In 1970 , he became an assistant coach at East Carolina University and was a part a of the coaching staff during the 17 – 14 win against Marshall University , which would later be involved in a plane crash on the way home , that killed 75 people : 37 football players , five coaches , two athletic trainers , the athletic director , 25 boosters , and a plane crew of five . He became the Pirates ' head coach in 1971 , leading the team to back-to-back Southern Conference championships in 1972 and 1973 . He was named the conference 's coach of the year in both years
plane crash
Southern Airways Flight 932
Sonny Randle