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By Jon Paul Hoornstra
Contributing Sports Writer
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Leon Fuller, whose football career spanned nearly four decades as an NFL assistant, college head coach, respected defensive coordinator and standout player, died Thursday at his home in Austin, Texas. He was 87.
Fuller reached the NFL in 1994 as defensive backs coach for the Denver Broncos under Wade Phillips. Although his stay lasted one season, it was the culmination of a long coaching career built largely in the college game.
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The Broncos' secondary included veteran safety Dennis Smith and a young Tyrone Braxton, and Fuller brought the same defensive principles that had defined his work in the Southwest Conference and the Western Athletic Conference.
Fuller spent seven seasons (1982-88) as the head coach at Colorado State. He compiled a 25-55 record during a difficult rebuilding period for the Rams, but his tenure also produced lasting moments in program history. His 1986 team defeated Air Force in one of the school's most memorable upsets, and quarterback Kelly Stouffer developed into one of the nation's top passers before becoming a first-round NFL draft pick.
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Fuller inherited a program facing significant challenges, and remained committed to building it despite limited resources and inconsistent results.
Fuller was better known as an assistant coach than as a head coach. He earned that reputation through two successful stints as defensive coordinator at Texas, first under Fred Akers from 1977-81 and later under David McWilliams and John Mackovic from 1989-93.
Fuller's defenses helped the Longhorns compete for conference championships, and he became widely regarded as one of the program's top defensive minds. Earlier coaching stops included Kentucky, West Texas State and Wyoming, where he established a reputation for disciplined, fundamentally sound defenses and for developing defensive backs.
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Born July 28, 1938, in Nederland, Texas, Fuller began his playing career at Tyler Junior College before transferring to Alabama. Playing for Paul "Bear" Bryant, he earned All-SEC honors and helped the Crimson Tide establish the physical identity that became Bryant's trademark — experiences shaped the coaching philosophy Fuller carried throughout his career.
After leaving the Broncos, Fuller briefly returned to the high school ranks as head coach and athletic director at Llano High School before retiring from coaching. He later remained active in football circles, mentoring younger coaches and supporting former players.
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