Corrigan Was Candidate for an Early Retirement

Myles Corrigan’s coaching career ended abruptly after he suffered an aortic aneurysm in the heat of competition.

A football assistant in charge of tight ends at Washington, Corrigan was stricken during halftime of a game at California in 1993, leaving his career and his life in jeopardy.

On Thursday, Corrigan, a finalist for the position of athletic director at Cal State Northridge, told a campus forum about the dangerous malady that required two surgeries within 24 hours and ultimately redirected his life.

“When I got back to Seattle, I was told that I had between a one and three percent chance of even surviving,” Corrigan said. “But I survived, thanks to a lot of prayer. And a lot of intestinal fortitude.”

Although the cause of the aneurysm never was determined, Corrigan, after a 22-year career on the sidelines, decided to retire from coaching. Given a clean bill of health, he turned to athletic administration and has served as assistant athletic director at Washington since 1994.

Corrigan, 55, motivated by the challenge of problem-solving, figures to have his share at Northridge, considering the school’s budget shortcomings, sub-standard facilities and general apathy toward athletics among students and the community.

Yet, Corrigan, a Northridge graduate, passionately insisted he is just the person to pump dollars, as well as enthusiasm, into a program desperately in need of both.

“When you get me, you get a friend raiser and a fund raiser,” Corrigan said. “I bring a great sense of character, a great sense of integrity and a great sense of passion.”

Corrigan’s chances of being hired increased Thursday when Brian Quinn, athletic director at Loyola Marymount and a finalist for the Northridge job, withdrew because of personal reasons. Two more candidates, Richard Dull and Robert Arias, are scheduled to visit campus next week.

At Washington, Corrigan was on the job during the biggest scandal in Pacific 10 Conference history. The Huskies were placed on probation by the conference for a litany of violations that included recruiting violations, players receiving improper loans and gifts, and no-work summer jobs.

Corrigan, by all accounts, was not involved in the controversy.

“I felt I did my job in an honest, ethical way,” he said. “I was worried about getting Mark Bruener to block the kids from Michigan and USC and UCLA and so forth. I wasn’t privy at the time to all the workings from the athletic director’s point of view.”

Tom Shannon, chair of the Northridge search committee, said the school is satisfied with Corrigan as a candidate.

“We checked that out and we asked those questions,” Shannon said. “It was pretty much general knowledge [that he wasn’t involved].”

Community involvement was the theme of Corrigan’s one-hour appeal to coaches, alumnus and community members.

“I know this area,” Corrigan said. “I recruited this area, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County. A lot of coaches are still here and I hear from them quite often. I have a certain affinity for this area.”

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Myles P. Corrigan

Age: 55

Current Job: Assistant athletic director, University of Washington.

Education: Sports Management Institute Executive Program, University of North Carolina, 1996. Master’s degreee in education, University of San Francisco, 1983. Bachelor’s degree in speech, Cal State Northridge, 1977.

Previous positions: Assistant football coach, University of Washington, 1987-93. Graduate assistant football coach, Washington, 1985-86. Assistant football coach, University of Puget Sound, 1980-84. Athletic director, Westminster High, 1978-79. Athletic director, San Bernardino High, 1977. Athletic director, assistant football coach, Servite High, 1972-76. Assistant football coach, baseball coach, Mission Viejo High, 1971.

Professional highlights: Pacific 10 Conference director for baseball, men’s and women’s swimming and diving. Athletic administrator for bowl games at Washington. Assistant coach on three Pac-10 football championship teams. Member NCAA men’s regional basketball host committee.

Personal: Married, two children.