Sport(s) Football, basketball 1923–1924 Mississippi A&M Positions Tackle 1919–1920 Sewanee Role American football player | 1917–1918 VMI Name Earl Abell 1912–1915 Colgate 1925–1927 Colgate (assistant) | |
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Born May 29, 1892
Portage, Wisconsin ( 1892-05-29 ) Died May 26, 1956, Pardeeville, Wisconsin, United States | ||
Earl C. "Tuffy" Abell (May 29, 1892 – May 26, 1956) was an American football player and coach. He played college football as a tackle at Colgate University. He later returned to Colgate as an assistant coach in 1925, and took over the head coaching job in 1928. He spent the 1929 and 1930 football seasons as head coach of the University of Virginia Cavaliers football team. He attended Portage High School in Portage, Wisconsin. Abell was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as player in 1973.
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Virginia Military Institute
Abell was the 13th head football coach for the Virginia Military Institute Keydets located in Lexington, Virginia and he held that position for the 1917 season. His career coaching record at VMI was 4 wins, 4 losses, and 1 ties. This ranks him 24th at VMI in total wins and 16th at VMI in winning percentage.
Colgate
Abell was the 22nd head football coach for the Colgate University Raiders located in the Village of Hamilton in Madison County, New York and he held that position for the 1928 season. His overall coaching record at Colgate was 6 wins, 3 losses, and 0 ties. This ranks him 17th at Colgate in terms of total wins and tenth at Colgate in terms of winning percentage.
Personal life
Born in Portage, Wisconsin, Abell attended Colgate University, where he became a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. Abell was married and had three children. He worked for the American Can Company upon retiring from coaching. He died of a heart attack on May 26, 1956.
Football
Note: In the 1918 season, Abell served as a co-coach alongside Mose Goodman.