Utah Utes, football community mourn loss of legendary Coach Pease

The football community is again mourning the loss of one of its fixtures.

Former University of Utah player and assistant coach John Pease has died, the school announced Monday.

A Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, native, Pease was 77.

He played on both sides of the ball for the Utes in the early-1960s under Ray Nagel and launched his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 1968.

Pease would then go to produce a coaching career that spanned parts of six decades and touched the ranks from junior college to the Utes to the Washington Huskies and all the way to multiple NFL stops.

Pease last served as the Utes' defensive coordinator during the 2015 season for Kyle Whittingham, a season that Utah culminated at 10-3 with a win in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Pease also coached for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars and New Orleans Saints, as well as a stint with the USFL's Baltimore/Philadelphia stars.

Hall of Fame coach Roger Herring passed away Sunday.