Former Assistant Coach Nash Passes Away At Age 89

By Mike Medina  |   Tuesday, July 19, 2005  |  Comments( 0 )

College Football
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July 19, 2005 - Former Minnesota football assistant coach George "Butch" Nash died today at age 89. Nash, who played for the Gophers from 1936-38, served as an assistant coach at Minnesota from 1947-91.

A 1934 graduate of Minneapolis Edison High School, Nash had an outstanding prep career and later collegiate career at Minnesota, where he played end on the Gophers' 1936 national championship team and 1937 and 1938 Big Ten championship teams under the legendary Bernie Bierman. In addition, Nash was a guard on the Minnesota basketball teams of the same era.

After graduating from Minnesota in 1939, Nash went on to a successful coaching career at the high school level at Anoka and Winona. He led Winona to a Big Nine Conference championship in 1941.

Nash left Winona for a tour of duty with the Navy during World War II and returned in 1946 to take on the additional duties of athletic director at Winona before joining the Gophers coaching staff in 1947.

Nash was an assistant with the Gophers until his retirement in 1980, but he returned in 1984 as the junior varsity coach for head coach Lou Holtz. Nash was a volunteer coach with the Gophers from 1985-91.

The Gopher football team has honored Nash since 1984 with the Butch Nash Award, which is given annually to the Gopher football player who best demonstrates competitiveness in the field and in the classroom.
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