Bear Bryant

Paul William 'Bear' Bryant (September 11, 1913 – January 26, 1983) was an American college football coach. Best known as the longtime head coach of the University of Alabama football team, he achieved an unparalleled legendary status in the sport, winning the national championship six times, and setting the record as the all-time (up to that time) most successful coach in NCAA Division I college football, with a record of 323-85-17.

Coaching career

After graduating in 1936, Bryant took a coaching job at Union College in Tennessee, but left that position when offered an assistant coaching position at Alabama. Over the next four years, the team compiled a 29-5-3 record. In 1940 he left to become an assistant at Vanderbilt University. The next winter he was to have become the head coach at the University of Arkansas, but the bombing of Pearl Harbor changed his plans. Bryant enlisted in the United States Navy, serving in North Africa before being granted an honorable discharge to train recruits and coach the football team at North Carolina Pre-Flight. While in the Navy, he attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

Related Topics:
1936 - Union College - Tennessee - 1940 - Vanderbilt University - University of Arkansas - Pearl Harbor - United States Navy - North Carolina Pre-Flight - Lieutenant Commander

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In 1945 Bryant was named head coach at the University of Maryland. He stayed for only one season, before taking the same position at the University of Kentucky for eight seasons which included Kentucky's first bowl appearance (1947) and their first Southeastern Conference title (1950). In 1954, Bryant took over the reigns of the football program at Texas A&M University. It was there, in his first year, that he took the team to a notoriously rigorous pre-season training camp in 100 degree heat in Junction, Texas. 76 of 111 players left the team within ten days, and the 35 that stayed suffered through a grueling 1-9 season. Only two years later, though, Bryant led the "Junction Boys" to the championship of the Southwest Conference with a 34-21 victory over the University of Texas in Austin. After the 1957 season, having compiled an overall 25-14-2 record at Texas A&M, Bryant returned to Tuscaloosa to take the head coaching position at Alabama.

Related Topics:
1945 - University of Maryland - University of Kentucky - 1947 - Southeastern Conference - 1950 - 1954 - Texas A&M University - Junction, Texas - Southwest Conference - University of Texas - Austin - 1957

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He coached at Alabama for 25 seasons, winning six national titles (1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, and 1979). His standing in the state of Alabama was unmatched by any other figure. In the 1968 Democratic National Convention, Bryant received one and a half surprise votes to be the Democratic candidate for President of the United States. His win over in-state rival Auburn University in November 1981 was Bryant's 315th, earning him the record for victories over Amos Alonzo Stagg. When Bryant retired after the 1982 season, his record at Alabama totaled 242-46-9.

Related Topics:
1961 - 1964 - 1965 - 1973 - 1978 - 1979 - 1968 Democratic National Convention - President of the United States - Auburn University - 1981 - Amos Alonzo Stagg - 1982

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In his career Bryant participated in a total of 31 post-season bowl games including 24 consecutively at Alabama. He had 15 bowl wins, including eight Sugar Bowls, was a 10-time Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year and a four-time National Coach of the Year. Even today many fans still speak of him in the present tense, and his legacy casts a long shadow over every subsequent head coach at Alabama.

Related Topics:
Sugar Bowl - Southeastern Conference

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