Tom Nugent
Tom Nugent 
Full Name:  Thomas N. Nugent
     Born:  February 24, 1913, Lawrence, Mass.
     Died:  January 19, 2006, Tallahassee, Fla.

Legacy Bricks:  Legacy Walk Map Link
   1983 Coach HOF - Loc 19


FSU Career
Coaches & Administrators

                     C


Member of the FSU Hall of Fame
Elected into the FSU Hall of Fame in 1983
Tom Nugent, one of modern football's greatest innovators, was the coach who moved Florida State football firmly into major college ranks. In his seventeen years of college coaching, six at FSU, Nugent developed the "I Formation," now used by a majority of pro and college teams. He also invented the "Power I."

Arriving at Florida State in 1953, Tom Nugent's six year record as Seminole head man was 34-28-1. Two of his teams went to bowl games. As head coach, Nugent took Florida State from small college schedule to one in which Georgia, Miami, Georgia Tech, Auburn and Tennessee were opponents. Most significant schedule change in the Nugent era was FSU's first battle with Florida in 1958. Nugent's men registered the Seminoles' first victories over Miami and an SEC team (Tennessee).

Tom Nugent, who also served FSU as athletic director, brought color and visibility to Florida State football, which took a giant step forward under his able guidance.



FSU Statistics