COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jim Carlen, who coached South Carolina’s only Heisman Trophy winner and also led West Virginia and Texas Tech to success, died Sunday. He was 79.
He died in Columbia, according to Dale Morton at Dunbar Funeral Home. He did not know the cause of death.
Mr. Carlen was 107-69-6 in his 16 seasons and had just three losing seasons. He led his teams to eight bowl games.
He was a punter and linebacker for Georgia Tech and was an assistant for the Yellow Jackets before he got his first head coaching job in West Virginia in 1966.
The Mountaineers went 25-13-3 in Mr. Carlen’s four years, including their second 10-win season in the program’s history in 1969, which ended with a 14-3 win over South Carolina in the Peach Bowl.
South Carolina hired Mr. Carlen to be both football coach and athletic director in 1975. He ranked second in Gamecocks history in coaching wins until he was passed by Steve Spurrier last season.
Running back George Rogers said Mr. Carlen was like a father to him and said his coach deserved much of the credit for his 1980 Heisman Trophy.
