Pardee Returns to Pros, Named Coach of Oilers

HOUSTON —  Jack Pardee, who coached Chicago and Washington in the NFL and rebuilt the University of Houston football program, returned to the pros today as head coach of the Houston Oilers.

Pardee was hired to replace Jerry Glanville, who stepped down Saturday by mutual agreement with Oilers owner Bud Adams.

“When it became obvious to me that we had to fill a vacancy here, Jack was the only one I wanted to talk to,” Adams said at a news conference. “He is a dedicated hard-working football man who has been successful everywhere he’s been. It will be an easy transition.”

Pardee, 53, helped introduce the run-and-shoot offense to the pros as head coach of the Houston Gamblers in the USFL and used the same offense to set collegiate records for the Cougars.

“Seeing Jack here is like evaluating players,” Oiler General Manager Mike Holovak said. “You look for weaknesses, maybe a weakness here or there, but the longer you look at Jack, the more you like.”

Pardee said he has mixed feelings about leaving Houston, where he had compiled a 22-11-1 record in three seasons.

“It’s been a pleasure working with (athletic director) Rudy Davalos. Everyone at the university (has) been very kind to me. This is the first time I’ve gone in with this type of team. They’ve been successful, and we hope to maintain that and go on.”

The Oilers reached the playoffs the past three years, but Glanville stepped down Saturday after three straight losses ended the season.

Pardee’s professional career began with the Rams in 1957. He was an All-Pro at linebacker in 1963 and 1964 before his career was interrupted in 1965 by cancer surgery.

He returned to the Rams the next season and played with them through 1970. He finished his playing days with the Redskins in 1971 and 1972 and was named NFL defensive player of the year after leading Washington to the 1972 Super Bowl.

Pardee, Associated Press 1979 NFL Coach of the Year, coached the Chicago Bears from 1975 to 1977, when they were 20-22. He then coached Washington for three years, leading them to a 24-24 record.

He coached the Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League to a 23-13 record in 1984 and 1985 before going to the university in 1987.

Houston has been on probation for two seasons for violations committed under former Coach Bill Yeoman.

The university called a news conference for later this afternoon and was expected to name offensive coordinator John Jenkins as Pardee’s replacement.