Adolph “Ad” Rutschman is one of the most successful head coaches in college football history, best known for turning the Linfield University (then Linfield College) Wildcats into a perennial national powerhouse.
Ad Ruschman was born on October 30, 1931, in Hillsboro, Oregon.
Before arriving at Linfield, Rutschman began his head coaching career at Hillsboro High School in Oregon, leading the football program from 1958 to 1967 and winning an Oregon state championship. In 1968, he took over as head football coach at Linfield, his collegiate alma mater. Over 24 seasons (1968–1991), Rutschman compiled a career college football record of 183–48–4 (.787 winning percentage). Most notably, he never recorded a losing season in his 24 years at the helm, serving as the cornerstone for Linfield’s historic streak of consecutive winning seasons.
Rutschman built an offensive and defensive culture defined by discipline, situational awareness, and technical fundamentals. Under his leadership, the Wildcats reached the NAIA Division II national championship game four times, winning three national titles (1982, 1984, and 1986). He stepped down as head coach after the 1991 season and later returned in 2001 as Linfield’s kick return specialist coach.
Football Accolades & Accomplishments
National Championships & Postseason
- 3× NAIA Division II National Championships: 1982, 1984, 1986
- NAIA Division II National Runner-Up: 1974
- 12 Postseason NAIA Playoff Appearances
- 3 Undefeated Championship Seasons: 1982 (12–0), 1984 (12–0), 1986 (12–0)
Conference Titles (15 Total)
- 12 Northwest Conference (NWC) Championships: 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984
- 2 Columbia Football League (CFL) Southern Division Titles: 1985, 1986
- 1 Columbia Football Association (CFA) Mount Hood Division Title: 1991
Major Honors & Hall of Fame Inductions
- College Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1998
- 3× NAIA Division II National Coach of the Year: 1982, 1984, 1986
- 5× Oregon Slats Gill Coach of the Year
- NAIA Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1988
- Oregon Sports Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1993
- Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1998
