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Demosthenes Konstandies "Dee" Andrecopoulos (October 17, 1924 – October 22, 2003) was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator in the United States. He served as the head football coach at the University of Idaho from 1962 to 1964 and at Oregon State University from 1965 to 1975, compiling career college football record of 62–80–2. A native of Oklahoma and a World War II veteran, Andros played college football as a guard as the University of Oklahoma. After retiring from coaching, he was the athletic director at Oregon State from 1976 to 1985.

Early life, military service, and playing career

Andros, born Demosthenes Konstandies Andrikoupolos, received his high school education at Oklahoma City's Central High School, and then enlisted in the military in 1942.[1] Andros was a veteran of World War II where he served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was awarded the Bronze Star and spent more than a month under heavy fire on the island of Iwo Jima.[1] He was present at the famed moment when six soldiers raised the American flag on Iwo Jima.

Andros played college football at Oklahoma from 1946 to 1949, under hall of fame head coach Bud Wilkinson.[1] He was selected in the 14th round (177th overall) by the Chicago Cardinals in the 1950 NFL Draft.[2] Dee's older brother Plato was an All-American in 1946 at Oklahoma and played four years in the NFL for the Cardinals.

Coaching career

Andros' coaching career included stops as an assistant at Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas Tech, Nebraska, California and Illinois. While Dee was serving as an assistant, Texas Tech went to the Sun Bowl and California went to the Rose Bowl in 1959. He earned his first head coaching position at Idaho in 1962.

After three seasons on the Palouse with the Vandals, Andros was hired as the head coach at Oregon State in 1965. He replaced the legendary Tommy Prothro, who had left for UCLA. Andros compiled a 51–64–1 record (.409) in his 11 seasons at Oregon State. In the Civil War games against the Oregon Ducks, he won his first seven, and was 9–2 overall. Andros was nicknamed "The Great Pumpkin" for his bright orange jacket and large physical size.

Andros is best known for his incredible 1967 season in which his team, dubbed the "Giant Killers", went 7–2–1. That season, the Beavers, led by quarterback Steve Preece, beat #2 Purdue, tied the new #2 UCLA, and then beat #1 USC. But because Oregon State lost to Washington and tied UCLA, USC won the conference title by a half game and earned a berth to the Rose Bowl, where they defeated the Big Ten Conference's Indiana Hoosiers, 14–3, and won the national title. Oregon State finished with a #7 ranking in the AP Poll, but did not participate in a bowl game as the Athletic Association of Western Universities allowed only the conference champion to do so. In 1968, the Beavers were ranked #6 in the pre-season and finishing #15 after a 7–3 campaign. They did not compete in a bowl game, as conference rules prohibited teams from going to any bowl other than the Rose Bowl.

Later life and family

After stepping down as head coach following the 1975 season, Andros was named athletic director, succeeding Jim Barratt. Andros served in this capacity until the spring of 1985, when he retired. Though retired, Andros continued to serve as a special assistant within the Beaver Athletic Scholarship Fund until health problems forced him to remain at his Corvallis home. He spent nearly 40 years of his life involved with Oregon State athletics.

In 1992, his "Giant Killers" team of 1967 was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame.[1] In the spring of 2003, Andros was awarded the Martin Chaves Lifetime Achievement Award at the Fifth Annual Bennys celebration at Oregon State. Andros married Luella Andros, and they had one daughter named Jeanna.[1] Andros died on October 22, 2003 at the age of 79 in Corvallis.[1]

Head coaching record
Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Idaho Vandals (NCAA Independent) (1962)
1962 Idaho 2–6–1
Idaho Vandals (Big Sky Conference) (1963–1964)
1963 Idaho 5–4 1–0
1964 Idaho 4–6 0–0
Idaho: 11–16–1 1–0
Oregon State Beavers (Pacific-8 Conference) (1965–1975)
1965 Oregon State 5–5 1–3 7th
1966 Oregon State 7–3 3–1 T–2nd 19
1967 Oregon State 7–2–1 4–1–1 T–2nd 8 7
1968 Oregon State 7–3 5–1 2nd 13 15
1969 Oregon State 6–4 4–3 4th
1970 Oregon State 6–5 3–4 T–6th
1971 Oregon State 5–6 3–3 5th
1972 Oregon State 2–9 1–6 8th
1973 Oregon State 2–9 2–5 T–6th
1974 Oregon State 3–8 3–4 T–5th
1975 Oregon State 1–10 1–6 7th
Oregon State: 51–64–1 30–37–1
Total: 62–80–2
National Championship Conference Title Conference Division Title
#Rankings from final Coaches' Poll.
°Rankings from final AP Poll.

Dee Andros

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