John Ralston, a longtime and beloved Bay Area college and professional sports figure, passed away peacefully in Sunnyvale on Saturday. He was 92.

Ralston’s influence spanned from when he was a Cal linebacker from 1947-1950 under legendary coach Lynn “Pappy” Waldorf” into the 21st century as a special assistant to the athletics director at San Jose State.

He was best known as a football coach with a positive approach to life that took Utah State, Stanford and the Denver Broncos to success.

Ralston began his coaching career as an assistant at San Lorenzo High in 1953, and spent two seasons at Mt. Diablo before returning to Cal, where he was on staff for the 1959 Rose Bowl.

He was head coach at Utah State (1959-62), Stanford (1963-71), the Denver Broncos (1972-76), the Oakland Invaders of the United States Football League (1983-84) and San Jose State (1993-96). His teams amassed a 140-126-7 record overall.

Ralston’s coaching tree included the late Bill Walsh, Dick Vermeil, Jim Mora, Sr., Mike White, the late Rod Rust, the late Jack Christiansen and college head coaches, including the late Roger Theder, the late Tony Knap, Ed Peasley and Rubin Carter.

Ralston was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1992; the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1996; the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1997; the San Jose Hall of Fame in 2001; and the sports halls of fame for San Jose State, Stanford, and Utah State.

Ralston’s Stanford teams won consecutive Pac-8 championships and the Rose Bowl following the 1970 and 1971 regular seasons. Ralston coached 1970 Heisman Trophy winner Jim Plunkett at Stanford and Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive lineman Merlin Olsen at Utah State. Ralston left college for the NFL in 1972.

Ralston was named Stanford’s “Coach of the Century” when the university celebrated its centennial anniversary of football in 1991 and the 1973 United Press International American Football Conference “Coach of the Year” in his second season with the Denver Broncos.

Ralston is survived by his daughter, Terry (Ralston) Zaffonato, four grandsons, two granddaughters, and one great granddaughter. He was predeceased by his wife of 46 years, Patty (Ward) Ralston; a son, Larry; a daughter, Sherry (Ralston) Brown, the twin sister of Terry; and Virginia Fanelli, his life’s partner following the passing of his wife Patty.

A celebration of life for Ralston will be announced soon.