WC Lynx Football | Bob Howard

Head Coaches

BOB HOWARD
2007-present

Simply put, Bob Howard—the twelfth head football coach in school history—knows football. Howard grew up in Madrid and after graduating from Central College in 1974, began his coaching career at Scranton where he went 22-5 in three seasons which also included a berth to the 1978 playoffs. In 1979 Howard took over head duties at Sigourney and led them to the 1987 playoffs before they entered a sharing agreement with Keota the following school year; from that point on, the Sigourney-Keota Savage Cobras became a true Class 2A powerhouse that not only qualified for the playoffs 13 times, but also won three state titles in 1995, 2001, and 2005. Also included in this stretch were 8 consecutive playoff appearances from 1998-05, 229 victories, and over 40 all-state players.

Hired as Webster City’s head coach and athletic director in the spring of 2007, Howard’s wealth of experience and knowledge had an immediate impact upon the once-proud Lynx Football program. Installing his vaunted single wing offense—a throwback from the 1940’s—the 2007 Lynx squad responded by rushing for over 2200 yards which led all of District 2. Although Howard’s first season was marred by several close losses and an overall record of 3-6, for the first time since 2003 the Lynx defeated a team with a winning record by knocking off Humboldt—the defending 3A state champions—27-20. Webster City also dominated District opponents Nevada (48-6) and Saydel (70-7) en route to a three-game winning streak—the longest one since the end of the 2003 season. Post-season, 5 players earned 1st Team All-District honors including offensive lineman Jacob Loffredo who was also selected to play in the 2008 Iowa Shrine Bowl All-Star game and he is the first Webster City player since 2002 to earn this honor.

Coach Howard has earned numerous honors throughout the course of his career: for starters, he has the distinction of not only being the youngest coach inducted into the Iowa High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame (1995), but also the youngest coach in Iowa prep history to win 200 games. Howard also is the only coach to be a two-time assistant in the Shrine Bowl in 1986 and 1994 before serving as the head coach for the All-Star game in 2000. Bob was also named the Class 2A "Coach of the Year" in both 1995 and 2001 by the Iowa Football Coaches Association. However, more recently, it was announced by the National High School Coaches Association that he was one of eight finalists for the “National Coach of the Year” award that will be selected this June in Colorado. Overall, Coach Howard’s career record is 252-63 which ranks him in the Top 10 of all active coaches in the State of Iowa.

BOB HOWARD 2007-present Simply put, Bob Howard—the twelfth head football coach in school history—knows football. Howard grew up in Madrid and after graduating from Central College in 1974, began his coaching career at Scranton where he went 22-5 in three seasons which also included a berth to the 1978 playoffs. In 1979 Howard took over head duties at Sigourney and led them to the 1987 playoffs before they entered a sharing agreement with Keota the following school year; from that point on, the Sigourney-Keota Savage Cobras became a true Class 2A powerhouse that not only qualified for the playoffs 13 times, but also won three state titles in 1995, 2001, and 2005. Also included in this stretch were 8 consecutive playoff appearances from 1998-05, 229 victories, and over 40 all-state players. Hired as Webster City’s head coach and athletic director in the spring of 2007, Howard’s wealth of experience and knowledge had an immediate impact upon the once-proud Lynx Football program. Installing his vaunted single wing offense—a throwback from the 1940’s—the 2007 Lynx squad responded by rushing for over 2200 yards which led all of District 2. Although Howard’s first season was marred by several close losses and an overall record of 3-6, for the first time since 2003 the Lynx defeated a team with a winning record by knocking off Humboldt—the defending 3A state champions—27-20. Webster City also dominated District opponents Nevada (48-6) and Saydel (70-7) en route to a three-game winning streak—the longest one since the end of the 2003 season. Post-season, 5 players earned 1st Team All-District honors including offensive lineman Jacob Loffredo who was also selected to play in the 2008 Iowa Shrine Bowl All-Star game and he is the first Webster City player since 2002 to earn this honor. Coach Howard has earned numerous honors throughout the course of his career: for starters, he has the distinction of not only being the youngest coach inducted into the Iowa High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame (1995), but also the youngest coach in Iowa prep history to win 200 games. Howard also is the only coach to be a two-time assistant in the Shrine Bowl in 1986 and 1994 before serving as the head coach for the All-Star game in 2000. Bob was also named the Class 2A "Coach of the Year" in both 1995 and 2001 by the Iowa Football Coaches Association. However, more recently, it was announced by the National High School Coaches Association that he was one of eight finalists for the “National Coach of the Year” award that will be selected this June in Colorado. Overall, Coach Howard’s career record is 252-63 which ranks him in the Top 10 of all active coaches in the State of Iowa.