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| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1944-03-03)March 3, 1944 (age 81) |
| Playing career | |
| 1963–1964 | Western Carolina |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1974–1978 | Florida A&M (DC/RC) |
| 1979 | Air Force (TE) |
| 1980 | Air Force (AHC/DC) |
| 1981 | Slippery Rock |
| 1982–1983 | Air Force (AHC/DC) |
| 1984–1988 | Arkansas (AHC/DC) |
| 1989–1993 | Rice |
| 1994–1998 | Duke |
| 2001–2005 | Franklin HS (NC) |
| 2007–2010 | Lenoir–Rhyne |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 59–104–1 (college) 47–15 (high school) |
| Bowls | 0–1 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Awards | |
| Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award (1994) ACC Coach of the Year (1994) | |
Fred Goldsmith (born March 3, 1944) is an American formerfootball coach.[1] He served as the head football coach atSlippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (1981),Rice University (1989–1993),Duke University (1994–1998), andLenoir–Rhyne University (2007–2010), compiling a career record of 59–104–1.
Goldsmith is perhaps best known for his head coaching stints at twoNCAA Division I football programs:Rice andDuke. He was recognized as the 1992 Sports Illustrated National NCAA Football Coach of the Year for leading Rice to within one win of a bowl game. The Owls finished 6-5 and tied for second in theSouthwest Conference, their best showing in conference play in 28 years. However, a 61-32 rout at the hands of intercity rivalHouston left them out of a bowl.
Primarily on the strength of turning the Rice program around, he was hired at Duke in 1994, where he won theBobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award in his first season after leading the Blue Devils to their first winning season in six years, and only their eighth winning season in 30 years. However, this momentum did not last, and within two years the Blue Devils had crumbled to the second winless season in school history. Goldsmith was fired by Duke athletics directorJoe Alleva just a year into Alleva's tenure after recording only nine wins during his last four seasons, including only three inAtlantic Coast Conference play.
In addition, under Goldsmith's tenure, Duke's football program was ordered to pay walk-on kicker, Heather Sue Mercer, $2,000,001 in nominal and punitive damages for its discriminatory treatment of her during her time on the team. A federal jury found that Mercer was afforded less of an opportunity to practice and compete than other 'similarly situated' players (other walk-on kickers). Her allegations also included sexist statements made to her by Goldsmith. (SeeMercer v. Duke University, 190 F.3d 643 (4th Cir. 1999).
Goldsmith's final coaching job was as the 18th head football coach forLenoir–Rhyne University, anNCAA Division II school inHickory, North Carolina. Hired on November 28, 2006, Goldsmith arrived at Lenoir-Rhyne fresh off a successful four-year run atFranklin High School inFranklin, North Carolina, where he compiled an overall win–loss record of 47–15. Goldsmith retired on May 3, 2011.
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slippery Rock Rockets(Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference)(1981) | |||||||||
| 1981 | Slippery Rock | 2–7 | 2–4 | T–5th(West) | |||||
| Slippery Rock: | 2–7 | 2–4 | |||||||
| Rice Owls(Southwest Conference)(1989–1983) | |||||||||
| 1989 | Rice | 2–8–1 | 2–6 | T–7th | |||||
| 1990 | Rice | 5–6 | 3–5 | T–5th | |||||
| 1991 | Rice | 4–7 | 2–6 | 8th | |||||
| 1992 | Rice | 6–5 | 4–3 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1993 | Rice | 6–5 | 3–4 | T–4th | |||||
| Rice: | 23–31–1 | 14–24 | |||||||
| Duke Blue Devils(Atlantic Coast Conference)(1994–1998) | |||||||||
| 1994 | Duke | 8–4 | 5–3 | T–3rd | LHall of Fame | ||||
| 1995 | Duke | 3–8 | 1–7 | 8th | |||||
| 1996 | Duke | 0–11 | 0–8 | 9th | |||||
| 1997 | Duke | 2–9 | 0–8 | 9th | |||||
| 1998 | Duke | 4–7 | 2–6 | 6th | |||||
| Duke: | 17–39 | 8–32 | |||||||
| Lenoir–Rhyne Bears(South Atlantic Conference)(2007–2010) | |||||||||
| 2007 | Lenoir–Rhyne | 2–9 | 0–6 | 7th | |||||
| 2008 | Lenoir–Rhyne | 3–8 | 1–6 | 7th | |||||
| 2009 | Lenoir–Rhyne | 5–6 | 2–5 | T–6th | |||||
| 2010 | Lenoir–Rhyne | 7–4 | 4–3 | 3rd | |||||
| Lenoir–Rhyne: | 17–27 | 7–20 | |||||||
| Total: | 59–104–1 | ||||||||