Richard L. "Dick" Dullaghan
Football Coach
Inducted: July 1, 2009
27th Annual Induction Ceremony
Chicago, Illinois
(The following appeared in that year’s HOF induction program)
In a state revered for its storied basketball history, Indiana has produced some of the nation's top high school football teams in the past 25 years, and Dick Dullaghan has played a large role in that reversal with his success at three Indianapolis-area high schools.
Dullaghan retired in 2003 after a phenomenal 31-year coaching career at Indianapolis Bishop Chatard High School (1969-72), Carmel High School (1973-79) and Indianapolis Ben Davis High School (1984-2003). He won 35 games in four years at Chatard, 64 games in seven years at Carmel and 214 games in 20 years at Ben Davis. Overall, Dullaghan won 313 games and lost only 58, fewer than two losses a year for his career.
Dullaghan’s record includes an amazing six undefeated seasons - one at Chatard (1971), one at Carmel (1978) and four at Ben Davis (1988, 1991, 1999, 2001). His teams won eight Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) state championships - one at Carmel and seven at Ben Davis. His 1991 Ben Davis squad was selected the No. I team in the nation by ESPN.
After the 1979 season at Carmel and before joining the Ben Davis staff in 1984, Dullaghan spent four seasons in college football – three years as an assistant at Purdue University and one year as offensive coordinator at Army.
Dullaghan was chosen State Coach of the Year nine times by the Indiana Football Coaches Association. A 1966 graduate of Butler University in Indianapolis, Dullaghan also coached wrestling in his four years at Chatard early in his career and was state runner-up in 1972.
Described as a "caring, compassionate warrior" by a colleague at Ben Davis, Dullaghan instituted an all-year study table for his players, and he worked closely with teachers, counselors, and parents to monitor academic and behavioral progress of his players. He would frequently attend parent-teacher conferences and arranged for summer school registration for those players who needed additional academic help.
Dullaghan’s coaching professionalism and the football team's success brought a renewed excitement and positive spirit to the entire school at Ben Davis. Dullaghan was the school's No. I fan - he attended band and choir competitions, encouraged players at basketball and baseball games and lined up his football players on the cross country course to cheer on the runners.
In retirement, Dullaghan continues to be an advocate for the sport. He attends games, serves as a mentor for many high school coaches and is color commentator for IHSAA football games that are video-streamed on the IHSAA website.
Dullaghan was born July 12, 1944, in Washington, D.C. and now resides in Indianapolis, Indiana.
