Frank Gansz Hospitalized

by **ddderrius** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:56 am

Guys less pray for Coach Gansz

Briefly ...

Frank Gansz, 70, SMU's special teams coach and the former Kansas City Chiefs coach and NFL special teams guru, was hospitalized as of late Wednesday evening following complications from knee replacement surgery, according to a source close to the football program. SMU spokesman Brad Sutton declined comment.

by **Stallion** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:31 am

Update:

http://collegesportsblog.dallasnews.com ... gansz.html

by **expony18** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:38 am

that doesn't sound good... hope its not too serious

by **ProudMama** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:06 am

Keeping you in our prayers with best wishes for a speedy recovery.

The Huahulu Family

by **George S. Patton** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:13 am

Bless his heart. I hope it's not something like an infection that has spread. That's really scary. My dad just had hip replacement surgery and his road back is really slow. Of course, he's 85.

by **Mustangsabu** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:38 am

Best wishes for Coach Gansz.

by **Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:23 pm

Get Well Coach!

More on SMU's Gansz
9:52 AM Thu, Apr 23, 2009

By Kate Hairopoulos

As reported in today's paper, Frank Gansz, 70, has been hospitalized at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas due to complications suffered after undergoing knee replacement surgery.

The situation is serious for the SMU special teams coach and former Kansas City Chiefs coach who is considered one of the best NFL special teams coaches ever. He was clearly on the minds of the coaches and players at this morning's practice. Frank Gansz Jr., the special teams coach at UCLA, attended part of practice.

Coach June Jones teared up when he discussed Gansz, who came out of retirement to join him at SMU last year.

"He is on a lot of kids' minds," SMU defensive coordinator Tom Mason said. "How you handle it is different for every person. As you got going, you could see aggressiveness coming out. Maybe we went overboard a couple times. You expect that. It's a hard thing to go through. I know it's on my mind."

Anyone who has been around Gansz even a little bit has been touched by Gansz' remarkable zest. He leads part of practice on a head-set microphone and his voice rings around Ford Stadium and the practice fields. SMU players often refer to Gansz' inspirational quotes of the day.

http://collegesportsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/04/more-on-smus-gansz.html

by **ddderrius** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:37 pm

Well this article really scares me. I really like Coach Gansz he is always so friendly to me. He makes me even prouder of my son of if (prouder) is a word. He calls me by name and that makes me feel special. My son just loves him he tells me that Coach Gansz keeps it real, if you're doing good he praises you but if you mess up he's gone tell it like it is and he likes that about him.

Coach Gansz Be Blessed!!!!

by **EastStang** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:48 pm

If he got a staph infection, those are very very serious and hard to control. Another reason why we should all think twice about elective surgery.

by **CalallenStang** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:54 pm

I'm praying for his speedy recovery. Coach Gansz is a great coach.

by **Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:59 pm

ddderrius I agree Coach Gansz is really a special guy.
Coach Gansz is educational and a joy to watch at practices.
Our prayers go out to him today for a fast and speedy recovery.

Coach Frank Gansz

Considered perhaps the top special teams coach in the history of the NFL, Frank Gansz enters his second season on the Hilltop. Gansz is a veteran of 38 seasons of coaching - 24 in the NFL and 14 in the collegiate ranks.

Prior to coming to SMU in 2008, Gansz was with the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he was special teams coordinator in 2000 and 2001. Prior to his time with the Jags, he served as the special teams coach of the St. Louis Rams for three seasons, helping the team to its victory in Super Bowl XXXIV.

Gansz was most recently with the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he was special teams coordinator in 2000 and 2001. Prior to his time with the Jags, he served as the special teams coach of the St. Louis Rams for three seasons, helping the team to its victory in Super Bowl XXXIV.

In 1999, the Rams' special teams scored three touchdowns and led the NFL in kickoff returns, averaging 25.1 yards per return. Tony Horne led the league with a 29.7 average and two TDs, and Az-Zahir Hakim also returned a punt for a score and averaged 10.5 yards per return, ranking sixth in the NFC. The Rams were fifth in the NFL in punt coverage (6.7) and Rams kicker Jeff Wilkins set an NFL record for most extra points in a season without a miss (64).

In 1986, Gansz's first year as the assistant head coach/special teams for Kansas City, the Chiefs blocked or deflected an NFL-record 10 kicks and scored five touchdowns. The special teams helped Kansas City claim its first playoff berth in 15 years by scoring all 24 points in a 24-19 victory over Pittsburgh in the season finale.

Because of his success with the special teams, Gansz was promoted to head coach of the Chiefs, a role he served from 1987 to 1988. He left the Chiefs to become the special teams coach of the Detroit Lions from 1989 to 1993, a period in which Mel Gray developed into the NFL's all-time leader in combined kick return yardage. In 1989, Gansz was named NFL Special Teams Coach of the Year by his peers. Gansz then spent three years as the assistant head coach/special teams for the Atlanta Falcons from 1994 to 1996.

Gansz's NFL career began in 1978 as special teams coach for the San Francisco 49ers. He coached special teams and tight ends for Cincinnati (1979-80), Kansas City (1981-82) and Philadelphia (1983-85).

After serving as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force for nearly seven years, Gansz began his coaching career at the Air Force Academy (1964-66). He also had coaching stints at Colgate (1968), Navy (1969-72), Oklahoma State (1973, 1975), Army (1974) and UCLA (1976-77).

Born in Altoona, Pa., Gansz attended Taylor-Allerdice High in Pittsburgh, and has been inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. He played center and linebacker for the Naval Academy from 1957 to 1959 and graduated in 1960. Gansz and his wife, Barbara, have two children, Frank Jr., a nine-year NFL assistant coach, and Jennifer.

http://smumustangs.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/gansz_frank00.html

by **jtstang** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:14 pm

We need him to bounce back.

by **SMU89** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:11 pm

See next post

by **SMU89** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:18 pm

04/23 5:12 PM
Southern Methodist special teams coordinator Frank Gansz Sr., a legend in the NFL for his ability to coach the kicking game, is in grave condition in a Dallas hospital.

Mustangs head coach June Jones described Gansz's illness as "a serious situation," while meeting with reporters after practice Thursday.

Gansz, 70, underwent knee replacement surgery Wednesday at Presbyterian Hospital. He came out of surgery without any issues but suffered complications from a blood clot soon afterward, according to UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel.

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?secti ... id=4093661

Say some prayers.......

by **ALEX LIFESON** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:23 pm

Frank Gansz is in need of a miracle at this point, prayers are needed for sure.

Frank Gansz Hospitalized

Frank Gansz Hospitalized

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