealed McGee's fate. I never called for him to be fired, though. I did feel respect for him. He was easy to vilify though as his public persona was that of a dense, stiff, impenetrable football jock.

Hindsight and wisdom allows me to put him in perspective. Jim Sumner's article represents my feelings better than I could. He was extremely accomplished. He was very young in a big role during a tumultuous time. Neither he nor Bucky Waters handled the transition from the 50s/60s world of NCAA sports into the big budget, modern student who came of age after the Woodstock era.

McGee loved Duke, he was a big part of Duke sports, and he behaved honorably during tough times. RIP

[budwom]

^ comments about Bucky especially right on target...major, major transition time from the fifties, some were better suited to deal with it than others.

[duke79]

Mike McGee was the head coach during most of my Durham High School and Duke years. I suspect I made nearly every home game during his tenure, and many away games as a part of the DUMB. I did not understand then the impact of funding and administrative support on a football program.

I expected Duke to do well as the Duke legacy(positive at that time) had been passed down to me. My father told all the Wallace Wade stories. Bill Murray's success was recent enough that the father of one of my fellow cub scouts was Murray's receivers coach who taught us how to catch a football. I thought we should win. And of course you should play teams like Stanford and Alabama!

But like many others of that era, I used to participate in the derisive "dive, dive, dive, punt!" cheer as the 1950's style of football bored us and frustrated us. I remember Amos Lawrence taking 2 draw plays for big yards in the UNC come back win that sealed McGee's fate. I never called for him to be fired, though. I did feel respect for him. He was easy to vilify though as his public persona was that of a dense, stiff, impenetrable football jock.

Hindsight and wisdom allows me to put him in perspective. Jim Sumner's article represents my feelings better than I could. He was extremely accomplished. He was very young in a big role during a tumultuous time. Neither he nor Bucky Waters handled the transition from the 50s/60s world of NCAA sports into the big budget, modern student who came of age after the Woodstock era.

McGee loved Duke, he was a big part of Duke sports, and he behaved honorably during tough times. RIP

I was at Duke in the late 70's and attended many football games. I remember the cheer being "up the middle, up the middle, up the middle, PUNT!" It was definitely NOT the most exciting offense (to say the least). I also remember the football games being, for many students, a reason to get drunk on a Saturday afternoon. Definitely a LOT of drinking going on during the games.

[budwom]

I was at Duke in the late 70's and attended many football games. I remember the cheer being "up the middle, up the middle, up the middle, PUNT!" It was definitely NOT the most exciting offense (to say the least). I also remember the football games being, for many students, a reason to get drunk on a Saturday afternoon. Definitely a LOT of drinking going on during the games.

It had been that way for at least a decade...I remember a game in WW vs. State circa 1970, we had fourth and goal at the one, ran Phil Asack (papa of the next generation QB) up the middle for no gain for four straight plays. Imagination was not the staff's strong point.

[jimsumner]

It had been that way for at least a decade...I remember a game in WW vs. State circa 1970, we had fourth and goal at the one, ran Phil Asack (papa of the next generation QB) up the middle for no gain for four straight plays. Imagination was not the staff's strong point.

Running four plays in a row on fourth and goal is not an easy task.

The only pre-McGee Duke-State game at Wade during our tenure was in 1968. State beat Duke 17-15 in that one.

A field goal would have been nice.

Leo Hart was 18-for-37 in that game, with a receiving corps that included Henley Carter, Wes Chesson and Jim Dearth.

And Tom Harp was a pioneer in throwing the ball. But sometimes football coaches revert to the macho belief that it's unmanly not to be able to run the ball in from the one.