Paul Widmer

Paul Francis Widmer Jr. (August 21, 1937 – October 9, 2017) was an American football coach. He served at the head football coach at Mesa Community College in Mesa, Arizona from 1970 to 1980, compiling a record of 86–19–3, and leading his team to two NJCAA National Football Championships, in 1973 and 1975.

Widmer played college football at Arizona State University from 1955 to 1958 under head coach Dan Devine and Frank Kush. He began his coaching career in 1959 as an assistant at Camelback High School in Phoenix, Arizona. The following yearl he moved to Tempe High School in Tempe, Arizona, where he was an assistant coach for four years before being promoted to head football coach. Widmer joined the coaching staff of the newly-opened Mesa Community College as an assisant in 1967 under head coach Mutt Ford. He succeeded Ford as head coach in 1970. Widmer resigned from his post at Mesa after the 1980 season and was succeeded by assistant coach, Allen Benedict.

Widmer died on October 9, 2017, in Mesa.