Norm Chow - Bio

Player Bio: Norm Chow :: Football: "was named the 2002 NCAA Division I-A Offensive Coordinator of the Year by American Football Monthly"

Norm Chow, regarded as one of the premier offensive coordinators in college football, is in his fourth year at USC. He joined the Trojan staff in January of 2001 as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach; beginning in 2002, he just handled the offensive coordinator duties.

In 2003, quarterback Matt Leinart was an All-American first teamer and was the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year (he finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting) while setting Pac-10 season records for touchdown passes (38) and consecutive passes without an interception (212). He also had the highest passing efficiency rating (164.5) of any USC quarterback in history. USC was fifth nationally in passing efficiency and scoring offense, and the Trojans set Pac-10 season records with 534 points and by scoring 40-plus points in 7 consecutive games. Following the season, Chow served as the grand marshal of the 2004 Golden Dragon Parade celebrating the Chinese New Year in Los Angeles' Chinatown.

Chow won the 2002 Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach. He also was named the 2002 NCAA Division I-A Offensive Coordinator of the Year by American Football Monthly. In 2002, quarterback Carson Palmer won the Heisman Trophy and Unitas Award en route to becoming the Pac-10's career leader in passing yards and total offense (he was the No. 1 pick in the 2003 NFL draft), while USC led the Pac-10 in total offense and scoring offense.

USC played in the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl, 2003 Orange Bowl and 2004 Rose Bowl.

He spent the 2000 season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at North Carolina State, where he helped the Wolfpack to an 8-4 season and a victory in the Micronpc.com Bowl. The NCSU passing offense was ranked 15th nationally (292.6). His quarterback, Philip Rivers, was a Freshman All-American who completed 53.7% (237-of-441) of his passes for 3,054 yards with 25 touchdowns and was 12th nationally in total offense (269.9).

Before that, the 58-year-old Chow spent the previous 27 years (1973-99) at BYU. At various times, he was the Cougars' assistant head coach, offensive coordinator, co-offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, receivers coach, recruiting coordinator and graduate assistant (1973 and 1974).

He coached 6 of the NCAA's top 16 career passing efficiency leaders and was involved with squads that hold 11 of the top 30 single season passing yardage totals in NCAA history. He coached in 22 bowls at BYU and was on the staff of the Cougars' 1984 national championship team. BYU went 244-91-3 during his time in Provo.

He was named the National Assistant Coach of the Year in 1999 by the American Football Foundation and in 1993 by Athlon. He was the 1996 Division I Offensive Coordinator of the Year by American Football Quarterly. In 1996, he was a finalist for the Broyles Award.

Among the Cougar players he coached were a number of future NFL stars, including quarterbacks Steve Young, Jim McMahon, Marc Wilson, Gifford Nielsen, Ty Detmer and Robbie Bosco, plus tight end Todd Christensen. Detmer won the 1990 Heisman Trophy and was a Davey O'Brien Trophy winner (twice), as were Young and McMahon.

Chow began his coaching career as the head coach at Waialua (Hi.) High for 3 seasons (1970-72) before going to BYU.

He was a 2-year starter and 3-year letterman at offensive guard for Utah (1965-67). In 1967, he earned All-Western Athletic Conference first team and All-American honorable mention honors. He was selected to Utah's All-Century Team.

He then played briefly with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League in 1968 before a knee injury ended his playing career.

He earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from Utah in 1968, his master's in special education from Utah in 1970 and his doctorate in educational psychology from BYU in 1979.

He prepped at Punahou High in Honolulu, Hi., starring in football, basketball and baseball.

He was born on May 3, 1946. He and his wife, Diane, have 3 sons–Carter, 28, Cameron, 22, and Chandler, 17–and a daughter, Maile, 26.

CHOW SNAPSHOT

BIRTHDAY: May 3, 1946
FAMILY: Wife, Diane; Sons, Carter, 28, Cameron, 22, and Chandler, 17; Daughter, Maile, 26
HIGH SCHOOL: Punahou HS, Honolulu, Hi.
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree, physical education, Utah, 1968; Master's degree, health, physical education and recreation/special education, Utah, 1970; Doctorate degree, educational psychology, BYU, 1979
PLAYING EXPERIENCE: Punahou HS, Honolulu, Hi.; Utah, offensive guard, 1965-67; Saskatchewan Roughriders, offensive line, 1968
COACHING EXPERIENCE: 34 years
YEAR TEAM POSITION BOWL
2003 USC Offensive Coordinator Rose
2002 USC Offensive Coordinator Orange
2001 USC Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Las Vegas
2000 North Carolina State Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Micronpc.com
1999 BYU Asst. HC/Off. Coord./Quarterbacks Motor City
1998 BYU Asst. HC/Off. Coord./Quarterbacks Liberty
1997 BYU Asst. HC/Off. Coord./Quarterbacks --
1996 BYU Asst. HC/Off. Coord./Quarterbacks Cotton
1995 BYU Asst. HC/Co-Off. Coord./Quarterbacks --
1994 BYU Asst. HC/Co-Off. Coord./Quarterbacks Copper
1993 BYU Asst. HC/Co-Off. Coord./Quarterbacks Holiday
1992 BYU Asst. HC/Co-Off. Coord./Quarterbacks Aloha
1991 BYU Asst. HC/Co-Off. Coord./Quarterbacks Holiday
1990 BYU Asst. HC/Co-Off. Coord./Quarterbacks Holiday
1989 BYU Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Holiday
1988 BYU Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Freedom
1987 BYU Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks All-American
1986 BYU Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Freedom
1985 BYU Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Florida Citrus
1984 BYU Co-Off. Coord./Q'backs/Wide Rec. Holiday
1983 BYU Co-Off. Coord./Q'backs/Wide Rec. Holiday
1982 BYU Co-Off. Coord./Q'backs/Wide Rec. Holiday
1981 BYU Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coord. Holiday
1980 BYU Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coord. Holiday
1979 BYU Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coord. Holiday
1978 BYU Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coord. Holiday
1977 BYU Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coord. --
1976 BYU Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coord. Tangerine
1975 BYU Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coord. --
1974 BYU Graduate Assistant Fiesta
1973 BYU Graduate Assistant --
1972 Waialua HS Head Coach --
1971 Waialua HS Head Coach --
1970 Waialua HS Head Coach --

- Slim Tim