Former Coach Chismar Dead At 64

Ron Chismar, a former head football coach at Wichita State and offensive coordinator at Arizona State, died at age 64.

Chismar died in Phoenix on Saturday. The cause of death was not immediately available.

As offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Arizona State from 1980-83, he helped head coach Darryl Rogers lead the team to a 29-12-1 (.702) record. The Sun Devils won the 1983 Fiesta Bowl, beating Oklahoma 32-21, and finished the season ranked No. 6 by The Associated Press.

Chismar left Arizona State to become head coach at Wichita State from 1984-86, where he finished 8-25. In 1987-88, he was assistant head coach and defensive coordinator to head coach Jerry Berndt at Rice University.

Chismar followed Berndt to Temple University, where he spent four years as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. He finished his career as athletic director and head coach at Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott, Kan. He coached there from 1994 to 1996, and retired as athletic director last year to return to the Phoenix area.

Chismar, who was nicknamed "Chiz," started his college coaching career in 1970 at Bowling Green State University, where he was offensive coordinator. From 1974-79 he guided the offensive line for Rogers at Michigan State.

He is survived by his wife, Joanne, and three adult children.

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