Joseph M. Yukica (May 27, 1931 – January 22, 2022) was an American college football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of New Hampshire (1966–1967), Boston College (1968–1977), and Dartmouth College (1978–1986), compiling a career college football record of 111–93–4. Yukica played at Pennsylvania State University from 1949 to 1952. Early life Yukica was the son of a Croatian immigrant crane operator and a farmer's daughter. He was born in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania and grew up in Midland, Pennsylvania. He didn't play football until his senior year at Midland High School, but played well enough to represent Beaver County in a high school all-star game, where he attracted the attention of a Penn State assistant. He played tight end under Rip Engle from 1949 to 1952 and was one of the top college receivers in the east. During his summer breaks, Yukica returned home and worked in the Crucible Specialty Steel plant's maintenance department. Coaching career Early years In 1953 Yukica helped coach Penn State's freshman football team. In 1954 he became the head coach at State College Area High School. He then moved to Central Dauphin High School, where he won Pennsylvania High School Coach of the Year after an undefeated 1958 season. In 1960 he was the ends coach at West Chester State. He then served five seasons as an assistant under Bob Blackman at Dartmouth. New Hampshire Yukica became the head coach at the University of New Hampshire in 1966. As the Wildcats' coach, Yukica's playbook contained 450 offensive plays and 89 defensive plays, much more than most professional teams of the time. In 1967, the Wildcats went 5-3 and Yukica was named New England coach of the year for his success in turning around the UNH football program. Boston College On December 22, 1967, Yukica signed a three-year contract to become the head football coach at Boston College. He succeed Jim Miller, who had resigned following alumni protest following a 4–6 season. Yukica, who had not applied for the job, was BC's top choice from a pool of 100 candidates. Upon taking the job, Yukica expanded the coaching staff to six-full time assistants, as he felt the sport was becoming more specialized and he needed “the right help to get the job done”. He brought along Bill Bowes, Pete Carmichael, and Joe Daniels from New Hampshire and hired Bill Campbell,