Bo Rein Robert Edward " Bo " Rein ( July 20 , 1945 – January 10 , 1980 ) was an American football and baseball player and football coach . He was a two - sport athlete at Ohio State University and served as the head football coach at North Carolina State University from 1976 to 1979 , compiling a record of 27 – 18 – 1 . Following the 1979 season , Rein had assumed the role as head coach at Louisiana State University , but was killed in an aircraft accident in January 1980 before he ever coached a game there . Rein is the namesake of football player awards at Ohio State and NC State . Early years . Rein was born and raised in Niles , Ohio , where he is still remembered as a legendary high school athlete for the Red Dragons of Niles McKinley High School . Rein played at Niles during their heyday , when the Red Dragons under coach Tony Mason were one of the top big school powerhouses in high school football in Ohio . Baseball career . Rein played baseball at Ohio State University from 1965 through 1967 , helping the Buckeyes win the 1966 College World Series , the school ' s only NCAA baseball title . Rein played shortstop and left field . He led his team in stolen base s in 1965 and 1966 , and in double s and runs in 1966 . Rein had 49 career stolen bases , which stood as a team record until he was surpassed by Roy Marsh in the early 1990s . In 1965 and 1966 , Ohio State participated in the College World Series , and Rein was selected in both years to the All Tournament team . In 1965 , the Buckeyes lost the championship game to Arizona State . In 1966 , Ohio State won the championship , defeating Oklahoma State . In the championship game , Rein contributed a double . After he finished his college career , Rein was drafted by the Cleveland Indians . He was playing for the Portland Beavers , the Indians ' Triple - A farm team , when Achilles tendon and hamstring problems ended his baseball career . Football playing career . From 1964 to 1966 , Rein was a three - year starter at left halfback for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team . He led his team in receptions in 1964 and 1965 , and in rushing in 1966 . Rein finished at Ohio State the team career receptions leader . Following his Ohio State career , Rein was drafted by the Baltimore Colts . Former teammate , and later Mayor of Columbus , Ohio , Greg Lashutka said of Rein , " He wasn ' t the biggest guy , but pound for pound he was tough as they come . He had that inner drive and did everything to the fullest . He could play . " A continuing tradition at Ohio State is that at the end of every season , the team votes to award one teammate the " Bo Rein Most Inspirational Player Award . " Football coaching career . Lou Holtz , a former assistant coach at Ohio State , had taken the head coaching position at William & Mary in 1969 , and Holtz offered an assistant coaching job to Rein . When Holtz accepted an offer from North Carolina State University in 1972 , Rein went with him . In 1975 , Rein was hired as offensive coordinator for the University of Arkansas under Frank Broyles and helped the Razorbacks win the Southwest Conference and the 1976 Cotton Bowl Classic . When Holtz moved on to New York Jets of the NFL in 1976 , Rein became the youngest college football head coach upon his hiring by North Carolina State . Guiding the NC State Wolfpack football team , Rein was an advocate of the coaching philosophy of Ohio State ' s Woody Hayes for whom Rein played . During Rein ' s four years at NC State , he led the team to two bowl game s , defeating Iowa State in the 1977 Peach Bowl and defeating the Pittsburgh in the 1978 Tangerine Bowl . In Rein ' s final year at NC State , his team won the Atlantic Coast Conference championship . Among Rein ' s top players at NC State were Outland Trophy winner Jim Ritcher , a center for the Wolfpack who later started at guard on four Super Bowl teams with the Buffalo Bills , and linebacker Bill Cowher , who later coached the Pittsburgh Steelers for 15 seasons and won Super Bowl XL . Following every season , the NC State football team awards the " Bo Rein Award " to a player that makes a vital contribution in an unsung role . Death . Following the 1979 season , Rein was hired away from NC State by Louisiana State University . In January 1980 , Rein took a recruiting trip to Shreveport , Louisiana . On his January 10 return trip back to Baton Rouge , Louisiana , his private aircraft crashed leaving no survivors . Rein and experienced pilot Louis Benscotter , left Shreveport in a Cessna 441 aircraft . The flight was planned to be a 40 - minute trip , but when Benscotter rerouted east to avoid a storm , air traffic control lost contact with him . The plane climbed to 40 , 000 feet and kept heading due east . After being tracked on radar , the plane was eventually intercepted by U . S . National Guard aircraft over North Carolina , a thousand miles off course and at an altitude of 41 , 600 feet , 6 , 600 feet higher than its maximum certified ceiling . The military pilots could not see anyone in the cockpit . The plane continued on over the Atlantic Ocean , where it crashed after running out of fuel . The military pilots spotted some debris , but no wreckage was ever recovered . The bodies of Rein and Benscotter have never been found . The cause of the crash is undetermined but was most likely cabin depressurization causing hypoxia , a lack of oxygen , resulting in the occupants losing consciousness . In 1982 , Rein ' s widow , Suzanne Kay , reached an out - of - court settlement for an undisclosed amount after filing a $ 10 million damage suit against a number of defendants , including the Cessna Aircraft Company , Cruse Aviation Inc . , who serviced the plane , and Nichols Construction Corporation , who owned it . Cessna later settled out of court with his widow for an undisclosed amount . Out of respect , LSU paid for Rein ' s children ' s college educations at the universities of their choice . Former Ohio State coach Woody Hayes gave the eulogy at Rein ' s funeral in Niles , Ohio . In 1980 , Niles McKinley High School ' s famous Riverside Stadium was renamed " Bo Rein Memorial Stadium , " in honor of one of Niles ' greatest athletes and one of its most famous native sons .