William C. "King" Cole

William Cutler "King" Cole (October 7, 1881 – April 23, 1968) was an American college football player and coach. He played as a tackle and end for the undefeated 1902 Michigan Wolverines football team and was assistant coach to Fielding H. Yost on the undefeated 1904 Michigan team. He was also the head football coach at Marietta College, the University of Virginia (1905–1906), and the University of Nebraska (1907–1910). He led the 1907 and 1910 Nebraska teams to conference championships.

Early years Cole was born on October 7, 1881, in Washington County, Ohio. He attended high school in Charlottesville, Virginia.

College football player Cole attended Marietta College in Ohio. He played three years for Marietta's football and baseball teams and served as captain of both squads. He played as a back for the football team. While attending law school, Cole played football as a lineman for Fielding H. Yost's 1902 "Point-a-Minute" football team. The team finished the season 11–0, outscored opponents 644 to 12, and was recognized as a national champion. Cole started three games at left tackle and four games at right end for the 1902 Wolverines.

Virginia In January 1905, at age 25, Cole was hired by the University of Virginia as its head football coach, effective upon his graduation from Michigan in the spring. At the time of his hiring at Virginia, Michigan's coach Yost said: There is no better man to be had. He can play anywhere on the team, and his general knowledge of the game on every position makes him just the man for a successful coach. He is an all-round athlete, a man of fine appearance and excellent personality. One of the cleanest and best college men it has been my good fortune to know. In fact, I know of no one whom I could recommend more highly. He is just the type of man needed in American colleges to-day to develop athletes along the right line.

Cole coached the 1905 Virginia Orange and Blue football team to a 5–4 record. After the season, Cole practiced law in Toledo, Ohio. In August 1906, he agreed to return to Virginia for another season as head football coach. His 1906 Virginia football team improved its record to 7–2–2, including a close 18–17 loss to Carlisle. From 1907 to 1910, he coached at Nebraska and compiled a 25–8–3 record. Cole's last game as Nebraska's head football coach was a 119–0 win over the Haskell Indians, a point total that still ranks as the highest ever by a Cornhuskers team.

Cole's career record as the head coach at Marietta, Virginia, and Nebraska was 44–17–5. In his seven years of head coaching, he never had a losing record.

Later life While still serving as a coach, Cole practiced law in Toledo, Ohio, in between football seasons. In 1911, Cole left the coaching profession to devote his efforts to the operation of a large ranch of several hundred acres that he owned near Missoula, Montana. Cole died at in Charlottesville in 1968.

Head coaching record