Roy Kidd, who guided Eastern Kentucky to 2 NCAA Division I-AA football championships, dies at 91

Updated Sep. 12, 2023 12:06 p.m. ET

Associated Press

RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) — Roy Kidd, who coached Eastern Kentucky to two NCAA Division I-AA football championships in a Hall of Fame career, has died. He was 91.

The school announced Kidd’s death on Tuesday in a release after being informed by the family. The legendary coach had entered hospice care last week.

Kidd won 314 games with the Colonels from 1964 to 2002 and won I-AA titles in 1979 and 1982. The Corbin, Kentucky, native also led EKU to 16 Ohio Valley Conference titles and achieved 25 consecutive winning campaigns among 37 non-losing seasons.

“There aren’t enough words to express everything that Coach Kidd meant to Eastern Kentucky University and the EKU football program," current EKU coach Walt Wells said in a release. "He was and will continue to be a huge influence on me, not just as a coach, but also as a father and a husband. Coach, I’ll miss you and I love you!”

Kidd retired after the 2002 season and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame the next year. He ranked second all-time in wins when he retired, and EKU’s football stadium is named in his honor.

Kidd in January received the American Football Coaches Association’s Amos Alonzo Stagg Award, which the release stated honors those “whose services have been outstanding in the advancement of the best interests of football.”

He produced 55 All-Americans, 202 first team All-OVC selections and 41 of his players signed NFL contracts.

Kidd was also a standout athlete. He was a four-time letterman in football and baseball at EKU, setting a dozen records as a quarterback and batting .300 all four years on the diamond.

EKU and Kentucky players honored Kidd during Saturday's matchup in Lexington with helmet stickers.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Sue, three children and numerous relatives and friends. Services will be held at EKU's Center for the Arts with dates and times to be announced.

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