Hugh Duffy Daugherty was born on September 8, 1915, in Emeigh, Pennsylvania and was raised in Barnesboro, Pennsylvania. After graduating from Syracuse University in 1940, he joined the army and served during World War II. Upon his discharge in 1944 with the rank of major, he began his career as a football coach. First coaching football at Trinity School in 1945, he was hired by Syracuse University to serve as assistant football coach to Biggie Munn in 1946. In 1947, Munn became head football coach at Michigan State College (now Michigan State University) and brought Daugherty with him to continue as his assistant. In 1954, Daughtery became head football coach for MSU, a position he retained until his retirement in 1972.

Over this nineteen year period, Daugherty’s Spartans won 109 games, lost 69, and tied 5. His teams took two Big Ten titles, placed second four times, and rated among the nation’s top ten teams in wire service polls seven times. He developed 33 major first team All-Americans and 51 first All-Big Ten players. Duffy Daugherty was the first man in history to twice be honored by the Football Writers of America as “Coach of the Year.” During his coaching career he became known for his “Irish wit, unfailing good humor and optimism, and genuine modesty.” His popularity with sports audiences landed him a job as commentator for ABC Sports in 1973. Some of Daugherty’s other accomplishments include writing three books, being named Elks “Man of the Year” in 1967, coaching for the USAFE and in eight shrine games, assisting with Kellogg’s Coach of the Year clinics, as well as being inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1975.

Daugherty died in Santa Barbara, California on September 25, 1987