Washington State · Pac-12Bill Doba, former Washington State coach, suffers stroke
Doba, who led the Cougars to a 10-3 season and a Holiday Bowl win over No. 5 Texas in 2003, suffered the stroke last Saturday, days before turning 86.
AUG 29, 2026
Bill Doba, who coached Washington State for five seasons in the 2000s, suffered a stroke last Saturday, days before his 86th birthday, according to a 247Sports report relayed by Yahoo Sports.
No update on his condition has been reported, and Washington State has not issued a statement.
Doba took over the Cougars in December 2002 after 19 seasons on the WSU staff, including as defensive coordinator under Mike Price. His first season as head coach remains the program's high-water mark of that era: Washington State went 10-3 in 2003, finished No. 9 nationally and knocked off No. 5 Texas in the Holiday Bowl. He shared Pac-10 Coach of the Year honors that season with USC's Pete Carroll.
Doba went 30-29 overall at Washington State from 2003 through 2007 and beat rival Washington three times in the Apple Cup before leaving the program after the 2007 season.
He stayed close to Pullman in retirement, returning for games and appearances — most recently in 2024, when he waved the Cougar flag on ESPN's "College GameDay."