John Huard, a 2014 College Football Hall of Fame inductee from Maine who played linebacker for the Black Bears from 1964-1966, passed away Jan. 29. He was 80.
One of the greatest football players in state history, John Huard led Maine to its first postseason game during a stellar career in Orono. He became the first Black Bear to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
“John Huard loved the game, excelling at the highest levels as a player before becoming a coach,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. “He ranks among the greatest players to ever set foot on the gridiron in the state of Maine, and he became a stalwart advocate for game as a coach and member of the NFF State of Maine Chapter. We are deeply saddened to learn of his passing and our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and the Black Bears at this time of loss.”
A two-time First-Team All-America (1965, 1966) selection, Huard led Maine to the 1974 Yankee Conference championship and the Tangerine Bowl in 1965. The two-time First-Team All-Yankee Conference honoree recorded 22 tackles in his first game in 1964. He was named to the All-New England, All-ECAC, and All-Yankee Conference teams during both his junior and senior seasons. He set UMaine marks for most tackles in a season, most tackles in a single game, and the longest interception return (95 yards) at the time of his graduation.
Named one of the top 20 athletes in the history of the state of Maine by Sports Illustrated, Huard was the first football player inducted into the Maine Athletic Hall of Fame and the first member of Alfond Stadium’s Ring of Honor.
Chosen by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round of the 1967 NFL Draft, Huard played four seasons with the Broncos and New Orleans Saints. He also played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Montreal Alouettes.
He returned to the University of Maine as an offensive line coach in 1974. Huard went on to serve as head coach of Acadia University in Nova Scotia (1979-83), leading the Axemen to the Canadian National Championships in 1979 and 1981. He also served as special teams coach of the Chicago Blitz (1983-84) and made coaching stops at Maine Maritime Academy and with the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL.
Huard became an active participant with the NFF State of Maine Chapter, and he volunteered with the Boys and Girls Club and the Susan Curtis Foundation. The Waterville, Maine, native later worked as the president of Northeast Turf / Eastern Builders, a GreenFields artificial grass system made by TenCate of the Netherlands.
