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Craig Howard, Tim Tebow’s high school coach, dies at 64

FILE - In this Dec. 19, 2014, file photo, Southern Oregon head coach Craig Howard is shown during the second half of an NAIA football national championship game against Marian, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (John Raoux / Associated Press)
Associated Press

ASHLAND, Ore. – Southern Oregon football coach Craig Howard, who coached Tim Tebow in high school before leading the Raiders to the NAIA national championship, has died at 64.

The university said in a news release that Howard died at home Thursday night after a day of recruiting.

Howard coached high school football in Florida from 2003 to 2010, leading Nease High to a state championship in 2005. His quarterback was Tebow, who later won the Heisman Trophy at Florida.

Tebow said in a tweet Friday that Howard was a mentor and father figure who changed his life.

Howard returned to his home state in 2011 to coach a struggling Southern Oregon football team. The Raiders turned things around, winning the 2014 NAIA title and falling one victory short of a repeat in 2015.