Foothill head football coach Doug Boyett died unexpectedly on Friday, Jan. 27, at 52.

“Coach B, who we called ‘Dougie,’ was a man who always wanted to see his players succeed on and off the field,” football player Matt Steele said in an email. “He would do anything in his power to get the sophomores scholarships and get them to get through school. He was always thinking about us before himself. He was a great man.”

Steele said Boyett was known for urging players to give the “‘Foothill 60′, which meant doing everything until the very end with all of your heart and hard work into it.”

Boyett earned an associate’s degree from Foothill and worked as full-time assistant coach and physical education instructor since 1990. After taking over the head coach position in 2007, the Foothill Owls achieved some of their highest national rankings, including fourth in 2007 and seventh in 2010, according to Foothill.

Boyett not only made sure he had successful athletes, but also successful students. Ninety percent of his student-athletes transferred to four-year universities and players averaged 13 scholarships per season.

“Doug cared deeply for his students and took great pride in their academic accomplishments which were numerous under his guidance,” said Foothill College President Judy Miner in a press release. “He will be greatly missed by his Foothill family.”

Boyett is survived by his wife, Lisa. As of Jan. 30, athletic director, Kelly Edwards will be interim head coach.