EDMOND (Nov. 18) – Former Central Oklahoma football coach Phil Ball passed away Sunday after a lengthy illness. He was 83.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at 1st United Methodist Church in Edmond.

Ball was head coach of the Bronchos from 1964-76, amassing an 82-46-6 record in 13 years at the helm and leading UCO to the 1972 NAIA playoffs. He coached 85 all-conference players, nine first- or-second team All-Americans and six NFL draft picks (R.L. Briggs, Bobby Williams, Vernon Moore, Jack O'Donnel, James Hooks and David Wooley).

Ball stayed on as an instructor at UCO for many years after leaving coaching, teaching a number of different courses.  He was inducted into the UCO Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002.

A native of Yukon and a 1948 graduate of South Carolina, Ball went 88-40-9 in 13 years as a high school coach in Oklahoma from 1951-63. He directed Seminole to a 13-0 record and the 1960 Class A state championship while also coaching at Walters, Wewoka and Muskogee.

Ball was an All-State coach in 1956 and coached on Oklahoma's Oil Bowl team in 1963.