William Hardin "Navy Bill" Saunders (June 20, 1898 – March 13, 1950) was an American college football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Colorado State Teachers College—now the University of Northern Colorado—from 1928 to 1931, at the University of Colorado at Boulder from 1932 to 1934, and at the University of Denver from 1936 to 1938, compiling a career college football record of 44–28–8. Saunders played football as a lineman at the United States Naval Academy and was later a line coach at the Agricultural College of Colorado, now Colorado State University.[1] He died on March 13, 1950, at his plantation home in Grenada, Mississippi.[2][3]

Bill Saunders
Biographical details
Born(1898-06-20)June 20, 1898
Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
DiedMarch 13, 1950(1950-03-13) (aged 51)
Grenada, Mississippi, U.S.
Playing career
1917–1918Navy
Position(s)Lineman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1923–1927Colorado Agricultural (line)
1928–1931Colorado State Teachers
1932–1934Colorado
1936–1938Denver
Head coaching record
Overall44–28–8
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 RMC (1934)

Head coaching record

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Colorado State Teachers (Rocky Mountain Conference) (1928–1931)
1928 Colorado State Teachers 4–4 3–4 8th
1929 Colorado State Teachers 4–3 3–2 6th
1930 Colorado State Teachers 2–2–3 2–2–3 T–5th
1931 Colorado State Teachers 2–4–1 2–4–1 9th
Colorado State Teachers: 12–13–4 10–12–1
Colorado Silver and Gold / Buffaloes (Rocky Mountain Conference) (1932–1934)
1932 Colorado 2–4 2–4 8th
1933 Colorado 7–2 5–2 4th
1934 Colorado 6–1–2 6–1 T–1st
Colorado: 15–7–2 13–7
Denver Pioneers (Rocky Mountain Conference) (1936–1937)
1936 Denver 7–1–1 6–1–1 2nd
1937 Denver 6–3 5–2 T–3rd
Denver Pioneers (Mountain States Conference) (1938)
1938 Denver 4–4–1 3–2–1 T–2nd
Denver: 17–8–2 15–5–2
Total: 44–28–8

References

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  1. ^ "Saunders Signs for 5 Years As Colorado Football Coach" (PDF). The New York Times. Associated Press. February 6, 1932. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
  2. ^ "Death Summons Bill Saunders". Standard-Examiner. Ogden, Utah. Associated Press. March 14, 1950. p. 12. Retrieved December 10, 2018 – via Newspapers.com  .
  3. ^ "W.H. Saunders: Former Coach Dies in Grenada". Memphis Press-Scimitar. March 14, 1950.
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