Bill Doba, who spent nearly two decades on the Washington State football staff and later served as the Cougars’ head coach, died Friday. He was 85.

The university announced his death. Doba had a stroke the previous Saturday, according to 247Sports. He was days short of his 86th birthday.

“Coach Doba was a tremendous Coug and an incredible friend and mentor, who we will miss dearly,” WSU Vice President and Director of Athletics Jon Haarlow said in a statement released by the school.

“Our thoughts are with Coach Doba’s loved ones and the entire Cougar family during this difficult time.”

Doba was born Sept. 7, 1940, in South Bend, Indiana. He went to New Carlisle High School and played football at Ball State until a hip injury ended his playing days.

He started coaching high school football in Indiana in 1962. He worked as an assistant at Goshen and Angola, then became a head coach at Goshen and later at Mishawaka.

In six seasons at Mishawaka, his teams finished 46-15-1. He took the school to the 1974 state championship game. He later was inducted into the Mishawaka and Indiana football halls of fame.

His first college job came in 1977 on Lee Corso’s staff at Indiana. He spent four seasons at Purdue after that, then became defensive coordinator at The Citadel in 1987.

Two years later he joined Mike Price’s staff at Washington State. Doba stayed 19 seasons in Pullman, first as linebackers coach and later as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.

His defenses helped the Cougars win two Pac-10 titles and reach two Rose Bowls while Price was head coach. In 1994, Doba’s first year running the defense, Washington State ranked second in the country in total defense.

He coached several future NFL linebackers and worked with 2002 Outland Trophy winner Rien Long. After Price left for Alabama, Doba was named Washington State’s 30th head coach in December 2002.

His first season as head coach was the peak of his five years in charge. The Cougars went 10-3 in 2003, finished second in the Pac-10, and beat No. 5 Texas in the Holiday Bowl.

Washington State ended that season ranked No. 9 nationally. Doba shared Pac-10 Coach of the Year honors with USC’s Pete Carroll.

Doba finished 30-29 as head coach from 2003 through 2007 and won three Apple Cups. He left the program after the 2007 season.

He later moved back to the Midwest and settled in southwestern Michigan near his children and grandchildren. His wife, Judy, died of cancer in 2006.Doba still came back to Pullman for games and events.

In 2024 he appeared on ESPN’s “College GameDay” waving the Cougar flag.