Hancock College football coaching staff in the early 1960s. From left, end coach Jim Wood; head coach John Madden; defense coach Dick Mannini and backfield coach Ernie Zampese.
Zampese, Former Assistant Football Coach at Cal Poly, Dies at 86
8/31/2022 9:41:00 AM | Football
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Ernie Zampese, an assistant football coach at Cal Poly more than 50 years ago who once drove a sugar beet truck in Bakersfield and was a postman in Santa Barbara before becoming one of the National Football League's keenest offensive minds, passed away Monday in La Mesa, Calif., at the age of 86.
Zampese coached the offensive backfield at Cal Poly in 1966 under Mustang head coach Sheldon Harden.
Cut by the Ottawa Rough Riders in the summer of 1958, Zampese drove a farm truck and delivered the mail before his wife Joyce "straightened him out" and urged him to return to college so that he could pursue his dream of becoming a football coach.
Zampese enrolled at Cal Poly and received a degree in physical education. "For the first time, I sat down and really did the work. I was really proud of myself. The first year I ended up with a 3.0 average and, boy, that was big stuff," Zampese told the Los Angeles Times in 1987.
A Santa Barbara High School graduate, where he was named CIF-Southern Section Player of the Year, Zampese was a halfback at USC in the mid-1950s who still owns the school's record for longest punt (85 yards against Wisconsin in 1956).
Zampese, just 5-9 and 166 pounds, led USC in interceptions (6), punting (41.2) and punt returns (9.1) as the Trojans went 8-2 in 1956, ending with victories over UCLA and Notre Dame. He ran for 125 yards on 20 carries, including a 38-yard touchdown run late in the game, in the 28-20 Notre Dame victory.
Zampese began his coaching career as an assistant at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria for two seasons (1962-63) under John Madden, another Cal Poly graduate who passed away last year, then became the head coach at Hancock in 1964 and 1965, the only time he held that position.
"I did it once, and I wasn't good at it," Zampese said to the L.A. Times. "Why? I don't know. I don't like to be the out-front guy. I'm not comfortable in that position."
"He very well may be the top offensive mind in the game," Madden added in the same 1987 story. "Some guys can argue, but if you had a contest, I'd put him in there."
After his assistant coaching job at Cal Poly (1966), Zampese was hired by Don Coryell at San Diego State (1967-75) before he moved to the NFL ranks.
His first NFL post was as an assistant with the San Diego Chargers in 1976, then a scout for the New York Jets in 1977 and 1978 before returning to the Chargers as an assistant for eight years (1979-86), including as offensive coordinator the final two seasons. In his second stint with the Chargers, he reunited with Coryell and helped developed the potent "Air Coryell" offense.
Zampese then became the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams (1987-93), Dallas Cowboys (1994-97) and New England Patriots (1998-99). The 1995 Cowboys were the Super Bowl XXX champions. At the Rams, he coached under former USC head coach John Robinson. He coached Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterbacks Dan Fouts (Chargers) and Troy Aikman (Cowboys).
He finished his career as an offensive consultant with the Cowboys (2000-01), Rams (2002) and Washington Redskins (2004).
Photo courtesy of Allan Hancock College Athletics
Zampese coached the offensive backfield at Cal Poly in 1966 under Mustang head coach Sheldon Harden.
Cut by the Ottawa Rough Riders in the summer of 1958, Zampese drove a farm truck and delivered the mail before his wife Joyce "straightened him out" and urged him to return to college so that he could pursue his dream of becoming a football coach.
Zampese enrolled at Cal Poly and received a degree in physical education. "For the first time, I sat down and really did the work. I was really proud of myself. The first year I ended up with a 3.0 average and, boy, that was big stuff," Zampese told the Los Angeles Times in 1987.
A Santa Barbara High School graduate, where he was named CIF-Southern Section Player of the Year, Zampese was a halfback at USC in the mid-1950s who still owns the school's record for longest punt (85 yards against Wisconsin in 1956).
Zampese, just 5-9 and 166 pounds, led USC in interceptions (6), punting (41.2) and punt returns (9.1) as the Trojans went 8-2 in 1956, ending with victories over UCLA and Notre Dame. He ran for 125 yards on 20 carries, including a 38-yard touchdown run late in the game, in the 28-20 Notre Dame victory.
Zampese began his coaching career as an assistant at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria for two seasons (1962-63) under John Madden, another Cal Poly graduate who passed away last year, then became the head coach at Hancock in 1964 and 1965, the only time he held that position.
"I did it once, and I wasn't good at it," Zampese said to the L.A. Times. "Why? I don't know. I don't like to be the out-front guy. I'm not comfortable in that position."
"He very well may be the top offensive mind in the game," Madden added in the same 1987 story. "Some guys can argue, but if you had a contest, I'd put him in there."
After his assistant coaching job at Cal Poly (1966), Zampese was hired by Don Coryell at San Diego State (1967-75) before he moved to the NFL ranks.
His first NFL post was as an assistant with the San Diego Chargers in 1976, then a scout for the New York Jets in 1977 and 1978 before returning to the Chargers as an assistant for eight years (1979-86), including as offensive coordinator the final two seasons. In his second stint with the Chargers, he reunited with Coryell and helped developed the potent "Air Coryell" offense.
Zampese then became the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams (1987-93), Dallas Cowboys (1994-97) and New England Patriots (1998-99). The 1995 Cowboys were the Super Bowl XXX champions. At the Rams, he coached under former USC head coach John Robinson. He coached Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterbacks Dan Fouts (Chargers) and Troy Aikman (Cowboys).
He finished his career as an offensive consultant with the Cowboys (2000-01), Rams (2002) and Washington Redskins (2004).
Photo courtesy of Allan Hancock College Athletics
Cal Poly Football Linebacker Kenny Olson Postgame Press Conference - UC Davis (Oct. 4, 2025)
Sunday, October 05
Cal Poly Football Head Coach Paul Wulff Postgame Press Conference - UC Davis (Oct. 4, 2025)
Sunday, October 05
Cal Poly Football Locker Room Speech by Josh Ngaluafe After Win Over No. 21 Sacramento State
Sunday, September 28
Coach Wulff Postgame Interview - Western Oregon (9-13-25)
Sunday, September 14
