Amos Alonzo Sr., Skip and Paul Stagg

ALONZO STAGG SR. HERE FOR SPRING FOOTBALL Pacific University Alumnews - Unknown Staff Writer April-May 1948, pg. 16 When it rains down in Stockton, California, where Alonzo Stagg Sr. lives, and where he coached football at the College of Pacific for many years, football players expect a day off. That the football players practice in rain or snow up here at Pacific was one of the things that surprised the venerable man of the gridiron during his three-week stay in Forest Grove. And it was the spirit that our gridiron hopefuls manifested that pleased Alonzo Sr. most of all. While he did not feel that Pacific had what is termed “finished players” yet, Stagg did prophecy a good future for our team which was the essential drive and spirit for playing the game under adverse conditions. Alonzo Sr. came to Pacific about 8 weeks ago to aid his son, Coach Paul Stagg, in the spring football practice and while here contributed much of his time and experience to taking some of the kinks out of our players. Stagg brought with him the double flank formation which he as utilized for the last ten years and which is the system used at Susquehanna University where he is co-coach of the football team with his son Alonzo Stagg Jr. Whereas our system is based primarily on the T-formation Coach Paul Stagg incorporated some of his father’s methods and system in pass plays. Pacific’s gridmen were both surprised and pleased with Alonzo Stagg’s visit and participation in coaching; they were no less surprised and pleased when Mrs. Stagg made her appearance for an on the spot observation of the team in action – rain and snow made no difference! The Dean of Football Mentor’s brief stay here ended April 27 when our team put on a dress rehearsal scrimmage. Just before the practice teams took to the field Alonzo Sr. expounded some of his homely philosophy, telling the boys to always maintain their fighting spirit and never to let themselves become discouraged because of setbacks. Coach Paul Stagg headed o ne of the scrimmage teams while his father steered the other. The final score of the scrimmage was six to six with Coach Paul Stagg’s team relying on ground play and his father’s team taking to the air. Having returned now to his home in Stockton, Calif., Alonzo Sr. will stay their until mid-August when he will leave for Susquehanna University where he will assume his duties as co-football coach along with his son Alonzo Jr. In the meantime, Pacific gridmen are hoping for and looking forward to his return to Pacific University for the next Spring practice.