Colorado State University Athletics
Former student-athlete and coach Al Lavan passes away
4/24/2018 2:31:00 PM | Football
Alton "Al" Lavan lettered from 1964-67 and coached for the Rams in 1972
Former Colorado State football student-athlete and assistant coach Alton "Al" Lavan passed away Monday, April 23, at the age of 71. Lavan was a four-year letterman (1964-67) as a defensive back and kicker for the Rams, and later began his lengthy coaching career as an assistant coach on head coach Jerry Wampfler's staff at Colorado State in 1972. He finished his career as head coach at Delaware State from 2004-10.
Lavan played a significant role in one of CSU's most memorable wins, kicking the winning field goal in a 12-10 victory over Wyoming at Colorado Field in a game remembered for the famous "bounce-pass" trick play that was chronicled most recently in the 2016 "Farewell Hughes" Stadium campaign. His six interceptions in 1967 still tie for third-most in a season by a player in school history.
A successful scholar and athlete, Lavan was chosen in 1968 as winner of the Nye Trophy, given to the most outstanding senior male student-athlete at Colorado State. He also was awarded Most Inspirational Athlete and best defensive player. He earned his bachelor's degree in sociology from CSU in 1970.
Lavan was drafted in the eighth round by the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles in 1968 and spent one season on the practice squad before signing with the Atlanta Falcons in 1969. He was a starter for the Falcons before suffering a neck injury in 1970 that would require surgery, ending his playing career.
He coached wide receivers for Colorado State in 1972 before embarking on a successful career coaching in both college and the NFL. Lavan's NFL coaching experience included stints with the Atlanta Falcons (1975-77), Dallas Cowboys (1980-89), San Francisco 49ers (1989-91), Baltimore Ravens (1996-99) and Kansas City Chiefs (1999-2000). In the NFL Lavan coached such notable running backs as Tony Dorsett, Herschel Walker and Roger Craig.
Lavan's collegiate coaching career was spent at Louisville (1973-74), Iowa State (1974-75), Georgia Tech (1977-79), Stanford (1979-80), Washington (1992-96), Eastern Michigan (2002-03) and Delaware State (2004-10). He was interim head coach for the final three games of the 2003 season at Eastern Michigan before taking his first full-time head coaching position at Delaware State, where he compiled a 41-37 record, including a 34-21 mark in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
The 2007 season for Lavan's Hornets was one for the history books. His squad was 10-2, including a perfect 8-0 record in MEAC play to claim its first conference championship in 16 years. Delaware State rose as high as 10th in the FCS national rankings and finished at No. 15 in The Sports Network poll and 16th in the ESPN Coaches' poll after earning its first berth in the FCS playoffs. Lavan was named the 2007 Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C., Coach of the Year and was runner-up in voting for the top coach in the FCS. He was inducted into Delaware State's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013.
A native of Pierce, Fla., Lavan began his high school career at Union Academy in Bartow, Fla. He moved to Newark, N.J., before his junior year and spent his final two years of high school and graduated from Southside High School.
Funeral arrangements are pending.