Ron Calcagni (born February 6, 1957) is a former

quarterback The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...

for the

University of Arkansas The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States. It is the Flagship campus, flagship campus of the University of Arkan ...

Razorbacks football team from 1975 to 1978. Calcagni was born in

Youngstown, Ohio Youngstown is a city in Mahoning County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Ohio, 11th-most populous city in Ohio with a population of 60,068 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Mahoning ...

. An All-State in high school, Calcagni was initially recruited by Bo Rein to play for

North Carolina State University North Carolina State University (NC State, North Carolina State, NC State University, or NCSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1887 and p ...

. However, Rein left North Carolina State to coach under Frank Broyles at Arkansas and convinced Calcagni to follow him there. Rein would return to North Carolina State as head coach before Calcagni graduated from Arkansas. Calcagni had a record setting career with Arkansas. His 25–4–2 winning record made him the 2nd winningest quarterback in Razorbacks history. Calcagni is perhaps best known for his role in the defeat of the heavily favored #2 ranked

Oklahoma Sooners The Oklahoma Sooners are the college athletics in the United States , athletic teams that represent the University of Oklahoma, located in Norman, Oklahoma, Norman. The 19 men's and women's varsity teams are called the "Sooners", a reference to ...

in the 1978 Orange Bowl. Following that upset victory Calcagni, running back

Ben Cowins Ben Cowins (born April 7, 1956) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks from 1975 to 1978. ...

, and head coach Lou Holtz were on the September 11th, 1978 cover of ''

Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...

''

He also helped the Razorbacks to a 1976 Cotton Bowl Classic victory over the

University of Georgia The University of Georgia (UGA or Georgia) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Athens, Georgia, United States. Chartered in 1785, it is the oldest public university in th ...

and a Fiesta Bowl tie with

UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the C ...

. During his time at Arkansas Calcagni played alongside

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...

great Dan Hampton, running back Cowins, and record setting kicker Steve Little. The Razorbacks went 10–2 in

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

, 5-5-1 in

1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...

, 11–1 in

1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...

and 9-2-1 in

1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...

with Calcagni as starting quarterback.

Professional and coaching careers

Despite his success in college Calcagni was not drafted into the NFL. He played three seasons in the

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...

for the

Montreal Alouettes The Montreal Alouettes (Canadian French, French: ''Les Alouettes de Montréal'') are a professional Canadian football team based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1946, the team has disbanded twice and been re-established thrice. The Alouettes compe ...

and the

Ottawa Rough Riders The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded on September 19, 1876. Formerly one of the oldest and longest-lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup cham ...

before entering into a career as a coach. He worked as quarterbacks and receivers coach for the

University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma, United States. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two territories became the ...

, Oklahoma State University and the

University of Tulsa The University of Tulsa (TU) is a Private university, private research university in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It has a historic affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Presbyterian Church, although it is now nondenominational, and the campus ...

. Calcagni worked as inside receivers coach for the

University of Houston The University of Houston (; ) is a Public university, public research university in Houston, Texas, United States. It was established in 1927 as Houston Junior College, a coeducational institution and one of multiple junior colleges formed in ...

from 1987 to 1991. Ron Calcagni currently is the head coach for the Pulaski Heights Middle School Panthers where he has won three district championships. He has also served as the President of Marketing for Arkansas Sports Entertainment. He is also the Physical Education teacher. In 2009, Calcagni was inducted into the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor, and in 2015, he was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Calcagni, Ron 1957 births Living people American football quarterbacks Players of Canadian football from Ohio Arkansas Razorbacks football players Canadian football quarterbacks Houston Cougars football coaches Montreal Alouettes players Ottawa Rough Riders players Tulsa Golden Hurricane football coaches Winnipeg Blue Bombers coaches Players of American football from Youngstown, Ohio