Former Northwestern head coach Dennis Green — the second-ever black Division I-A head coach — passed away late Thursday night at 67 due to complications from cardiac arrest.
Best known for his work in the NFL in charge of the Vikings and Cardinals in the 1990s and 2000s, Green took the job at Northwestern in 1981, taking over a team that had gone 1-31-1 in its last 33 games. The team went 0-11 in his inaugural year at the helm, but went 3-8 in 1982, helping him earn Big Ten coach of the year honors. It was Northwestern’s first season with at least three wins since 1975.