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Glen Mason

Glen Mason is the former college football head coach of the University of Minnesota, and was fired on December 31, 2006. Prior to coaching the Gophers, he was head coach for Kent State University 1986-87 and the University of Kansas from 1988 to 1996, with previous assistant stints at the University of Illinois, Ohio State, Ball State, Iowa State, and Allegheny College.

Mason played college football at the Ohio State University where he graduated from in 1972 with a B.A. in education. He was a linebacker, buried in the depth chart behind Randy Gradishar, Stan White, Vic Koegel, Arnie Jones, and Rick Middleton. In 1971 Mason hosted recruit Bruce Elia. They stood on High Street, the main drag on campus, and Mason said, "On the left side, we go to school and we study and live. On the right side are the sororities and fraternities and more housing. Down the middle, we party!" Elia chose to attend Ohio State that day. Mason went on to get his Master's Degree in education at Ball St.

In 1995, as Kansas prepared for the Aloha Bowl against UCLA, Mason accepted the head coaching position at the University of Georgia. But Mason had a change of heart and stayed with the Jayhawks, only to leave for Minnesota after one more season in Lawrence. His first game with Minnesota in 1997 was against Hawaii, at Aloha Stadium where the Aloha Bowl's successor, the Hawaii Bowl is played. Minnesota lost the game 17-3.

In January of 2002, Mason was named the president of the American Football Coaches Association. He was the third Minnesota coach to be awarded this honor joining Bernie Bierman (1935) and Murray Warmath (1968).

On December 31st, 2006, Minnesota fired Coach Mason following his Golden Gopher team's loss to Texas Tech in the 2006 Insight Bowl. The Golden Gophers gave up a 31 point third quarter lead, allowing the Red Raiders to make the largest comeback in NCAA Division I-A bowl history.

He and his wife Kate have five children and live in the suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota. At the end of the 2006 season, he had a career record of 123-121-1.

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