Jim Carlen has passed away at the age of 79.
From the official South Carolina Gamecocks Athletics site:
Memorial service for James Anthony Carlen III, 79, will be held at 4:00 p.m. Friday, July 27, 2012, at Trenholm Road United Methodist Church, with visitation immediately following in the church gymnasium. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family.
Coach Carlen died Sunday, July 22, 2012. Born July 11, 1933 in Cookeville, Tenn., he was a son of the late James A. and Roberta Hill Carlen and a proud Eagle Scout. He graduated from Georgia Tech where he was a linebacker and punter on two national championship teams under Coach Dodd. After graduating from Georgia Tech and serving one season as an assistant coach at Cookeville Central High, he served in the U.S. Air Force for four years where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant. He then began his college football coaching career at Georgia Tech as assistant to Coach Bobby Dodd, defensive coordinator and later as college athletics director. His coaching stints included Georgia Tech, West Virginia, Texas Tech and South Carolina. At these three universities, Carlen attained a 107-69-6 record. Carlen guided the Mountaineers from 1966-69 to a 25-13-3 record. In 1969, after leading the Mountaineers to a 10-1 record, which included a 14-3 victory over South Carolina in the Peach Bowl, he then went to Texas Tech from 1970-74. The Red Raiders were 37-20-2 under Carlen's reign. In 1973, he guided the Red Raiders to one of their most successful seasons ever with an 11-1 campaign. He was selected Southwest Conference Coach of the Year for the second time, NCAA District Seven Coach of the Year and Fellowship of Christian Athletes Coach of the Year.
From 1975-1981, Carlen led the University of South Carolina to a 46-36-1 record, which included two eight-win seasons and three bowl trips. The 45 victories are the third most in South Carolina football history by a head coach. Carlen also coached the school's only Heisman Trophy winner, George Rogers. In addition to being the school's football head coach, he also served as the school's athletics director until 1981.
