Laurence Thornton "Laurie" Bliss (November 28, 1872 â November 12, 1942) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the United States Military Academy in 1893 and at Lehigh University in 1895, compiling a career college football record of 7âÂÂ11. Bliss played football at Yale University as a halfback alongside his brother, C. D. Bliss, who went on to coach at Stanford University, Haverford College, and the University of Missouri. After graduation, he played with the amateur Chicago Athletic Association.
Bliss took his first head coaching job at the United States Military Academy in 1893 and led the team to a 4âÂÂ5 record. He was the third person appointed to the position of head football coach at West Point. The 1893 Army team lost to Navy and to .
Bliss was the fourth head football coach at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and he held that position for the 1895 season. His coaching record at Lehigh was 3âÂÂ6.