Coaching Career
Upon graduating from Florida State with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1957 and a master's degree in administration and supervision in 1958, Corso became the quarterbacks coach at Maryland under his former FSU coach Tommy Nugent. In 1962, Corso followed Nugent's guidance to recruit an academically and athletically qualified black player and convinced Darryl Hill to transfer from the Naval Academy, making him the first African-American football player in the Atlantic Coast Conference. In 1966, Lee took a job as the defensive backs coach at Navy. In 1969, he was given the head coaching position at Louisville where he coached his ESPN colleague Tom Jackson. After taking Louisville to only its second-ever bowl game in 1970, he was hired by Indiana in 1972.
Corso coached at Indiana from 1973-1982, leading the Hoosiers to two winning seasons in 1979 and 1980. The 1979 regular season ended with 7-4 record and earned a trip to the 1979 Holiday Bowl. There the Hoosiers would beat the previously unbeaten Brigham Young Cougars. Indiana's victory over the Cougars propelled the team to 16th in the UPI poll, the Hoosiers' first top-20 ranking since 1967. Corso's record was 41–68–2 over his ten years at Indiana.
Corso was the 16th head college football coach for the Northern Illinois University Huskies. In his lone season as Northern Illinois's head coach, his record was 4–6–1.
After a brief stint at Northern Illinois, Corso made his professional football coaching debut for Orlando Renegades of the USFL in 1985. The team, as well as the league folded following the season.
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