Huskies Wanted to Please Pease (1943-2021), an Unforgettable Coach

The former defensive-line leader died on Monday in Salt Lake City at 77.

John Pease was a University of Washington assistant coach for Don James from 1978 to 1982, someone who could tell a story better than anyone, using his folksy skills to become an unmatched recruiter and an equally effective motivator.

On Monday, Pease died in Salt Lake City, where he played his college football for the University of Utah and served his final coaching stint with the Utes. He was 77.

Pease left his mark on teams from Seattle to Jacksonville, always showing up for practice dressed in shorts no matter what the weather conditions were, always chattering away and forever seeking a positive reaction out of his players. 

"He was always out front and always energetic," said Lynn Madsen, a former UW defensive tackle recruited from Vista, California. "You couldn't believe how he could tell a story. He told me who all the bad asses were on the team and I wanted to be one of them. He made you want to be a Husky."

A former Utah running back and linebacker, Pease coached for 47 years in the collegiate ranks and in the NFL, beginning as a grad assistant at his alma mater in 1968.

Coming off a Rose Bowl win over Michigan a decade later, James hired Pease from the Utah staff to fill a coaching opening created when defensive coordinator Jim Mora went across town to join the Seattle Seahawks.

Jim Lambright moved from inside linebackers coach to replace Mora as the defensive coordinator, and Pease took the open slot to become the UW defensive-line coach.

"Our staff was tremendously impressed by his recruiting," James said when he hired him.

At the UW, Pease coached the likes of stalwart defensive linemen Doug Martin, Chris Linnin, Ron Holmes, Ray Cattage, Fletcher Jenkins and, of course, Madsen, and the Huskies enjoyed a 46-13 record during his time.

"He and Lambright together were such a force," former safety Jimmy Rodgers said. "He was definitely a great defensive coach."

Madsen remembers traveling to Seattle as a high school senior to watch spring football practice and meet with Pease. He actually stayed at the coach's house on his visit, in different recruiting times for sure, and went home and committed to play for the UW.

After five seasons, Pease left the Huskies, again because of Mora. He became the defensive-line coach for Mora when the latter became the head coach for the USFL's Philadelphia Stars.   

Thus began a 21-year stay in pro football for Pease, who went from the USFL to the NFL, joining Mora with the New Orleans Saints for nearly a decade. He later coached for the Jacksonville Jaguars and a returned for a second tour of duty with the Saints. 

Retired from coaching, Pease was a consultant for Utah and Urban Meyer during the Utes' 2008 undefeated Sugar Bowl season and sat in on coaches meetings. The following season, new coach Kyle Whittingham coaxed Pease out of retirement and made him his defensive-line coach for a pair of 10-3 teams. 

The coach gave up the game again following the 2010 campaign because of health issues.

Yet in 2015, Pease came out of retirement one more time to become Utah's defensive coordinator, with the Utes finishing 10-3 yet again, before he left coaching for good.

“John Pease was one of my favorite people, ever,” Whittingham said in a statement released by Utah. “He was my friend. It was an honor working with him, learning from him and knowing him. He impacted the lives of countless people and will be missed by all."

Madsen was one of those players who was devoted to the man, always trying to please Pease. His mom thought the coach was so handsome, something she would never say about anyone else, making him special. 

The ex-Husky defensive tackle actually played four times against his old coach in the USFL, both beating him and losing to him, and exchanging greetings with him in the locker room. 

"He was just larger than life," Madsen said. "I became a Husky because of him."

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