Rolland Franklin Williams (October 11, 1897 â April 5, 1968) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach. He played professional football in the National Football League (NFL) for the Racine Legion in 1923. He played football, baseball and basketball at the University of WisconsinâÂÂMadison. Williams was the head football, basketball, and baseball coach at Millikin University during the 1923âÂÂ24 academic year. He served two stints as the head basketball coach at the University of Iowa, from 1929 to 1942 and again for the 1950âÂÂ51 season. He was inducted in the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1960.
Williams was born in Edgerton, Wisconsin on October 11, 1897. He died on April 5, 1968, of a heart attack at his home in North Liberty, Iowa. Apart from a 40-month tour in the Navy during World War II, he spent 42 years at Iowa as an assistant coach (1924âÂÂ1929), head coach (1929âÂÂ1942 and 1950âÂÂ1951) and assistant athletic director (1945âÂÂ1966).