capacity made possible their move to the top level of college football. Tampa Stadium was built with an eye to attract an National Football League expansion team, and the awarding of the future Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1974 was a major factor in the University of Tampa deciding to end its football program before the 1975 season. Coaches Nash Higgins was the first head coach at the University of Tampa. He coached the team from 1933 to 1940 to a record of 36–39–5. Melvin Vines was head coach (1942 season) after which the school canceled football because of World War II. Vines then became a successful high school coach in Alabama. Frank Sinkwich, who had won the 1942 Heisman Trophy playing for the Georgia Bulldogs, coached two seasons at University of Tampa to a record of 12–7–1. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame as a player. Marcelino "Chelo" Huerta was the head coach from 1952 to 1961. Huerta had been a star player with the Florida Gators and was 28 years old when promoted to be the Spartan's head coach, making him the youngest head coach / athletic director in college sports at the time. The Spartans when 63-37-2 in his ten seasons at the school, and Huerta was later enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach. Fred Pancoast was a four-year starter at safety for the Spartans from 1949 to 1952 and became the Spartans' head coach in 1962. In two seasons as a coach, his record was 7–9. He left to become the offensive coordinator for the Florida Gators. Sam Bailey coached the Spartans from 1964 to 1967. He had earlier coached the basketball and baseball teams at the University of Tampa. As a football coach his record was 16–20. Today, the baseball field at the university is known as Sam Bailey Field. Fran Curci coached the Spartans from 1968 to 1970 to a 25–6 record. In 1970, Curci led Tampa U to a 10–1 season that included a road win over the Miami Hurricanes. After the season, Curci accepted an offer to become the head coach at Miami. He would later become the first coach of the Tampa Bay Storm arena football team. Bill Fulcher coached the Spartans for one season in 1971, leading them to a 6–5 record. Fulcher then left for Georgia Tech, succeeding Bud Carson.