Former UConn football coach Larry Naviaux dies at 84

Larry Naviaux, who coached the UConn football team to a Yankee Conference title and an historic upset over Yale in 1973, has died.

Naviaux was UConn’s coach from 1973-76. After leaving the coaching profession he settled in Farmington and had a successful career in the insurance business. Naviaux was 84.

Born in Nebraska, Naviaux played at Nebraska-Lincoln. His first head coaching job was at Boston University in 1969, and he led the Terriers to a Bowl game where they lost to San Diego State in Pasadena.

He replaced Robert Casciola as the Huskies coach in 1973 and led them to an 8-2-1 record, 5-0-1 in the Yankee Conference.

“He was a tough guy,” said Bernie Palmer, the freshman quarterback from Naugatuck. “We didn’t know him, and that first year it was a brutally hot summer, and he made us run sprints one day, 40s, 100s, a series, and I remember two guys just kept running off the field, into the locker room and quit. He was getting us ready, physically, for the season.”

The annual non-conference game at the Yale Bowl, where UConn had won only twice between 1948 and ‘72, was a benchmark in those day. Naviaux’s Huskies beat Yale 27-13 on Sept. 29, 1973.

After three losing seasons, Naviaux was replaced by Walt Nadzak in 1977.

Naviaux is survived by his wife, Nancy, four children, Shawn, Andrea, Jeff, Kimberly, and 11 grandchildren.

Calling hours at The Ahern Funeral Home, 111 Main St., Rt. 4, Unionville, are Sunday 4-7 p.m. ET. Funeral Liturgy will be held Monday at 11 a.m. ET at the Church of St. Patrick, 110 Main St., Farmington. Donations in Naviaux’s memory can be made to Boys Town, 5076 Ames Ave, Omaha, NE 68104.

Dom Amore can be reached at damore@courant.com

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