Fred Akers

Fred Akers
Name	Fred Akers
Birth date	August 17, 1938
Birth place	Blytheville, Arkansas, United States
Death date	December 7, 2020
Death place	Horseshoe Bay, Texas, United States
Occupation	American football coach
Alma mater	University of Arkansas

Fred Akers was an American college football coach known for leading major programs in the Southwest Conference, Big Ten Conference, and Western Athletic Conference. He rose to prominence after successful assistant work under Frank Broyles and a breakout head coaching stint that included multiple bowl game appearances and conference titles. Akers influenced generations of coaches and players across programs such as the University of Texas at Austin, Purdue University, and the University of Wyoming.

Early life and playing career

Akers was born in Blytheville, Arkansas, and attended Dumas High School where he played high school American football and attracted attention from collegiate programs. He enrolled at the University of Arkansas and played as a defensive back and halfback for the Razorbacks under head coach Bear Bryant-era contemporaries and staff associated with Frank Broyles. At Arkansas he participated in Southwest Conference competition and played with teammates who later became coaches and professionals, forging ties to programs such as the University of Texas at Austin, University of Oklahoma, and Auburn University through regional recruiting networks.

Coaching career

Akers began his coaching career as an assistant at several programs, including stops that connected him to the coaching trees of Frank Broyles, Bear Bryant, and other prominent figures. He served on staffs in the Southeastern Conference and Southwest Conference circles before being hired as a head coach. His assistant coaching tenure involved recruiting against programs like Texas Tech University, Baylor University, Texas A&M University, and Southern Methodist University, and coaching future professionals destined for the National Football League and American Football League rosters.

Head coaching tenure at Texas

Akers was hired as head coach at the University of Texas at Austin where he led the Longhorns during a period of intense rivalry with Oklahoma and programs such as Arkansas, Texas A&M, and Nebraska in bowl and conference play. He compiled multiple Southwest Conference titles and took teams to major bowl games including appearances against programs like Alabama in the Cotton Bowl Classic and matchups involving USC and Penn State. His tenure included developing All-Americans who later joined Pro Football Hall of Fame conversations and NFL rosters such as the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Chicago Bears, and Green Bay Packers.

Coaching at Purdue and Wyoming

After leaving Texas, Akers took the head coaching position at Purdue University in the Big Ten Conference, facing conference rivals including Ohio State University, University of Michigan, Penn State, and Wisconsin. He later coached at the University of Wyoming competing in the Western Athletic Conference against programs like Brigham Young University, University of Utah, and San Diego State University. At both schools he worked to rebuild programs, recruit against regional powers such as Colorado and Nebraska, and adapt strategies to the evolving landscape of collegiate athletics overseen by organizations like the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Coaching style and legacy

Akers employed a balanced offensive approach that emphasized the running game, play-action passing, and the development of versatile halfbacks and quarterbacks—schemes influenced by predecessors and contemporaries tied to the Coaching tree of Frank Broyles and the broader traditions of Southwest Conference and Southeastern Conference strategies. His staffs produced coordinators and assistants who moved on to roles at institutions including University of Tennessee, Miami, University of Florida, LSU, and Auburn University. Akers’ legacy includes mentorship of players and coaches who entered the National Football League as players, coaches, and executives, and recognition in state and regional halls connected to programs such as the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, and various university athletic halls.

Personal life and later years

Akers lived in Texas following his coaching career and remained connected with alumni and booster communities tied to Texas, Arkansas, Purdue, and Wyoming. He participated in speaking engagements alongside figures from institutions like ESPN-covered broadcasts, conference media days, and fundraising events with athletic departments. Akers died in Horseshoe Bay, Texas on December 7, 2020, leaving a legacy discussed by sportswriters at outlets covering college football rivalries such as The Dallas Morning News, Austin American-Statesman, and national commentators who track the histories of programs including Texas Longhorns, Purdue Boilermakers, and Wyoming Cowboys.

Category:1938 births Category:2020 deaths Category:American football coaches Category:Texas Longhorns football coaches Category:Purdue Boilermakers football coaches Category:Wyoming Cowboys football coaches