28 years ago this week, a John Carroll graduate was on the staff of the George Tech football team that won a share of the collegiate football national championship when the Yellow Jackets rolled over Nebraska in the 1991 Citrus Bowl.

Chuck Priefer was that JCU alum, and the national title was part of a tremendous coaching career that spanned five decades covering the high school, college and professional ranks.

A 1963 graduate of John Carroll University, Priefer earned a degree in history and Latin. He would later earn a master's degree in American history (emphasis in American-Russian relations) from John Carroll in 1967.

Priefer began his coaching career at Padua Franciscan High School in Parma, Ohio as an assistant football, baseball and basketball coach in 1963. He was named head baseball coach in 1965 and assistant athletic director in 1966. From 1972-76 he was the head football coach, posting a 34-15 record.

In 1977, Priefer would make the move to the college ranks. He would land a job at Miami of Ohio, where he coached one season before moving on to North Carolina. He spent six seasons (1978-83) with the Tar Heels -- one season as defensive backfield coach and five years as defensive line coach. Among the players on that Tar Heels defense was the legendary Lawrence Taylor. North Carolina went to five straight bowl games during that time, posting a 50-20-1 record.

His first taste of the NFL came in 1984. Priefer spent two seasons (1984-85) as the special teams coach for the Green Bay Packers. He also assisted with the Packers' linebackers. In 1984, Priefer's kickoff coverage team led the NFL by allowing only 16.0 yards per return and the special teams finished with the top average ranking in the NFC Central division.

Priefer went back to the college game in 1986, first as the defensive coordinator for Kent State for one season, and then as the defensive backfield coach for George Tech for five seasons (1987-1991). It was at George Tech where he was part of the national championship season of 1990, as the Yellow Jackets went 11-0-1 and shared what was then a voted national title with Colorado.

Bobby Ross, the coach at Georgia Tech, was offered the job as head coach of the San Diego Chargers following the 1991 season, and when he accepted, he asked Priefer to join him as special teams coach. Thus began a 15-year run in the NFL, first with the Chargers and then with the Detroit Lions.

While he was with the Chargers (1992-1996), he was able to coach in a Super Bowl. Although the Chargers lost to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX, Priefer's special teams units provided one of the great highlights of the game as Andre Coleman had a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

During his time at San Diego, the Chargers' special teams were consistently ranked among the best in the NFL. 

When Ross moved on to be the head coach of the Lions, Priefer went with him. 

In his ten seasons in Detroit (1997-2006), Priefer not only survived five coaching changes, but he had five different players return kicks for touchdowns (Terry Fair, Desmond Howard, Az-Zahir Hakim, Eddie Drummond and Reggie Swinton). Howard and Drummond both earned trips to the 2001 and 2005 Pro Bowls respectively.

Priefer's impact on special teams was spectacular. From 2002-2005, the Lions recorded more special teams return touchdowns (kickoff return, punt return, blocked punt return and blocked field goal return) than any other team in the NFL. Over that four-year span, the Lions scored 11 touchdowns via special teams returns.

After the 2006 season, Priefer announced his retirement. In 2012, Priefer was selected to receive the Schweickert Award, given to a JCU alumnus who distinguishes himself or herself in a career within the field of athletics.