Paul Roach

Paul Louis Roach (October 24, 1927 – September 3, 2023) was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He was the head football coach of the Wyoming Cowboys from 1987 to 1990, also serving as the University of Wyoming's athletic director from 1986 to 1996.

A native of Spring Green, Wisconsin, Roach attended what is now Black Hills State University from 1948 to 1951, earning all-conference honors in football twice. After graduating, he began a coaching career, serving with high schools through 1956 before getting his first college position as an assistant for the North Dakota Fighting Sioux in 1957. After five seasons with the team, he served as an assistant with the Wyoming Cowboys from 1962 to 1969. He followed it with two years as the offensive coordinator of the Wisconsin Badgers before entering the professional ranks as an assistant with the Oakland Raiders in 1972. He served three years with the Raiders, then two years as offensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers, and assisted the Denver Broncos from 1977 to 1980.

After several years out of coaching, Roach was named the athletic director of Wyoming in 1986 and one year later was chosen as their head football coach. He was head coach for four seasons with the Cowboys and led the team, which had compiled poor records in the past years, to several successful seasons, being named the Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1987 and 1988, as well as a finalist for the National Coach of the Year award while bringing Wyoming to two straight league championships and two bowl game appearances. He retired after leading them to a third bowl game appearance in 1990, finishing with an overall record of 35–15, which ranks as one of the best winning percentages (.700) in team history.

Early life and education Roach was born on October 24, 1927, in Spring Green, Wisconsin. He attended Central High School in Rapid City, South Dakota, and then served in the United States Army in World War II from 1945 to 1947. He attended Black Hills Teacher's College (now known as Black Hills State University) from 1948 to 1951 and was a letterman in three sports: football for four years, basketball for two years and track for one year. Roach earned all-conference honors in football two or three times while playing end and in the backfield and was team captain as a senior. He graduated in 1952 and began his coaching career the same year, having received bachelor's degrees in mathematics and physical education.

Coaching career Roach began his coaching career by serving as the head football coach and track coach at Hettinger High School in North Dakota from 1952 to 1953.

After his time at Dickinson, Roach received his first college coaching job as backfield coach of the North Dakota Fighting Sioux in 1957 and remained in that role through 1961. He served with them until 1970, also being their offensive coordinator, helping the Cowboys win three straight conference championships from 1966 to 1968, as well as win the 1966 Sun Bowl and appear in the 1968 Sugar Bowl.

Roach was hired by the Wisconsin Badgers in 1970 and served as their offensive coordinator for two seasons, being their primary play-caller in this role. In 1972, Roach received his first professional position as offensive backfield coach of the Oakland Raiders. He served in this role for three years under head coach John Madden, helping the Raiders win the AFC West divisional championship three times, while also reaching the AFC Championship Game once. After the team went 4–10 in 1975 and 5–9 the following year, Roach was let go prior to the 1977 season. He then joined the Denver Broncos as offensive backfield coach and helped them reach Super Bowl XII in 1977 while also reaching the playoffs in 1978 and 1979. He was not retained following the 1980 season.

Roach spent several seasons out of coaching following his stint with Denver, serving as the president and co-owner of Western Pro Sports, Inc., for five years and with Western Financial Services, which was a negotiating agency with professional football players. In January 1987, head coach Dennis Erickson abruptly left after one season for Washington State, and Roach became his successor, his first head coaching job at the collegiate level despite turning sixty years old that year.

Roach served as football coach and athletic director simultaneously. In his first two years, he led the Cowboys—which had gone 27–32 in the prior five seasons—to an overall record of 21–5, two consecutive conference championships and two bowl games. He continued as athletic director until his retirement in 1996. Roach died on September 3, 2023, at age 95 in Pullman, Washington.