Syracuse Football: Pat Stark won 1959 title, scored 78 in high school

Pat Stark, a member of the coaching staff when Syracuse football captured the 1959 NCAA championship, has passed away.

Pat Stark leaves an indelible mark on Syracuse football and collegiate sports throughout Upstate New York that will never waver.

Stark, who passed away on June 19 at the age of 90, served as the quarterback of the Orange from 1951 to 1953, helping the ‘Cuse to its first bowl bid in 1953.

He also suited up for Syracuse basketball for two years, and Stark was the team’s starting guard during his junior term, according to orangehoops.org.

At Vocational High School in Syracuse, Stark earned all-state honors in hoops, football and baseball. He set a New York state record when Stark accumulated a ridiculous 78 points in an 86-16 victory versus Smith Tech in 1949, per his bio on the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame Web site. By the way, Stark got enshrined into that Hall of Fame in 1995.

As the quarterback for the ‘Cuse, he played a critical role in the team going to the 1953 Orange Bowl, where Syracuse unfortunately got crushed by Bart Starr-led Alabama. The Hall of Fame says that Stark finished his tenure on the Hill with 2,116 passing yards and 19 touchdowns, and the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers drafted him in the second round.

Pat Stark, who recently passed away, is forever an Orange legend, a family man and a leader.

When the ‘Cuse claimed the 1959 NCAA title in football, Stark was an assistant coach under Ben Schwartzwalder. Stark coached the offense at the University of Rhode Island and then recorded two Ivy League championships as the head coach at Harvard.

From 1969 to 1983, Stark served as the head coach for the University of Rochester, winning 69 games, according to a press release from that university’s athletics department.

After his retirement from coaching, Stark was the University of Rochester’s assistant athletics director for external affairs, helping students with getting placed into internships and jobs following their graduation. Stark also proved instrumental in creating the University of Rochester’s Athletic Hall of Fame, where he was inducted in 2000.

"Per orangehoops.org, Stark’s “older brother Mike was a standout guard at Syracuse from 1946 to 1950, and his younger brother Lou played at Syracuse from 1955-1956.”"

The statement from the University of Rochester says that Stark is survived by his wife, Cathy, son Rick, daughter Kathleen E. Stark Landers, and son-in-law Peter J. Landers.

Rest in peace, Pat. ‘Cuse Nation loves you.