Tuesday, April 25, 2017

1977 Profile: Lindy Infante

RECEIVERS COACH
"The newest member of the coaching staff, Infante joined the Giants this past spring, replacing Hunter Enis who resigned to enter private business. The 37-year-old Infante comes the Giants from Tulane University where he served as offensive coordinator during the 1976 season, a position he also held with Charlotte of the World Football League under Bob Gibson in 1975 before the demise of that circuit.
Lindy was born in Miami, Florida and was an all-around schoolboy star at Miami Senior High School. He played three seasons at the University of Florida as both a running back and defensive back, serving as co-captain in the 1962 season after winning All-Southeastern Conference honors in 1961 as well as All-Florida state honors. He played in the Gator Bowl in both 1960 and 1962 and was drafted by both the Cleveland Browns (NFL) and Buffalo Bills (AFL) in 1963.
Lindy reported to the Buffalo camp but then opted for Hamilton of the Canadian Football League where he played the 1963 season as a running back. In 1964, he went into coaching as the head coach of Miami Senior High School and in 1966 moved to the University of Florida as freshman coach, and then as an offensive assistant. In 1972, he went to Memphis State University as offensive coordinator and assistant head coach, and in 1975 joined Gibson at Charlotte."

-1977 New York Giants Media Guide

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

1977 Profile: Marty Schottenheimer

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
"The youngest member of the Giants coaching staff joined the club from Portland of the World Football League where he served as linebackers coach, a responsibility he first had with New York. The 33-year-old coach is a former NFL linebacker himself, having played the position with both the Buffalo Bills and Boston Patriots.
Born in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, Marty starred at Fort Cherry High School there and then went on to become an All-American linebacker at the University of Pittsburgh. He played in the Senior Bowl in his final year at Pitt and was subsequently drafted by both Baltimore of the NFL and Buffalo of the AFL.
The seventh round choice of the Bills, he played four seasons in Buffalo as a linebacker, appearing in both the 1965 and 1966 AFL championship games, and had six career interceptions for 133 yards returned and one touchdown, as well as earning top ratings for his hitting abilities on special teams. He concluded his playing career with the Patriots in 1970 and then went into the real estate development business in both the Miami and Denver areas through 1973 when he returned to pro football with Portland."

-1977 New York Giants Media Guide

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

1977 Profile: Jay Fry

CHIEF ASSISTANT AND OFFENSIVE COACH
"The veteran coach joined the Giants last year from Memphis of the World Football League, replacing Floyd Peters who moved on the San Francisco 49ers.
The 47-year-old Fry is a native of Hamilton, Ohio and played his college football at Miami of Ohio as a linebacker for three seasons under Woody Hayes. Jay had a brief trial with the Los Angeles Rams before entering the coaching field, initially at Colina High School in Ohio.
He then moved on to Guelph University in Canada as head coach of both football and wrestling for three years before returning to his alma mater as an assistant coach for seven years. In 1963, Jay moved to Yale University for two seasons as line coach, then moved on to Indiana University in 1965 as offensive coordinator.
Jay held that post for five seasons, including a Rose Bowl appearance in 1969, before moving on again- this time to the Canadian Football League where he was both offensive and defensive line coach with Ottawa for four seasons. In 1974, he went to Memphis as line coach and remained there with that powerful club until joining the Giants in January of 1976 as defensive line coach.
Jay is the holder of a Master's degree from Miami of Ohio."

-1977 New York Giants Media Guide

Thursday, April 6, 2017

1977 Profile: John McVay

HEAD COACH
"That's McVay, not McKay. He joined the Giants last year, innocently enough, as a research and development coach. He had just about figured what his job was when Bill Arnsparger was fired, and he was named head coach. Not only that, he was given a two-year contract after the season. Now what do I do?
Now 46, McVay is another graduate of the Cradle of Coaches, Miami of Ohio, where he played under Woody Hayes and Ara Parseghian. He later was head coach at Dayton University and for the Memphis Southmen (remember them?) of the World Football League. If he can produce a winning season in two years, he's a miracle worker."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1977 Edition

"John McVay was named head coach of the Giants on October 25, 1976, replacing Bill Arnsparger at the halfway point of last season after the Giants had gone winless in seven games. He was subsequently given a two-year contract as head coach at the conclusion of the season after leading the club to a 3-4 mark after the final seven games. Three of those four losses could have easily gone the other way- 9-3 to Dallas, 14-13 to Denver and 17-14 to St. Louis. The 46-year-old McVay had joined the Giants on April 1, 1976 as an assistant coach in charge of research and development after being head coach of the Memphis team in the World Football League in 1974-75.
Born on January 5, 1931 in Bellaire, Ohio, McVay played high school football at the famed Massillon High School in Ohio, then was a center at Miami of Ohio for three seasons under both Woody Hayes and Ara Parseghian, winning All-Midwest honors for two seasons as well as team MVP honors both years and was team captain in his senior season.'
McVay began his coaching career at Central Catholic High School in Canton, Ohio, compiling a 41-7-2 record there in nine seasons, developing such players as Alan Page, now with the Vikings. He moved on to Michigan State as an assistant coach under Duffy Daugherty for three years, and then was named head coach at Dayton University. In 1966 McVay led the Flyers to an 8-2 record, their first winning season in 10 years. He was head coach there for five seasons, then became Athletic Director in 1972, a position he held until he was named head coach at Memphis in 1974.
That year, Memphis won 17 regular season games and led the WFL in virtually every offensive category. McVay's next stop was the Giants, and 1976 was a big year for him in every respect. He was elected to the Miami of Ohio Fall of Fame in January of this year."

-1977 New York Giants Media Guide