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