Former head football coach, Bluffton
Updated January 8, 2003
- Carpenter featured by Associated Press
- Carpenter preaches success off the field
- Carpenter wins 100th career game
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The dean of Ohio college football coaches, Carlin Carpenter now enters his 24th season at Bluffton College. In 2001 he won his 100th career game, which stands as the most in school history. He was named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference co-coach-of-the-year following the 2000 season when he guided the Beavers to a 7-3 record, a national ranking and a share of the HCAC championship.
Carpenter led Bluffton into the Heartland Conference in 1998 and has fashioned a 17-9 HCAC record over the last three seasons, which is the second best record of current HCAC members. Carpenter and his coaching staff have their eyes set on another HCAC title and what could be their first ever trip to the NCAA Division III national playoffs.
Since his arrival at Bluffton in 1979, Carpenter has guided some of BC’s most prolific teams. From 1985 through 1990 BC fashioned a 44-13 record and was nationally ranked each year. The Beavers entered the NAIA national playoffs in 1987 and 1988. His 1985 and 1988 squads are already in the BC Athletic Hall of Fame.
| Longest Active Ohio Head Football Coaches (through 2002 season) | ||
| Name | College |
|
| Carlin Carpenter | Bluffton |
|
| Mike Kelly | Dayton |
|
| Jeff Heacock | Muskingum |
|
| Larry Kehres | Mount Union |
|
| Tom Kaczkowski | Ohio Northern |
|
| Mike Hollway | Ohio Wesleyan |
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Carpenter successfully led Bluffton to an affiliation with the NCAA in 1991 and its first Division III conference, the Association of Mideast Colleges. He was named the AMC coach-of-the-year in 1994 as he led BC to a co-championship of the league.
A graduate of Defiance College and a member of Defiance’s Athletic Hall of Fame, Carpenter earned his master’s degree in physical education and special education from Ohio University. He has held coaching positions at Defiance, OU and Marshall University, where he served as defensive coordinator. Carpenter is Bluffton’s athletic director and an assistant professor of health, physical education and recreation.
| Carpenter's Top Seasons At Bluffton | |
| Year | Summary |
| 1988 | 10-1 overall, ranked #1 in NAIA District 22, ranked 13th in the nation, 1st BC team to win NAIA playoff game. |
| 1985 | 8-1 overall, ranked #11 in the nation, 5-2 in Hoosier-Buckeye Conference (2nd place). |
| 1987 | 8-2 overall, ranked #1 in NAIA District 22, ranked 10th in the nation, 1st BC team to appear in NAIA playoffs. |
| 2000 | 7-3 overall, 5-1 Heartland Conference record (1st place, tie). |
| 1999 | 7-3 overall, first BC team to appear in NCAA national rankings, 4-3 Heartland Conference record (4th place). |
| 1986 | 6-3 overall, ranked #1 (tie) in NAIA District 22. |
| 1989 | 6-3 overall. |
| 1990 | 6-3 overall. |
