John O'Grady - Head Football Coach
July 20 , 2005

John O'Grady enters his 17th year as head coach at UW-RF and stands second in all-time football wins.

Under O'Grady the Falcons have compiled an 89-68-3 overall record, a winning percentage of .565. Among WIAC active coaches he is third in wins and is eighth in all-time wins of all WIAC coaches. He needs just six wins to reach the seventh spot. In WIAC play O'Grady has led the Falcons to one first place finish (1998), three second place finishes (1994, 1995, 1996) and five third place finishes (1989, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2001). He has had winning seasons in 10 of his 16 seasons with the Falcons.

Year-in and year-out the Falcons are one of the top teams in the WIAC under the veteran coach. In 1998, the Falcons surprised most WIAC observers. The team finished 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the WIAC good for a tie for first place. In 1996 the team finished 9-2 overall and lost to La Crosse (44-0) in the first round of the playoffs. In 1995 the Falcons were 9-3 overall. The nine wins tied the school record. In the playoffs the Falcons beat Central, Iowa, (10-7) but then lost to La Crosse (28-14). In 1999 the Falcons were 6-4 and 5-2 (third place) in the WIAC.

Last season the Falcons finished a disappointing 3-7 overall and 3-4 (fifth place tie) in the WIAC. In 2003 the Falcons were 2-7 overall and 2-5 (sixth place) in league play. In 2002 UWRF was 3-7 overall and 2-5 in WIAC play (sixth place). The Falcons finished 4-5 overall and 4-3 (tie third place) in the WIAC in 2001. In 2000, the Falcons were 6-4 overall and 5-2 (third place) in the WIAC.

O’Grady was named the 1995 WIAC Coach of the Year. His teams have compiled a 59-46-3 record in WIAC play. O'Grady combines his vast football knowledge and intensity to help the Falcons succeed.

O'Grady, 52, played for the Falcons (linebacker) from 1972-75 and earned four letters. He was the team captain and voted most dedicated in 1975 when the Falcons won their first WIAC title in 18 years.

He coached for two years at Miami University of Ohio as an offensive line coach and offensive special teams coordinator. Before that, he coached at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1985-86) as an offensive line coach and special teams coordinator, at Kent State University, Ohio, where he was offensive coordinator/offensive line and offensive special teams coordinator (1983-84), and at the University of Wisconsin as a part time assistant coach of tight ends and special teams (1981-82). He also was an assistant at UW-River Falls (1976-80) as a linebacker, secondary and special teams coach.

O'Grady played football at Sullivan High School, Chicago, Ill., from 1968-71 and was team captain, most valuable player and winner of a coach's award as a senior. He is a native of Worcester, Mass.

He earned his undergraduate degree in physical education from UW-River Falls in 1979 and his master's degree in supervision and instructional leadership from UW-RF in 1983. Besides coaching football, O'Grady teaches classes in the University's health and human performance department.

O’Grady is a firm believer in education and helps all UW-RF students in pursuit of collegiate degrees. In his career as head coach, 166 of 167 Falcon football players, who have completed four seasons of eligibility, have earned undergraduate degrees. Several have gone on to highly successful careers in education, coaching, business.

He runs three summer football camps - Wishbone, Kickers and Big O & D. About 400 participants and 75 coaches, many of them are UW-RF graduates, attend the camps each summer. The Kickers Camp has been a mainstay at UW-RF for 32 years and has had top NFL and college kickers attend as counselors. Gary Zauner, special teams coach of the Baltimore Ravens, has been a counselor for 28 years.

O’Grady is well known as a speaker and clinician throughout the midwest. He has spoken at the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association spring clinic several times and has addressed participants at the Indiana Wishbone Coaches Association clinic. He has been invited to give clinics in Wisconsin, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Minnesota. For the past 15 years he has worked with former Falcon football player and teammate, Darryl Herrick, at a football clinic in Gilman, Wis. The clinic was established by Herrick, who is the superintendent of the Cedarburg school district, in memory of a nephew who was killed in a hunting accident.

He and wife, Jody, have three children: Lindsey, 24, Jaclyn, 21 and Logan 18. Lindsey, a UW-RF graduate, teaches social studies and coaches volleyball and track & field at the Mauston middle school. Jaclyn is a senior at the University of Minnesota and will graduate in December, 2005 with a degree in film studies. She plans on going to graduate school. Logan will be a freshman at the University of St. Thomas this fall and will compete in cross country and track & field.

John O'Grady



The O'Grady File