Former ISU assistant AD passes

[4cy16]

Ex-Dodger grid coach Cox passes away​

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Local Sports
Dec 17, 2024

Eric Pratt​

Sports Editor​

[email protected]​

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David (Dave) Cox, who coached the Fort Dodge football team to its only state semifinal appearance in the playoff era, died on Friday. He was 83 years old.



Cox took over the Dodger program in 1969 and immediately led them to their first winning campaign in five seasons. By 1974, Fort Dodge was the Big 9 champion with an 8-1 record — the school’s best since their undefeated state championship season 29 years prior.


The 1978 Dodgers, though, were arguably Cox’s best squad. With a new class-driven playoff format in place, Fort Dodge went 7-2 in the regular season, which included a thrilling triple-overtime win over head coach Barry Alvarez eventual state titleist Mason City.


The Dodgers reached the postseason as an at-large qualifier, then advanced to the semis with a 14-13 road victory over previously-unbeaten Sioux City Heelan. Mason City defeated FDSH three days later with a trip to the UNI-Dome and the Class 3A state finals on the line.


In the spring of 1979, Cox — a Leon, Iowa native and a multi-sport standout at Bettendorf — left Fort Dodge with a 10-year record of 44-46-2 to become an assistant athletic director at Iowa State University. The former University of Northern Iowa football player also worked for the University of Nebraska-Omaha and Kansas State University athletic departments.



Cox had degrees from UNI (Bachelor’s) and Northeast (now Truman) State University (Master’s). In addition to teaching at FDSH, Cox worked for the Bettendorf, Wapsie Valley and Spencer school districts.


Cox is survived by his wife of 62 years, Carol; daughter, Jenny (Brad Ridnour) and son Bobby (Karen); as well as seven grandchildren; a great grandson; and three siblings.


A private memorial service for Cox will be held at a later date.

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[DoctorZ]

The man whose idea it was to play the Johnny Carson theme song when Coach Orr strode into Hilton before each game...

 

[4cy16]

The man whose idea it was to play the Johnny Carson theme song when Coach Orr strode into Hilton before each game...

I did not know that.

 

[NickTheGreat]

RIP.

Side note. I did not know that Barry Alvarez coached at Mason City. Interesting.

 

[cysmiley]

Knew him when I worked at Hilton in the late 70's. Really enjoyed working with him, he also took the ISU plane to Michigan to pick up Johnny Orr, asked me to set up the Hilton floor for a Press Conference when he returned, didn't know it at the time, but Johnny was wavering about coming to Ames, so Coxie went and got him in the plane, RIP. Great guy!

 

[HOTDON]

I did not know that.

 

[Kinch]

Knew him when I was a student assistant. He was a fantastic administrator. He is basically the genesis of Hilton magic. Not only was he instrumental in the Johnny Orr hiring, he also was the first to really notice that Hilton could be a tremendous home court advantage. It was during the Iowa State -Minnesota game. End of regulation. He pointed out how loud Hilton got when people started to sit above the parquet, which they were doing then. If the arena ever got full, he said, this would be an unbeatable home court advantage. He was right. Dave and Johnny really understood the value of getting students to attend the games at Hilton and they busted their butt to make it happen.

 

[Pope]

I knew Dave's successor very well, Elve Everage. Elve was a former Cyclone football player who worked in ISU admissions for many years. He passed away many years ago.

 

[Kinch]

The man whose idea it was to play the Johnny Carson theme song when Coach Orr strode into Hilton before each game...

awesome.

 

[Kinch]

I knew Dave's successor very well, Elve Everage. Elve was a former Cyclone football player who worked in ISU admissions for many years. He passed away many years ago.

Elve was the man responsible for bringing us Lafester Rhodes.

 

[Kinch]

I knew Dave's successor very well, Elve Everage. Elve was a former Cyclone football player who worked in ISU admissions for many years. He passed away many years ago.

Elve was also the one who was part of the staff who decided to change the artificial turf to natural grass.

 

[Pope]

Elve was the man responsible for bringing us Lafester Rhodes.

Yep, Elve ran across Lafester down in Memphis while he was recruiting students for admissions and he told Ric Wesley and Jim Hallihan that they've got to take a look at this kid.

 

[Big Daddy Kang]

Good guy. I remember a foursome coming in off the course laughing about how Max Urick (accidentally) ran over Cox with a golf cart. Might have been the other way around but fortunately, who ever it was, walked it off. Fun bunch in the AD back then!

 

[drlove]

very sad to hear this. Dave was a great guy and advocate for all student athletes. Great guy