Ex-Husky coach Dorr suffering from ALS

Ray Dorr, a master of the meticulous and a significant contributor to the stature of Washington football, is battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease).

Dorr, 58, the Husky quarterbacks coach from 1975 through 1983, is suffering from the effects of the disease at his home in College Station, Texas. Dorr coached quarterbacks at Texas A&M from 1997 through last season.

The degenerative disease of the nerve cells that control muscular movement, diagnosed 18 months ago, has caused Dorr to lose his ability to speak and use his right hand. His life expectancy is from 2 to 10 more years.

"He can't write, he can't carry on a conversation and he has a neck brace to keep his head up," said Don James, the Huskies' former head coach who hired Dorr at Kent State and then brought him to Seattle as a member of his original UW staff in 1975.

At Washington, Dorr's pupils included Warren Moon, Tom Flick, Steve Pelluer, Chris Chandler and Hugh Millen. All went on to NFL careers.

Dorr also coached Tom Porras, who played professionally for years in non-NFL fringe leagues; Tim Cowan, who passed for 350 yards in an Aloha Bowl victory over Maryland in 1982; and Paul Sicuro, the starting quarterback in the Huskies' 1985 Orange Bowl victory over Oklahoma.

"He was real sincere," James said of Dorr. "He was just tireless. He'd be in that office looking at film or tape with quarterbacks for hours. He had them well prepared."

Mike Lude, former athletic director at Washington and Kent State, talked about Dorr's dedication to detail.

"He is better than an excellent teacher," Lude said. "He relates to quarterbacks. He's so patient with them. If it takes one guy 20 hours and the other guy 6 hours, he'll spend 20 hours with one and 6 with the other.

"He has an inordinate amount of attention for detail."

Flick, who helped the Huskies get into the 1981 Rose Bowl, said Dorr and Interlake High Coach Rollie Robbins are the coaches who had the greatest influence on his life.

"With Ray, it went beyond X's and O's," Flick said. "He's such a transparent person. He wore his emotions on his sleeve. He was very open. And I think that's what won a lot of people over to him.

"There was more to it than plays and game plans. It was personal - `how is your family?' and `what was life like?' - and you felt comfortable and you felt welcome. I used to just hang out in his office, just for the comfort of it."

Flick even hung out when there was some discomfort, such as the time he thought he should have been starting instead of Porras.

"I went into Coach Dorr's office many times with steam coming out of my ears," Flick said.

"But what was nice about that was a wall never was built. What I found was open communication. He sat there patiently and listened to this young kid vent and state his case and yet I never felt when that decision was made that I was any less of a player or incapable of playing.

"So I look back on that with a fond memory. I think those are the things that deepen a relationship."

As for game preparation, Flick said he got more from Dorr than from coaches when he was in the NFL.

"It was a joy to go out and play because you were so prepared you could let your natural athletic ability take over," Flick said.

Dorr left Washington after the Orange Bowl victory over Oklahoma to become head coach at Southern Illinois, a job he endured from 1984 through 1987, when he was fired.

"There are a lot of places where there are good coaches in bad situations," Lude said. "The situation (at SIU) was terrible. There were just no resources."

After that experience, Dorr resumed being an assistant coach - at USC (1988-1992), Kentucky (1993-96) and Texas A&M.

R.C. Slocum, Texas A&M's head coach, talked of Dorr's courage.

"We're always talking to our players about overcoming adversity and this man could not have demonstrated more beautifully what that's all about," Slocum said.

When he could still speak, Dorr declined to be interviewed about his situation, choosing instead to issue a statement.

"I'd like to thank all of the young men I've had the privilege to coach," Dorr said. "I've been fortunate to work with some great head coaches, and I've been a part of some excellent coaching staffs. I appreciate everything Coach Slocum and Texas A&M have done for me and my family. I appreciate everyone's prayers and support."

The Texas A&M athletic department has created a fund to help pay Dorr's medical expenses. Checks payable to the Ray E. Dorr Medical Expense Fund can be mailed to Felecia McDaniel, Wells Fargo Bank, P.O. Drawer 913, Bryan, Texas, 77805.

Ex-Husky coaches square off

Two of Dorr's former coaching colleagues at Washington - Gary Pinkel and Jeff Woodruff - will be on opposite sides of the field tomorrow as head coaches of rival Mid-American Conference teams.

Pinkel, who was a UW assistant from 1979 to 1990, is the head coach at Toledo (4-1). The Rockets will be at Eastern Michigan (1-4) where Woodruff, a UW assistant from 1983-93 and James' son-in-law, is in his first year as head coach.