ASHLAND – The late Southern Oregon University football coach Craig Howard will be honored with a memorial service at Raider Stadium at 5 p.m. on Feb. 6.

Howard, who had been SOU's head coach since 2011 and led the Raiders to their first NAIA championship in 2014, passed away early Friday morning. His family has released the following statement:

"Craig Howard, head football coach of Southern Oregon University, passed away peacefully on 20^th January 2017.

"Beloved husband of Valerie. Dearly loved father of Ryan and his wife Jennifer; Jordan; Amy and her husband Coby; Bo and his wife Tiffany; Emily and fiancée Kyle. Proud and loving grandfather to Savannah, Kade, Karson, Cameron, Logan, Levi, Rockland, Dakota, Clayton, Luke, and Rhett. Loving brother to Brian, his wife Kathy and son Brett; and Lyn, her husband Jim and son James.

"Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend Coach Howard's memorial service, to be held at Southern Oregon's Raider Stadium on 378 Wightman St. in Ashland. The service will commence at 5 p.m. Monday the 6^th of February 2017."