McCLOUD, Calif. - John Pappa, a long-time coach and educator best known for a decorated 27-year career at UC Davis, died late Saturday night in his home in McCloud, California. He was 85. Later enshrined in the Cal Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame, Pappa coached football, track & field and cross country for various stretches from 1965 to 1992.

An outstanding athlete at nearby C.K. McClatchy High School, Pappa starred for the great "Pappy" Waldorf at California in the early 1950s. In the 1951 edition of the "Big Game" against archrival Stanford, Pappa scored two touchdowns to lead his 19th-ranked Golden Bears to a 20-7 upset of No. 3 Stanford.

Pappa taught and coached in the Williams Unified School District and later at Yuba College before arriving at UC Davis as a coach and physical education supervisor in 1965. He initially helmed the Aggie track & field team and freshman football team, then soon after served on Jim Sochor's varsity football staff as the offensive line coach.

According to former Oregon assistant football coach Neal Zoumboukos, Pappa played a major role in elevating a UC Davis program that eventually won 20 straight conference championships and enjoyed 37 consecutive winning seasons -- two streaks that began during Pappa's five-year stint as the O-line coach.

"John was one of the unsung heroes of that transformation," said Zoumboukos. "He had been the freshman coach, and many of the players who were the cornerstones of the change -- players like Bob Biggs and Mike Bellotti -- came through John."

Both Zoumboukos, who coached for 28 years on the football staff in Eugene; and Paul Hackett, who coached more than 40 years at the collegiate and professional levels, credit Pappa with inspiring their careers. "The first time I worked as a coach was under John," Zoumboukos said. "He truly was my mentor. He wound up being the best man at my wedding."

When Zoumboukos returned to UC Davis, he followed in Pappa's path: guiding the freshman team then later, the offensive line. "John was always there as a guiding hand," he said. "I can't even put into words what he meant to me, my wife and my kids."

In addition to his contributions with the Aggie football program, Coach Pappa's name is more synonymous with the track & field and cross country teams at UC Davis. He served as the head track coach from 1966 to 1978, then remained on the staff as an assistant when Jon Vochatzer assumed the helm in 1979. Pappa also mentored the cross country program for 11 seasons. Between those two sports, he earned seven conference Coach of the Year awards. Byron Spradlin (1970 steeplechase), Ed Haver (1971 steeplechase) and Anthony Terry (1973 and 1974 triple jump) each won individual national track & field titles under his tutelage.

Pappa also held the post of secretary for the NCAA Division II Track & Field Coaches Association for eight years, and served as a member of the games committee and as the meet referee for numerous national championship meets. He also remained active with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Pappa entered the Cal Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998. Said Vochatzer, at the time of his induction: "The thing that John really left with the team, more than anything, was a real feeling of team. He was very much what I call a true Aggie. He lived and breathed UC Davis. I think he has blue and gold for blood in those veins."

After retiring from UC Davis, Pappa and his wife, Meredith, relocated to the Mount Shasta community of McCloud. He remained active in hunting, fishing and golf, yet still found occasion to return to Yolo County particularly for the Blue-Gold intrasquad track meet that later bore his name. John and Meredith had four sons: Mike, Denny, John, Jr., and Don.

Per his wishes, there will be no memorial services. In lieu of flowers, donations in Pappa's memory can be made to the McCloud Health Care Clinic at 116 West Minnesota Avenue, McCloud, CA 96057.