| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1927-04-29)April 29, 1927 McGill, Nevada, U.S. |
| Died | July 31, 2007(2007-07-31) (aged 80) Reno, Nevada, U.S. |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1968–1972 | UNLV |
| Baseball | |
| 1966 | Nevada |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1973–1980 | UNLV |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 26–23–1 (football) 17–10–1 (baseball) |
Willis Ireland (April 29, 1927 – July 31, 2007) was an Americancollege football andbaseball coach inNevada. He was the first head coach of theUNLV Rebels football team, UNLVathletic director and founder of theBattle for the Fremont Cannon. Additionally, he was head baseball coach at theUniversity of Nevada, Reno.
Ireland was born in remoteMcGill, Nevada, 330 miles (530 km) east ofReno, Nevada. As the coach of the 1966 Wolf Pack baseball team, he managedFred Dallimore, who later coached the UNLV baseball team, and is the father of formerSan Francisco Giants playerBrian Dallimore. In 1967 Chub Drakulich hired Ireland to start the UNLV football program. During their inaugural 1968 season, the Rebels were undefeated until the last game of the season. The Rebels lost their first match against their in-state rival, the Nevada Wolf Pack. Ireland, wanting an award to symbolize the rivalry, obtained a replica of theHowitzerJohn C. Fremont had brought with him in his expedition to Nevada. The first Battle for the Cannon, with UNLV avenging their loss and evening the series. After a disappointing 1–10 record in 1972, Ireland resigned his coaching position.
In 1973, Ireland became the athletic director of UNLV.[1] In this position he hiredJerry Tarkanian as the UNLV basketball coach.[2] He was also instrumental in the construction of both theThomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas and theLawlor Events Center in Reno.[1] In 1990, his wife Jeanne Ireland was the Democratic Party's candidate for lieutenant governor; she lost by 15%.[3]
Ireland was a member of both the UNLV[4] and the University of Nevada, Reno Halls of Fame. On October 8, 2012,GovernorBrian Sandoval announced that one student-athlete a year from the University of Nevada, Reno will receive the "Bill Ireland Award."[1]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada Southern / UNLV Rebels(NCAA College Division independent)(1968–1972) | |||||||||
| 1968 | Nevada Southern | 8–1 | |||||||
| 1969 | UNLV | 6–4 | |||||||
| 1970 | UNLV | 6–4 | |||||||
| 1971 | UNLV | 5–4–1 | |||||||
| 1972 | UNLV | 1–10 | |||||||
| Nevada Southern / UNLV: | 26–23–1 | ||||||||
| Total: | 26–23–1 | ||||||||
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