[4] The 1928 team finished in fifth place but has the distinction of having three of the five starters (McCoy, Oosterbaan, and Bill Orwig) having gone on to be successful coaches and athletic directors at major college programs.

He also earned two varsity letters in baseball and was awarded the Western Conference Medal of Honor for scholarship and athletics in 1929.

McCoy completed a master's degree in physical education at Columbia University, and worked as coach, teacher and athletic director at a high school in Montclair, New Jersey for eight years.

In a 1950 speech, McCoy noted that athletics "are definitely part of our educational system -- it builds character, fortitude, the will to win and to keep your chin up when you lose.

"[6] However, he also warned against the constant demands of fans and alumni to win at all costs: "The constant demand from the alumnus for a winning team may ruin athletics...If a coaching staff fulfills its duties in the class room and can develop high ideals of character in athletes, then the administrators are wrong in firing the coach.

During his 18 years at Penn State, McCoy also served as Dean of the College of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

[5] He oversaw an era of tremendous growth and revitalization and led the development of a new ice skating rink, new bowling alleys and a wide variety of recreational facilities.

In February 1966, McCoy chose Engle's assistant, Joe Paterno, who remained the Nittany Lions head coach until 2011.

Paterno recalled the hiring process this way: "The guy who was the athletic director, Ernie McCoy, the dean of the college of phys ed, called me into his office.

When the Nittany Lions traveled to Pasadena in 1966 to play the UCLA Bruins, McCoy met with the local press.

While acknowledging that Penn State was rebuilding, he guaranteed that the team would make Pennsylvanians proud: "We may not be big enough, or strong enough, and we may not have enough experience for UCLA.

"[2] McCoy came out of retirement in February 1971 when the University of Miami asked him to serve temporarily as athletic director until order was restored following the resignation of Charlie Tate.

After an official lost track and granted the Hurricanes an illegal "fifth down", Miami scored the winning touchdown with one minute left in a game against Tulane.

[13] The touchdown broke an eight-game Miami losing streak, and Tulane administrators and New Orleans sports writers bitterly attacked McCoy for poor sportsmanship when he declined to forfeit the game as a result of the game-changing error.