Lionel Tyrone "Ty" Willingham (born December 30, 1953) is a former American football player and coach. He was the head coach at Stanford University (1995–2001), the University of Notre Dame (2002–2004), and the University of Washington (2005–2008), compiling a career college football record of 76–88–1.

Willingham attended Jacksonville Senior High School in Jacksonville, North Carolina and lettered in football, basketball, and baseball.^{[citation needed]} He went on to Michigan State University where he played football and baseball and graduated in 1977 with a degree in physical education. Willingham held assistant coaching positions at his alma mater (1977, 1980–82), Central Michigan University (1978–79), North Carolina State University (1983–85), Rice University (1986–88), and Stanford University (1989–91). When Stanford head coach, Dennis Green, was hired as the Minnesota Vikings head coach in 1992, Willingham followed him as running backs coach (1992–94).

Following the 1994 season, despite lacking experience as a head coach or coordinator, Willingham was appointed head coach of the football program at Stanford, succeeding Bill Walsh. In his seven seasons (1995–2001) as coach, he led the Cardinal to a 44–36–1 record and four bowl game appearances. In 2000, he was presented with the Eddie Robinson Coach of Distinction Award that is given annually to honor "an outstanding college football coach and role model for career achievement".

Stephen Orr Spurrier (born April 20, 1945) is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach. Spurrier is a native of Florida, graduated from high school in Tennessee, and is an alumnus of the University of Florida, where he played college football for the Florida Gators. He was a two-time All-American quarterback, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player. Spurrier played professional football for the San Francisco 49ers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons in the 1960s and 1970s. He is best known for winning the Heisman Trophy in 1966, and for coaching the Florida Gators football team to six Southeastern Conference (SEC) championships and a consensus national championship in 1996.

Spurrier attended Science Hill High School in Johnson City, Tennessee, where he was a three-sport letterman starring in high school football, basketball and baseball for the Science Hill Hilltoppers. In three years as the starting pitcher for Science Hill, he never lost a game and led his team to two consecutive state baseball championships. He was an all-state selection in football, basketball and baseball, and a high school All-American quarterback.