Henry Bullough: Former NFL coach, Michigan State player dies at 85

Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Former NFL coach and Michigan State star Henry Bullough has died. He was 85.

Michigan State announced the death Monday. Bullough was a guard on the Spartans' 1952 national championship team. He also played for the Spartans when they won the Big Ten championship the year after the title-winning campaign.

"We are deeply saddened to learn that MSU Athletics Hall of Famer Henry Bullough has passed away," Michigan State said in a statement. "The Spartan football family has lost a truly great Spartan. We send our sincere condolences to the Bullough family."

Bullough was a fifth round pick by the Green Bay Packers in the 1955 NFL Draft. He served in the U.S. Army after his rookie campaign before returning to the team for the 1958 season.

"Michigan State has lost a great Spartan and the game of football has lost a coaching legend," Spartans coach Mark Dantonio said in a news release. "I met Hank the first day I came to Michigan State as an assistant coach in 1995, when he was leaving as the defensive coordinator under coach [George] Perles. He made an immediate impact on me."

Burrough coached the New England Patriots for one game during the 1978 season. He coached the Buffalo Bills in 1985 and 1986. Bullough posted a 4-18 record in parts of three seasons as an NFL head coach. He also worked as an assistant coach and positional coach for the Baltimore Colts, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions and Packers, in addition to serving in that capacity for the Patriots and Bills.

Bullough won a Super Bowl ring while working as an assistant coach for the Colts in 1970.

He worked as an assistant coach at Michigan State from 1959 through 1969 before returning to that role in 1994. Bullough was inducted into the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013. Bullough played offensive and defensive line during his 1952 campaign with the Spartans. He was a three-year starter at Michigan State.

Dantonio coached three of Bullough's grandsons. Bullough's sons Chuck and Shane also played or the Spartans, but preceded Dantonio's tenure. Chuck currently works as an assistant coach for the Spartans.

"Hank was a tremendous defensive coach and widely respected across the country," Dantonio said. "He would actively come up to the offices and talk with our defensive coaches, and shared many ideas and philosophies over the years with our staff.

"Hank lived and breathed green and white."

Bullough became president of the MSU Football Players Association in 2004 before becoming executive director of the organization. He earned his bachelor's degree in education from Michigan State in 1955.