Former Missouri, Vanderbilt coach Woody Widenhofer has passed away

[jbcarol]

Widenhofer was the head coach at Missouri from 1985 until 1988, where he compiled a 12-31-1 overall record. Widenhofer's other head coaching role came at Vanderbilt from 1997 until 2001 where his Commodore program was 15-40 overall and 4-36 in SEC play.

Widenhofer served on four college staffs with the Pittsburgh Steelers that won Super Bowls.

[jbcarol]

GREGORIAN
JULY 03, 2013

Pulling up to a toll booth for the Florida bridge that connects Niceville and Destin, Mizzou offensive coordinator Josh Henson promptly was engaged by the pleasant fellow inside...

"I used to be the coach there," the man said. "I'm Woody Widenhofer."

So it wasn't as if he was destitute in Destin, he assures. But once a major component of his retirement plan to immerse himself in golf was dashed by herniated discs, he said, he was left with a gap in his life.

Yes, he appreciated the "little bit of income" the job provided; the beautiful sand and water, after all, came at a price.

"But the primary reason I did it was to keep busy," Widenhofer said. "This retirement deal is not as fun as you think it is."

So when his wife, Sabrina, was online looking for something or another and saw that they were hiring out at the toll bridge just minutes away, Widenhofer applied and, presto, he was hired.

He enjoyed the heck out of it for three-plus years, during which he was happy to chat with passersby, plenty of whom recognized him, even if his distinct look had changed...

And now he's onto a new phase after recently leaving Destin for Dallas, where Sabrina was transferred for her job with Spirit Airlines.

As for himself, he thinks now he'd like to substitute teach.

"And if a football program is interested in me," he said, "I'll help them out."