Don Sutherin, 4-time Grey Cup champ and Canadian Football Hall of Famer, dead at 85

Don Sutherin, who led Ohio State to a national championship before winning seven Grey Cup titles over a Hall of Fame career as a CFL player and coach, has died. He was 85.

The cause of death wasn't immediately known. Sutherin passed away in hospital in Canton, Ohio.

Sutherin's daughter, Rebecca, confirmed her father's death Tuesday.

"I was actually in the hospital with him Sunday and an ad appeared on TV and he said, 'I know that guy,"' Rebecca said. "I looked up and he said, 'That's Doug Flutie.

"Of course, Dad coached in Calgary when Doug was there and then in Hamilton with Darren (Flutie's younger brother, who was a receiver) was there [in Hamilton]. We have some wonderful memories. I watched the Grey Cup with him [last month] and Mike O'Shea and Orlondo Steinauer were two guys he coached in Hamilton."

It's been a tough couple of months for Ticats fans. In November, legendary defensive lineman Angelo Mosca passed away at the age of 84 after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer's.

"We're deeply saddened to learn of the passing of legendary Tiger-Cats player & coach, Don Sutherin," the Ticats tweeted. "His impact on our football club was immeasurable.

"Our thoughts are with his family."

Sutherin played collegiately at Ohio State and kicked the game-winning, 34-yard field goal in the 1958 Rose Bowl that gave the Buckeyes a 10-7 victory over Oregon.

Ohio State (8-1) finished ranked No. 1 in the UPI coaches poll while Auburn, which was ineligible for a bowl because it was on probation, finished atop the The Associated Press media poll.

Sutherin, a five-foot-10, 193-pound defensive back and kicker, returned to Canada, playing for Hamilton (1960-1966), Ottawa (1967-69) and Toronto (1970). He appeared in eight Grey Cup games, winning four.

Sutherin accumulated 714 career points and 58 interceptions. He also appeared in 22 playoff games, scoring 123 points and 12 interceptions for 147 yards.

He was the East Division's scoring leader in 1961 (69 points), 1964 (94 points), 1965 (82 points) and 1968 (112 points).

Coaching career, Hall of Fame induction

After retiring as a player, Sutherin went on to serve as a CFL assistant coach with Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary and Hamilton. He served as Ticats head coach from 1994 until 1997 and remained with the club as an assistant until 2002. He added three more Grey Cup titles as a coach.

"Sudsy was a great person and coach who was a lot of fun to work with," Calgary president/GM John Hufnagel, who was also part of the Stamps coaching staff in 1992, said in a statement. "He contributed so much to the CFL over the years and he will be sadly missed.

"On behalf of the entire Stampeders organization, I offer my heartfelt condolences to his family and friends."

Sutherin was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1992 and added to the Ticats Wall of Honour on Oct. 24, 2008.

"My dad loved being in Canada, it was a wonderful experience for him," Rebecca said. "He got to play and coach with a lot of wonderful people.

"One thing I think people don't recognize about my dad is not only was he a wonderful football player and coach but he was a wonderful father and husband and a very good friend and very caring."

Sutherin is survived by his wife, Nancy, and their four daughters.

"My dad did not want to have a funeral," Rebecca said. "We're going to have a very small funeral as a family sometime."