Bettendorf Football: Head Coaches

Head Coaches

WAYNE GRADY 1951-54 The late Wayne Grady was the first coach in Bettendorf history who helped both establish the program and set the foundation for future generations. In only Bettendorf's third season (1954), he led the Bulldogs to a 4-4-1 record and 3rd place finish in the Illowa Conference and was on hand to lead the Bulldogs into the 23rd Street Stadium where home games would be played for the next 28 seasons. Grady's overall career record was 10-23-2 and although he has the unfortunate distinction of being the only coach in BHS history to go winless in a season (1952's 0-10 record), he was the pioneer of the Bettendorf Football program.

WAYNE GRADY
1951-54

The late Wayne Grady was the first coach in Bettendorf history who helped both establish the program and set the foundation for future generations. In only Bettendorf's third season (1954), he led the Bulldogs to a 4-4-1 record and 3rd place finish in the Illowa Conference and was on hand to lead the Bulldogs into the 23rd Street Stadium where home games would be played for the next 28 seasons. Grady's overall career record was 10-23-2 and although he has the unfortunate distinction of being the only coach in BHS history to go winless in a season (1952's 0-10 record), he was the pioneer of the Bettendorf Football program.

MERRIT PARSONS 1955-66 As head coach of the Bulldogs, success occurred both quickly and often for the late Merrit Parsons. In the course of his 12-season tenure, Parsons not only compiled an overall record of 66-34-5, but also won 5 conference championships as well as the U.P.I.'s 1960 Mythical State Championship. In 1957 he was named the Quad Cities "Coach of the Year" and from 1958-60, his Bulldogs compiled an impressive record of 25-0-1 which also marked the first of three historical Bulldog winning streaks. Prior to the implementation of Iowa football playoffs, teams were ranked at the end of the season and both the 1958 and 1959 squads were ranked #10 and #12, respectively, by the Iowa Daily Press Association. In 1966, his final season before becoming the Assistant Superintendent of Bettendorf Schools, the Bulldogs went 8-0 and won the Little 6 Conference. The 1968 squad was also rated #4 by the Des Moines Register at the end of season and two year later in 1968, Parsons was inducted into the Iowa Football Coaches Hall of Fame. Mr. Parsons passed away in 1994.

MERRIT PARSONS
1955-66

As head coach of the Bulldogs, success occurred both quickly and often for the late Merrit Parsons. In the course of his 12-season tenure, Parsons not only compiled an overall record of 66-34-5, but also won 5 conference championships as well as the U.P.I.'s 1960 Mythical State Championship. In 1957 he was named the Quad Cities "Coach of the Year" and from 1958-60, his Bulldogs compiled an impressive record of 25-0-1 which also marked the first of three historical Bulldog winning streaks. Prior to the implementation of Iowa football playoffs, teams were ranked at the end of the season and both the 1958 and 1959 squads were ranked #10 and #12, respectively, by the Iowa Daily Press Association. In 1966, his final season before becoming the Assistant Superintendent of Bettendorf Schools, the Bulldogs went 8-0 and won the Little 6 Conference. The 1968 squad was also rated #4 by the Des Moines Register at the end of season and two year later in 1968, Parsons was inducted into the Iowa Football Coaches Hall of Fame. Mr. Parsons passed away in 1994.

RAY OLES 1967-70 Prior to leading the Bulldogs, the late Ray Oles not only started the North Scott football program in 1958, but is still the winningest coach in school history. In his first season, Oles guided the Bulldogs to a 7-2 record and #13 final ranking by the Des Moines Register while his 1968 squad won the Little 6 title with a 5-0 record while finishing the season with another 7-2 record. In 1969, Oles was named the M.V.C. "Coach of the Year" after guiding Bettendorf to second place in the conference via a 7-2-1 finish along with a final #7 ranking in the Des Moines Register. During his tenure, the Bulldogs won their historical 100th game as Oles compiled a 24-12-1 record in four seasons before becoming the Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Bettendorf Schools. Ray Oles passed away suddenly in 1982.

RAY OLES
1967-70

Prior to leading the Bulldogs, the late Ray Oles not only started the North Scott football program in 1958, but is still the winningest coach in school history. In his first season, Oles guided the Bulldogs to a 7-2 record and #13 final ranking by the Des Moines Register while his 1968 squad won the Little 6 title with a 5-0 record while finishing the season with another 7-2 record. In 1969, Oles was named the M.V.C. "Coach of the Year" after guiding Bettendorf to second place in the conference via a 7-2-1 finish along with a final #7 ranking in the Des Moines Register. During his tenure, the Bulldogs won their historical 100th game as Oles compiled a 24-12-1 record in four seasons before becoming the Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Bettendorf Schools. Ray Oles passed away suddenly in 1982.

MERV HABENICHT 1971-99 Simply put, Fort Dodge (IA) native Merv Habenicht led the Bulldogs for 29 seasons and not only made history, but also a dynasty. A former prep player at Fort Dodge High School, Habenicht played football at the Iowa Teacher's College (now Northern Iowa) before coming to Bettendorf. During his tenure, Habenicht compiled a record of 229-70-1 while winning 5 state championships and 10 conference titles. Additionally, his 15 playoffs squads compiled a record of 30-10 and two of them were nationally ranked by USA Today. Three of his teams made school history by going undefeated (12-0 in 1987 and 13-0 in 1988 and 1992) and are the first Bettendorf squads to do so since the 1972 creation of the Iowa football playoffs. Habenicht also coached 70 All-State players and Parade All-American Tavian Banks. Among the numerous honors and awards he has earned, Habenicht was inducted into the Iowa High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1988 and was the runner-up for the Quad City Football "Coach of the Century" in 2000. He also was the M.A.C. "Coach of the Year" in 1989 and 1998 as well as the Des Moines Register "Coach of the Year" in 1988. Habenicht also coached in the Iowa Shrine Bowl All-Star game for the South Squad as an assistant in 1981 and was the head coach in 1999. Although "retired," he has coached football for other teams such as Davenport Assumption and most recently in the Arena Football League (af2) for the Quad City Steamwheelers while also still presenting at coaching clinics. Currently, he resides in Davenport with his wife of over 50 years, Evelyn.

MERV HABENICHT
1971-99

Simply put, Fort Dodge (IA) native Merv Habenicht led the Bulldogs for 29 seasons and not only made history, but also a dynasty. A former prep player at Fort Dodge High School, Habenicht played football at the Iowa Teacher's College (now Northern Iowa) before coming to Bettendorf. During his tenure, Habenicht compiled a record of 229-70-1 while winning 5 state championships and 10 conference titles. Additionally, his 15 playoffs squads compiled a record of 30-10 and two of them were nationally ranked by USA Today. Three of his teams made school history by going undefeated (12-0 in 1987 and 13-0 in 1988 and 1992) and are the first Bettendorf squads to do so since the 1972 creation of the Iowa football playoffs. Habenicht also coached 70 All-State players and Parade All-American Tavian Banks. Among the numerous honors and awards he has earned, Habenicht was inducted into the Iowa High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1988 and was the runner-up for the Quad City Football "Coach of the Century" in 2000. He also was the M.A.C. "Coach of the Year" in 1989 and 1998 as well as the Des Moines Register "Coach of the Year" in 1988. Habenicht also coached in the Iowa Shrine Bowl All-Star game for the South Squad as an assistant in 1981 and was the head coach in 1999. Although "retired," he has coached football for other teams such as Davenport Assumption and most recently in the Arena Football League (af2) for the Quad City Steamwheelers while also still presenting at coaching clinics. Currently, he resides in Davenport with his wife of over 50 years, Evelyn.

RANDY SCOTT 2000-07 Born and raised in Avoca (IA), Randy Scott joined the Bettendorf program in 1976 after starring at center for the Northern Iowa Panthers and served as an assistant coach under Merv Habenicht for 24 seasons before assuming head coaching duties in 2000. In his inaugural season as head coach, Scott led the Bulldogs to the 4A state title game where they were runners-up and again in 2002 before claiming the title in 2004 and 2007; both the 2004 and 2007 squads also finished the season with records of 13-0 (only the fourth and fifth teams in school history to go undefeated since the inception of the Iowa football playoffs in 1972) and while the 2004 team earned national rankings of #25 by Prep Nation 101 and #32 by Student Sports, the 2007 team was ranked #30 by MaxPreps while also being designated as the "Best Team in Iowa" by Sports Illustrated. In just 8 short seasons under Scott's tutelage, 44 players earned All-State honors while his teams compiled a record of 85-12—an incredible 87.6% winning percentage—which makes him the 2nd winningest coach in Bettendorf history. Coach Scott also won 4 conference titles while amassing a record of 66-6 in conference play and under his direction, the Bulldogs also qualified for the 4A playoffs 8 consecutive times while collecting 19 wins in 25 games. Coach Scott was honored with several "Coach of the Year" honors, most notably by the M.A.C. (2004, '07) and Iowa Football Coaches Association ('04) while also being named the "Southeast District Coach of the Year" in 2000 and 2004. Although Scott, who earned the honor of being named "Teacher of the Year" in 1996, may be retired from coaching, he still presents at clinics today.

RANDY SCOTT
2000-07

Born and raised in Avoca (IA), Randy Scott joined the Bettendorf program in 1976 after starring at center for the Northern Iowa Panthers and served as an assistant coach under Merv Habenicht for 24 seasons before assuming head coaching duties in 2000. In his inaugural season as head coach, Scott led the Bulldogs to the 4A state title game where they were runners-up and again in 2002 before claiming the title in 2004 and 2007; both the 2004 and 2007 squads also finished the season with records of 13-0 (only the fourth and fifth teams in school history to go undefeated since the inception of the Iowa football playoffs in 1972) and while the 2004 team earned national rankings of #25 by Prep Nation 101 and #32 by Student Sports, the 2007 team was ranked #30 by MaxPreps while also being designated as the "Best Team in Iowa" by Sports Illustrated. In just 8 short seasons under Scott's tutelage, 44 players earned All-State honors while his teams compiled a record of 85-12—an incredible 87.6% winning percentage—which makes him the 2nd winningest coach in Bettendorf history. Coach Scott also won 4 conference titles while amassing a record of 66-6 in conference play and under his direction, the Bulldogs also qualified for the 4A playoffs 8 consecutive times while collecting 19 wins in 25 games. Coach Scott was honored with several "Coach of the Year" honors, most notably by the M.A.C. (2004, '07) and Iowa Football Coaches Association ('04) while also being named the "Southeast District Coach of the Year" in 2000 and 2004. Although Scott, who earned the honor of being named "Teacher of the Year" in 1996, may be retired from coaching, he still presents at clinics today.

AARON WILEY 2008- Aaron Wiley, a Cedar Falls (IA) native who as a prep played defensive back for the Tigers, became just the sixth head football coach in Bettendorf history in January of 2008 after spending 12 seasons as an assistant Bulldog coach. Wiley’s coaching career began earlier-than-normal for most individuals: in 1991 while attending Northern Iowa, he joined the staff at his alma mater and spent a total of five years at Cedar Falls which included stints at the freshmen, sophomore, and varsity levels. Aaron then become a member of the Bulldog coaching staff in 1996 and spent one season as a sophomore line coach before being named as the varsity Defensive Coordinator by then-head coach Merv Habenicht. For the past 11 seasons, Wiley has directed some of the best defenses in Bulldog history such as 2002, 2003, and 2006 squads who were the #1-ranked defenses in Class 4A. As well, 7 of his last 9 units have been the top-ranked teams in the M.A.C. and include the 1999 team that collected a school-record 21 interceptions as well as the 2007 squad which ranks fourth all-time for points allowed in a 13-game season. Coach Wiley earned “Assistant Coach of the Year” honors by the Iowa Football Coaches Association in 2004 and was a featured speaker at the Iowa Football Coaches Association Clinic in 2002.

AARON WILEY
2008-

Aaron Wiley, a Cedar Falls (IA) native who as a prep played defensive back for the Tigers, became just the sixth head football coach in Bettendorf history in January of 2008 after spending 12 seasons as an assistant Bulldog coach. Wiley’s coaching career began earlier-than-normal for most individuals: in 1991 while attending Northern Iowa, he joined the staff at his alma mater and spent a total of five years at Cedar Falls which included stints at the freshmen, sophomore, and varsity levels. Aaron then become a member of the Bulldog coaching staff in 1996 and spent one season as a sophomore line coach before being named as the varsity Defensive Coordinator by then-head coach Merv Habenicht. For the past 11 seasons, Wiley has directed some of the best defenses in Bulldog history such as 2002, 2003, and 2006 squads who were the #1-ranked defenses in Class 4A. As well, 7 of his last 9 units have been the top-ranked teams in the M.A.C. and include the 1999 team that collected a school-record 21 interceptions as well as the 2007 squad which ranks fourth all-time for points allowed in a 13-game season. Coach Wiley earned “Assistant Coach of the Year” honors by the Iowa Football Coaches Association in 2004 and was a featured speaker at the Iowa Football Coaches Association Clinic in 2002.