Gene A. Carpenter
Dr. Gene A. Carpenter, who led the Millersville University football team to 212 victories in 31 seasons as its head coach from 1970 to 2001, but was just as well known for molding his players into men of character, died early Thursday after being hospitalized for two days.
Carpenter turned 70 on Nov. 28.
Carpenter, who battled the after-effects of several strokes and Alzheimer's Disease over the last several years, was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in late October.
The winningest football coach in school history, Carpenter's MU teams compiled a record of 212-89-6. His 1988 team captured the ECAC Lambert-Meadowlands Cup Championship after finishing the season 10-2 and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.
Under Carpenter's direction, the Marauders posted winning records in 28 of his 31 seasons, including 12 straight from 1971 to 1982. A total of 49 of his players were named All-America and several went on to play pro football, including Will Lewis and Robb Riddick.
"He was like a father to most of us, players and coaches," said Sandy Guilfoyle, who was an assistant coach on Carpenter's staff for 18 years. "He was such a good leader and had all of the attributes of a leader and of a father. He could hug you and kick you in the butt. Or vice versa.
"But what you got, ultimately, was the hug."
Carpenter, who served as the school's athletic director from 1981-1997, also taught classes in health and physical education at Millersville.
He was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division Coach of the Year twice and was honored with the George W. Kirchner Award by Lancaster Sportswriters & Sportscasters Association for outstanding contributions to Lancaster County sports in 2002.
A Lebanon County native, he served three years in the U.S. Marines before doing his undergraduate work at Huron College, getting his Masters from Adams State and then his Health and Physical Education doctorate from the University of Utah.
"Parents raised boys, Coach raised men," said Bill Burke, a All-America tight end who played for Millersville from 1988-92. "Mothers and fathers handed their sons off and said, 'They're all yours.' He made you feel like you were coming to Millersville to become part of a family. The reason his teams were so good was because they were so close."
Under Carpenter's direction, the Marauders won the PSAC East Division title 10 times. They ran the table in the division six times.
"Maybe his great skill, football-wise, was his ability to recognize where people ought to be on the field," Guilfoyle said. "He put the right people in the right places."
Bill Lauris was an assistant coach at Millersville before Carpenter arrived and then stayed for 17 years as defensive coordinator/assistant head coach. When Carpenter arrived, Lauris sensed a big change was imminent.
"The first thing he said was, 'We're going to win,' " Lauris said.
Millersville went 4-5 in Carpenter's first season, then had 12 winning seasons in a row.
"Coach had a plan for everything," Guilfoyle said. "It wasn't haphazard but it wasn't so tight that you couldn't move within it. He knew what he wanted to do and he had thought out what happens if things went one way or another. He was always prepared."
More than wins and losses, the players were Carpenter's first and foremost priority.
Dave Garrett graduated from Warwick and intended to play football at Millersville. Injury ended his time as a player so he became the team's manager, graduating from MU in 1980. He remained close with Carpenter after graduation.
"His legacy is the family he leaves behind, and the countless number of players whose lives have been forever impacted," Garrett said. "Gene Carpenter saw something in all of us that we did not see in ourselves. He pushed us to excellence. That is a legacy that stands the test of time."
Mike Burke was Millersville's quarterback from 1971-74. He went on to become the head coach at Columbia High School and took his teams to Millersville's 7-on-7 camp each year.
"The Carpenter Foundation (which raises scholarship funds for the MU football team) is a testament to him," Burke said. "There are so many people involved who have appreciated what he has done for them, not just what he did with wins and losses but how he affected each individual and the teams."
Scott Martin, currently a Lancaster County Commissioner, played defensive tackle for Millersville from 1990-93 and went to the New York Giants preseason camp after graduation.
He, too, feels Carpenter's influence to this day.
"When he was in the room, he had your attention," Martin said. "Even if he was coming down on you, in the end, you felt like he still loved you. There's a way of doing that and that's why so many of the guys feel the same way about him.
"He had such a commitment of service to his country, his family and to young men and Millersville University. He gave his heart to Millersville, its tradition and the young men he was trying to mold."