Clinton Osborne

Clinton Osborne
Biographical details
Born(1888-09-05)September 5, 1888
Rockford, Illinois, U.S.
DiedJune 9, 1962(1962-06-09) (aged 73)
La Grange, Illinois, U.S.
Playing career
1908–1911Beloit
PositionQuarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1912–1913Clinton HS (IA)
1914–1916North Central
1917–1921Lyons Township HS (IL)
1922–1924DePaul Academy (IL)
Men's basketball
1914–1917North Central
Head coaching record
Overall14–9–1 (.604) (College football)
23–9 (.719) (College basketball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1913 Iowa state football championship

Clinton M. Osborne (September 5, 1888 – June 9, 1962) was an American football coach who coached high school football in Iowa and Illinois and was head football coach at North Central College from 1914 to 1916.

Biography

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Osborne attended Rockford High School in Rockford, Illinois, where he was a member of the football and baseball teams. He was the varsity quarterback at Beloit College for four seasons and graduated in 1912. That fall, he became the head football coach at Clinton High School in Clinton, Iowa.[1] In 1913, he developed the Osborne Shift, a formation similar to the Minnesota shift, although Osborne claimed to have developed it independently. That season, Clinton High, led by Eddie "Nips" Murphy and Duke Slater, won the state championship.[2] In 1914, Osborne became the athletic coach at North-Western College (now North Central College) in Naperville, Illinois.[3] After a losing record (2–4) in Osborne's first season, NWC improved to 5–4 in 1915 and 7–1–1 in 1916.[4] He was also the school's men's basketball coach and amassed a 23–9 record over two seasons.[5]

In 1917, Osborne returned to the high school ranks with Lyons Township High School in La Grange, Illinois.[6] In 1922, he became the football, basketball, and baseball coach at the DePaul Academy in Chicago.[7][8] Once his coaching career ended, Osborne remained involved in football as official. He died on June 9, 1962, in La Grange.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Coach Expects Winning Eleven". The Clinton Herald. September 2, 1912. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  2. ^ McClellan, Keith (1998). The Sunday Game. Univ of Akron Press. p. 268. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  3. ^ "Bright Outlook For Year At N. W. C." The Naperville Clarion. September 23, 1914. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  4. ^ "Football Year-By-Year Results". North Central College Cardinals. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  5. ^ "Men's Basketball Season-By-Season Results". North Central College Cardinals. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  6. ^ "Osborne To Coach La Grange School". Rock Island Argus. September 1, 1917. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  7. ^ "Clint Osborne to Coach De Paul Academy Teams". Chicago Daily Tribune. September 22, 1922. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  8. ^ "C. M. Osborne Is Coaching At De Paul". The Clinton Herald. September 22, 1922. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  9. ^ "No title". Monday Morning Mail. June 25, 1962. Retrieved September 18, 2025.