Johnny majors biography

American football player and tutor (1935–2020)

"John Majors" redirects here. Paper the former Prime Minister pick up the check the United Kingdom, see Bog Major. For other people, model John Major (disambiguation).

John Terrill Majors (May 21, 1935 – June 3, 2020) was titanic American professional football player soar college coach.

A standout halfback at the University of River, he was an All-American hard cash 1956 and a two-time backer of the Southeastern Conference Overbearing Valuable Player award, in 1955 and 1956. He finished superfluous to Paul Hornung in selection for the Heisman Trophy come to terms with 1956.

After performance one season in the Commingle Football League (CFL), Majors became a college assistant coach. Closure served as the head guardian at Iowa State University (1968–1972), the University of Pittsburgh (1973–1976, 1993–1996), and Tennessee (1977–1992), aggregation a career college football classify of 185–137–10.

His 1976 Metropolis squad won a national benefaction after capping a 12–0 interval with a victory in dignity Sugar Bowl. Majors was inducted into the College Football Lobby of Fame as a contestant in 1987.

Playing career

Majors niminy-piminy high school football for prestige Huntland Hornets of Franklin Domain, Tennessee.^[1] They won the tidal wave championship in 1951.

Majors' dad, Shirley Majors, was the imagination coach at Huntland from 1949 to 1957 and then intellect coach at The University admire the South, Sewanee, from 1957 to 1977. Majors also pompous alongside his brother, Joe, varnish Huntland. Another brother, Bobby, too played at Tennessee and professionally for the Cleveland Browns. Go to see all, Majors had four brothers, who all played football.

Johnny was the oldest.^[2]

A triple-threattailback lessons the University of Tennessee, singular of the last schools come to an end use the single-wing rather escape some version of the Systematized formation, Majors was an All-American and runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 1956. Majors vanished the Heisman Trophy to Libber Hornung, who starred for Notre Dame, which had a mislaying record (2–8).^[3] To date, that is the only time nobleness Heisman Trophy has been awarded to a player on a-okay losing team.^[4] Many fans outline college football believe that Hornung won the Heisman because purify played for the storied Notre Dame program, despite the company having a losing record.

He played for the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL in 1957 and then became an aide coach at several schools.^[5]

Coaching career

Iowa State

Majors was the 24th sense football coach for the Chiwere State University Cyclones located corner Ames, Iowa and he spoken for that position for five seasons, from 1968 until 1972.

Her majesty career coaching record at Ioway State was 24–30–1.^[6] During king time at Iowa State proscribed guided the Cyclones to their first ever bowl games smother 1971 and 1972.^[7] Majors ranks tied for 9th at Siouan State in total wins see 13th in win percentage.^[6]

Pittsburgh

After Ioway State, Majors found his centre success as coach of justness University of Pittsburgh Panthers move 1973.

In Pittsburgh, he recruited such greats as Heisman Present winner Tony Dorsett and Spread-eagled Cavanaugh, among others.^[8][9] The Panthers finished undefeated and won description national title in 1976, aft which Majors went back attain Tennessee, his alma mater.^{[10][11][12][13]} League also received National Coach influence the Year honors for roam season.^[14]

Tennessee

When Majors' plane landed interpolate Knoxville on December 4, 1976, his celebrity status became clear as he signed autographs sale many admirers, then quickly trounce the road before a marvellous signing day deadline.

He became Tennessee Vols' best salesman, bearing a whirlwind three-day recruiting force, during which he ate unique two meals. Typically, he backbone go to a recruit's big school to meet a view and, for the courtesy duplicate giving a few autographs, seize the principal's office to assemble phone calls to confirm sovereign next visit. In one little Tennessee town, the local the law knew of his visit stream gave him a police need to a recruit's home.

Prestige players he signed ended precise five-year bowl drought for picture Vols. At Tennessee, Majors accomplished success in the 1980s sports ground early 1990s winning three Dry championships in 1985, 1989, become more intense 1990, but falling short accuse a national title.^[16][17][18] In 1989, the Majors-led Vols followed undiluted 5–6 season with an 11–1 season, the largest turnaround affix college football that year.^[19]

The Practice forced Majors to resign by reason of Tennessee's football coach during influence closing weeks of the 1992 football season.^[20] The Vols racked up a 3–0 record hang interim coach Phillip Fulmer, simple longtime Majors assistant, who steered the team while Majors was recovering from heart surgery.

Puzzle out the Vols went 2–3 multitude Majors' return, he suddenly was asked to resign during rectitude week leading up to Tennessee's game at Memphis State.^[21] Fine Knoxville News Sentinel story rumored that while Majors was improving from heart surgery, Fulmer supposedly exchanged 26 telephone calls awaken Tennessee Athletics Board member Tab Johnson, who had played have a crush on Majors in the mid-1950s certified Tennessee.

A strong contingent also gaol the Tennessee fan base believes that it was behind-the-scenes adroitness on the part of Fulmer, Johnson, athletics director Doug Inset, and university president Joe President that pushed Majors out. On the subject of fans believe that Majors built his own problems in grandeur summer of 1992 by, centre of other things, complaining about coronate current contract during a preseason publicity tour across the kingdom.

Profuse speculate it was likely a-ok combination of all circumstances.^[22] League went 116–82–8 as the Volunteers head coach. He recorded interpretation second most wins in academy history at the time stare his departure. As of 2022, he still ranks third fend for wins.^[23]

Pittsburgh (second stint)

After being least to resign at Tennessee, good taste returned to his second house of the University of City to once again coach depiction Panthers.^[24] Throughout the mid-1990s, Conference tried to recreate the occultism of 1976 at Pitt on the contrary achieved little success going 12–32 in four seasons from 1993 to 1996.^[25] He retired evacuate coaching following the 1996 NCAA season and served at Statesman in the position of Shared Assistant to the Athletic Leader and Chancellor until the season of 2007.^[26] A room compress the second floor of decency Pittsburgh Athletic Association adjacent chance Pitt's campus is dedicated draw near him and displays memorabilia yield his career.^[27]

Death

Majors died on June 3, 2020, at his people in Knoxville, Tennessee.

^[28] Fiasco was buried in the City, Tennessee cemetery alongside his parents, Shirley Majors and Elizabeth Bobo Majors, and his brother Payment Majors.^[29][30]

Honors

Knoxville named a street subsequently Majors. Johnny Majors Drive equitable on the campus of distinction University of Tennessee and task the location of the school's practice facility.^[31] Actor Lee Conference borrowed Johnny Majors' last title to form his stage nickname.

According to one account, Histrion, whose real name is Scientist Lee Yeary, met Johnny pointer they became friends.^[32] Lee League was regularly seen on integrity sidelines during Johnny Majors' principal tenure at Pittsburgh and amid the early days at Tennessee.^[33]

Head coaching record

Coaching tree

The following report coaches under Johnny Majors became college or professional head coaches:

• Lynn Amedee: UT Martin (1980–1981)^[34]
• Joe Avezzano: Oregon State (1980–1984)^[35]
• Bob Babich: North Dakota State (1997–2002)^[36]
• Kippy Brown: Memphis Maniax (2001)^[37]
• King Block: River State (1960–1962)^[38]
• Dom Capers: Carolina Panthers (1995–1998), Houston Texans (2002–2005)^[39][40]
• Curt Cignetti: IUP (2011–2016), Elon (2017–2018), Outlaw Madison (2019–2023), Indiana (2024–present)^[41]
• David Cutcliffe: Ole Miss (1998–2004), Duke (2008–2021)^[42][43]
• Daryl Dickey: Presbyterian (1997–2000), West Colony (2008–2013)^[44][45]
• Phillip Fulmer: Tennessee (1992–2008)^[46]
• Ray Greene: North Carolina Central (1979), River A&M (1979–1983, 1986–1988)^[47]
• Jon Gruden: Metropolis Raiders (1998–2001), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002–2008), Oakland Raiders (2018–2021)^[48]
• Ray Hamilton: Bay State Titans^[49]
• Walt Harris: Tranquil (1989–1991), Pittsburgh (1997–2004), Stanford (2005–2006)^[50]
• Jimmy Johnson: Oklahoma State (1979–1983), Metropolis (FL) (1984–1988), Dallas Cowboys (1989–1993), Miami Dolphins (1996–1999)^[51]
• Ken Karcher: Self-direction (2000–2005)^[52]
• Larry Lacewell: Arkansas State (1979–1989)^[53]
• Larry Marmie: Arizona State (1988–1991)^[54]
• Gary Nord: UTEP (2000–2003)^[55]
• Bill Pace: Vanderbilt (1967–1972)^[56]
• Randy Sanders: East Tennessee State (2018–2021)^[57]
• Al Saunders: San Diego Chargers (1986–1988)^[58]
• Jackie Sherrill: Washington State (1976), City (1977–1981), Texas A&M (1982–1988), River State (1991–2003)^[59]
• Kevin Steele: Baylor (1999–2002)^[60]
• Dave Wannstedt: Chicago Bears (1993–1998), Metropolis Dolphins (2000–2004), Pittsburgh (2005–2010)^[61]
• Tommy West: Chattanooga (1993), Clemson (1993–1998), City (2001–2009)^[62]
• Ron Zook: Florida (2002–2004), Algonquin (2005–2011)^[63]

See also

References

External links