Emory Bellard

Emory Dilworth Bellard (December 17, 1927 – February 10, 2011)^[1] was a college football coach. He was head coach at Texas A&M University from 1972 to 1978 and at Mississippi State University from 1979 until 1985. Bellard died on February 10, 2011 after battling Lou Gehrig's disease since the fall of 2010.^[2]
Bellard is a member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. He was considered to have had one of the most innovative offensive minds in football and is credited for inventing the wishbone formation.

Early life

A native of Luling, Texas, Bellard was one of twelve children. His father was a geologist and driller who arrived in Central Texas in the late 1920s to take part in the emerging oil boom.^[3] Bellard graduated from Aransas Pass High School and went on to attend the University of Texas at Austin, where he played his freshman year under coach Dana X. Bible. Bellard broke his leg during his sophomore season and later transferred to Southwest Texas State (now Texas State University–San Marcos).

Coaching career

High school

Bellard was a high school head coach for 21 seasons where he achieved a record of 177–59–9 and won three state titles. During his time as a high school coach, he explored the idea of running an offense out of a three-back formation.
Bellard began coaching at Ingleside High School, a Class B school in Ingleside, Texas. He guided the school to two consecutive regional wins (as far as Class B football went) in 1953 and 1954. He was then hired to succeed Joe Kerbel at Breckenridge High School, then a state powerhouse in the second highest UIL classification. Under coach Kerbel and his predecessor Cooper Robbins Breckenridge won three 3A state championships in 1951, 1952 and 1954. Bellard continued that winning tradition with state titles in 1958 and 1959.
In 1960, Bellard was selected over Gordon Wood to replace Bob Harrell as head coach at Central High School in San Angelo, Texas. San Angelo Central was playing in the highly competitive District 2-4A, nicknamed the "Little Southwest Conference", against perennial state champions like Abilene and Odessa Permian. Bellard amassed a 59–19–2 record at San Angelo Central, winning a 4A state championship in 1966. He then left the high school ranks for the University of Texas at Austin.
In 1988, Bellard returned to the high school level, coaching Spring Westfield High School near Houston, Texas to a 41–22–5 record over six seasons.

College

Texas

In 1967, Bellard was hired as the linebackers coach at the University of Texas at Austin and was moved to offensive coordinator in 1968. It was at this time that he developed and implemented the wishbone formation, a system that was inspired by the variations of the Veer developed by Homer Rice and run by Bill Yeoman at the University of Houston.^[4]

Texas A&M

Bellard became head coach at Texas A&M in 1972, taking over head coaching duties from Gene Stallings. In his seven years at Texas A&M, he finished with a record of 48–27 and three top-15 finishes.
Acting as his own offensive coordinator, Bellard hired a couple of former high school football coaches to assist him as backfield coaches, including Gil Bartosh (1973) and Chuck Moser (1974–1978). Both Bartosh and Moser had won Texas state championships. In 1975, however, Bellard hired Tom Wilson away from Jim Carlen's Texas Tech coaching staff to serve as the Aggies' offensive coordinator. For the defensive department, Bellard hired Melvin Robertson, one of the top defensive coaches, away from Bill Yeoman's coaching staff at the University of Houston. Robertson became defensive coordinator, and among his assistants were R. C. Slocum and Dan LaGrasta.
Bellard's first two seasons at Texas A&M were difficult, as his Aggies finished 3–8 and 5–6, respectively. In 1974, with a pair of his own recruiting classes suited to run the Wishbone formation, the Aggies went 8–3, then followed it up with a couple of 10–2 seasons, including a pair of wins over Royal and the Longhorns and three consecutive bowl games. After starting 1978 season 4–0, Bellard resigned mid-season after two consecutive losses: 33–0 to Houston and 24–6 to Baylor.

R. C. Slocum

Richard Copeland Slocum (born November 7, 1944),^[1] better known as R. C. Slocum, was the head football coach at Texas A&M University from 1989 until 2002. He is the winningest coach in Texas A&M football history (123 wins).

 

Personal

Raised in Orange, Texas, Slocum attended McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He has two sons, Shawn and John Harvey. Shawn served as an assistant on Slocum's staff which helped his father on to his winning record and is now the Special Teams Coordinator for the Green Bay Packers. John Harvey is employed as Global Account Manager for LeTourneau Technologies. ^[2]

[edit] Personality

Slocum was also known for being a "down-home" kind of man. When on a recruiting trip in Orange, Texas in 1996, he accidentally tracked dog feces into the home of the recruit he was visiting. He got down on his hands and knees to scrub the carpet himself so that it wouldn't stain. The recruit then chose to play for A&M.
Slocum has been a big comfort to his players, and to the school, in times of tragedy. After the 1999 Aggie Bonfire collapse before the game against Texas, many students wondered if the game should even be played. On the night Bonfire would have burned, the school hosted a memorial service. 100,000+ mourners carried white candles to the site of the Bonfire collapse, and then marched together to Kyle Field. Slocum then delivered a touching speech that brought comfort to the mourners and instilled pride in the school. The Aggies' win the following day over Texas was a fitting cap to the week. In 2002, freshman player Brandon Fails died unexpectedly near the end of the season. Again, Slocum stepped up to try to comfort his players.

[edit] Post-coaching

After spending 30 of the last 31 years serving Texas A&M, Slocum was not quite ready to leave. He is currently serves as Special Advisor to the president of Texas A&M University . In 2006, Slocum was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. Presently, he also serves as President of the American Football Coaches Foundation. Slocum is in the Museum of the Gulf Coast Hall of Fame and the McNeese State University Athletic Hall of Fame. He was awarded the Gen. Robert Neyland Award by the East Tennessee Chapter of the National Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
R.C. Slocum has also become a close friend of former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, whose Presidential Library is located at Texas A&M. The Bushes often used Slocum's suite to watch Aggie football games, and Slocum and his wife have visited the Bush family at their vacation home in Kennebunkport, Maine.

[edit] Coaching career

[edit] Early career

Slocum began his career as a football coach at a Lake Charles high school in 1968. Two years later, in 1970, Slocum became a graduate assistant at Kansas State University under head coach Vince Gibson. In 1971, he was named Head Freshman Coach.

[edit] University of Southern California

Slocum spent the 1981 season as the defensive coordinator at the University of Southern California. The team was led by head coach John Robinson. Slocum's defense led the Pac-10 in total defense that season.^[3] The team lost to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl, finishing with a 9–3 record.^[4]

[edit] Texas A&M

In 1972, Slocum was hired as a receiver coach under Emory Bellard at Texas A&M University. After one year of coaching the receivers, he was moved to defense to coach the defensive ends, and in 1976, he became linebacker coach. Coach Bellard left A&M in 1978, moving on to Mississippi State and taking defensive coordinator Melvin Robertson with him. Former A&M offensive coordinator and new head coach Tom Wilson chose Slocum as his defensive coordinator in 1979. After serving USC as defensive coordinator in 1981, Slocum returned to A&M in 1982 and became defensive coordinator under head coach Jackie Sherrill. In 1985, Slocum was elevated to assistant head coach. Slocum substituted for Sherrill and served as acting head coach for A&M's 18–0 victory over TCU during the 1988 season which was Sherrill's last.

[edit] Head coach

In December 1988, R.C. Slocum was named head coach at Texas A&M. During his 14 years as head coach, Slocum led the Aggies to a record of 123–47–2, making him the winningest coach in Texas A&M history. During his career, Slocum never had a losing season and won four conference championships, including the Big 12 title in 1998 and two Big 12 South Championships, 97,98. Additionally, he led the Aggies to become the first school in the Southwest Conference history to post three consecutive perfect conference seasons and actually went four consecutive seasons without a conference loss. Slocum reached 100 wins faster than any other active coach. He has the best winning percentage in SWC history, one spot ahead of the legendary coach Darrell Royal who is number 2. Slocum helped make A&M's Kyle Field become one of the hardest places for opponents to play, losing only 12 games at home in 14 years. For over a year, A&M held the longest home-winning streak in the nation, losing in 1989 and not again until late in 1995. In the 1990s, A&M lost only four times at Kyle Field. Slocum was named SWC Coach of the Year three times during his tenure as head coach. His "Wrecking Crew" defense led the SWC in four statistical categories from 1991 through 1993 and led the nation in total defense in 1991.
Over 50 Texas A&M players were drafted into the NFL during Slocum's career as head coach.
Slocum was well known for being unwilling to "bend" the rules. He inherited an Aggie football program that had just finished 7-5 and under severe NCAA sanctions, and cleaned it up quickly. He was quoted in 2002 as saying:

“

I wouldn't trade winning another game or two for my reputation as a person. I've said from day one I'm going to do things the way I think they should be done. There were those who said, `If you don't cheat, you're pretty naive. You can't win that way.' Well, we're going to find out. That's the way we're going to do it. I can walk away and look myself in the mirror and say, 'We did it the right way.'[5]

”

The critics of Slocum^[who?] cited his below .500 bowl record. Slocum went only 3–8 in bowls, and 0–4 in major bowls (The 1999 Sugar Bowl and the 1992, 1993 and 1994 Cotton Bowl Classics, which were then considered major). However, of his opponents, four (Florida State,Notre Dame, Penn State, and Ohio State) were ranked number 1 for most of the season in which he played them and the Aggies were underdogs in the games.
Slocum continually pressed Texas A&M to update the athletic facilities so that the university could compete with rivals Texas and Oklahoma in football recruiting. Officials finally listened to his pleas and began a large facility expansion project. This was too late to save Slocum. He was fired in 2002 after a 6–6 season, which included a win over number-one-ranked Oklahoma.Two of the losses (Texas Tech, Missouri) were in double overtime. He never got to use the facilities that he had worked so hard to get. He was succeeded by Dennis Franchione as head coach.

Jackie Sherrill

Jackie Sherrill (born November 28, 1943) is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Washington State University (1976), the University of Pittsburgh (1977–1981), Texas A&M University (1982–1988), and Mississippi State University (1991–2003), compiling a career college football record of 180–120–4. Sherrill is currently a studio analyst for Fox Sports Net's college football coverage and a writer for Texags.com.

Playing career

Sherrill played football at the University of Alabama under Bear Bryant from 1962 to 1965, helping the Crimson Tide win two national championships.

Coaching career

Washington State

Sherrill was the head coach at Washington State in 1976. During his one season at the Pullman campus, the Cougars won three games and lost eight.

Pittsburgh

Sherrill was the head coach at the University of Pittsburgh from 1977 to 1981. Before going to Washington State, Sherrill had served as an assistant at Pittsburgh under head coach Johnny Majors. When Majors left Pittsburgh to return to his alma mater at the University of Tennessee, Sherrill returned to become the head coach of the Panthers. He is credited with grooming quarterback Dan Marino, who went on to a prolific Hall of Fame career in the NFL after being Sherrill's last quarterback at Pitt, from 1979–1982. During his tenure, Sherrill's coaching staff included future NFL head coaches Jimmy Johnson and Dave Wannstedt. In Sherrill's five seasons at Pittsburgh, the Panthers won 50 games, lost nine, and had one tie.

When asked about retirement, Joe Paterno once said that he would not, because it would leave college football in the hands of "the Jackie Sherrills and the Barry Switzers".^[1] Paterno apologized to Switzer for the comment, but wrote in his book that he "didnt give a damn about what Sherrill felt."^[2] Paterno later said that the comment was made off-the-record and in jest during a party at Paterno's house, but it was printed anyway. Sherrill and Paterno have since become friends, and Sherrill and his wife were guests of the Paternos in State College in 2004.^[3] Notably, Sherrill went 2–3 in five games leading Pitt against Penn State, including a 48–14 loss in 1981 that destroyed Pitt's chances at a second national championship in five years.^[4]

Texas A&M

Sherrill was hired on January 19, 1982 as replacement for Tom Wilson, signing a record six-year contract over $1.7 million.^[5] Sherrill was the head coach at Texas A&M University from 1982 to 1988. While head coach at A&M Sherrill started the tradition of the "12th Man Kickoff Team", this tradition is still observed by A&M today only in a significantly scaled back form, including a single walk-on rather than an entire return team unit. In his seven seasons as the coach of the Aggies, Texas A&M won 52 games, lost 28, and had one tie. Texas A&M won three consecutive Southwest Conference championships under Sherrill, in 1985, 1986 and 1987. As a result, the Aggies played in the Cotton Bowl Classic at the end of each season, defeating Auburn University 36–16 on January 1, 1986 and Notre Dame 35–10 on January 1, 1988, and losing to Ohio State University 28–12 on January 1, 1987. He is also one of the few coaches to leave Texas A&M with a winning record against the Longhorns, winning his last five against UT after losing his first two.

In 1988, Sherrill's Aggies were put under probation by the NCAA for a period of two years. Violations included improper employment, extra benefits, unethical conduct and lack of institutional control.^[6][7] Sherrill was not personally found guilty of any infractions. However, in December 1988, Sherrill resigned.

1953

Record: 4 – 5 - 1

Head Coach: Raymond George

9/19____at Kentucky (7-2-1)________W 7 - 6

9/26____Houston (4-4-1)___________T 14 - 14

10/3____Georgia (3-8)____________ W 14 - 12 @ Dallas, TX

10/10___at Texas Tech (11-1)________W 27 - 14

10/17___at *Texas Christian (3-7)_____W 20 - 7

10/24___*Baylor (7-3)______________L 13 - 14

10/31___*Arkansas (3-7)__________ _L 14 - 41@ Little Rock, AR

11/7____*Southern Methodist (5-5)____L 0 - 23

11/14___at *Rice (9-2)_____________-L 7 - 34

11/26___*Texas (7-3)______________-L 12 - 21

1952

Record: 3 – 6 - 1

Head Coach: Raymond George

9/20____at Houston (8-2)________ ____W 21 - 13

9/27____Oklahoma State (3-7)________W 14 - 7 @ Dallas, TX

10/4____Kentucky (5-4-2)__________ __L 7 - 10

10/11___at Michigan State (9-0)________L 6 - 48

10/18___*Texas Christian (4-4-2)_______ T 7 - 7

10/25___at *Baylor (4-4-2)____________ L 20 - 21

11/1____*Arkansas (2-8)__________ ___W 31 - 12

11/8____at *Southern Methodist (4-5-1)___L 13 - 21

11/15___*Rice (5-5)__________________L 6 - 16?

11/27___at *Texas (9-2)____________ ___L 12 - 32

1954

Record: 1 - 9

Head Coach: Paul “Bear” Bryant

9/18____Texas Tech (7-2-1)____________L 9 - 41

9/25____Oklahoma State (5-4-1)________L 6 - 14@ Dallas, TX

10/2____at Georgia (6-3-1)____________W 6 - 0

10/9____at Houston (5-5)______________L 7 - 10

10/16___*Texas Christian (4-6)__________L 20 - 21

10/23___at *Baylor (7-4)_______________L 7 - 20

10/30___*Arkansas (8-3)___________ ___L 7 - 14

11/6____at *Southern Methodist (6-3-1)____L 3 - 6

11/13___*Rice (7-3)___________________L 19 - 29

11/25___at *Texas (4-5-1)__________ __ __L 13 - 22

1955

Record: 7 – 2 - 1

Head Coach: Paul “Bear” Bryant

9/16____at @UCLA (9-2)___________ L 0 - 21

9/24____ Louisiana State (3-5-2)_____ W 28 - 0 @ Dallas, TX

10/1____ Houston (6-4)_____________W 21 - 3

10/8____ at Nebraska (5-5)__________W 27 - 0

10/15___ at *Texas Christian (9-2)_____W 19 - 16

10/22___ *Baylor (5-5)______________W 19 - 7

10/29___ at *Arkansas (5-4-1)________ T 7 - 7

11/5_____*Southern Methodist (4-6)____W 13 - 2

11/12____at *Rice (2-7-1)____________W 20 - 12

11/24____*Texas (5-5)_______________L 6 - 21

1956

Record: 9 – 0 - 1

Head Coach: Paul “Bear” Bryant

9/22____Villanova (5-4)______________W 19 - 0

9/29____at Louisiana State (3-7)_______W 9 - 6

10/6____Texas Tech (2-7-1)___________W 40 - 7@ Dallas, TX

10/13___at Houston (7-2-1)________ ___T 14 - 14

10/20___*Texas Christian (8-3)______ -__W 7 - 6

10/27___at *Baylor (9-2)______________W 19 - 13

11/3____ *Arkansas (6-4)____________ _W 27 - 0

11/10___ at *Southern Methodist (4-6)____W 33 - 7

11/17___ *Rice (4-6)_____________ ____W 21 - 7

11/29___ at *Texas (1-9)_______________W 34 - 21

1957

Record: 8 – 3

Head Coach: Paul “Bear” Bryant

9/21____Maryland (5-5)______________W 21 - 13 @ Dallas, TX

9/28____at Texas Tech (2-8)___________W 21 - 0

10/5____at Missouri (5-4-1)___________W 28 - 0

10/12____Houston (5-4-1)___________ _W 28 - 6

10/19____at *Texas Christian (5-4-1)___ _W 7 - 0

10/26____*Baylor (3-6-1)__________ ___W 14 - 0

11/2_____at *Arkansas (6-4)___________W 7 - 6

11/9_____*Southern Methodist (4-5-1)____W 19 - 6

11/16____at *Rice (7-4)______________ _L 6 - 7

11/28____*Texas (6-4-1)_______________L 7 - 9

12/28____Tennessee (8-3)_____________L 0 - 3 @ Gator Bowl, Jacksonville, FL.

1959

Record: 3 – 7

Head Coach: James Meyers

9/19____Texas Tech (4-6)____________ L 14 - 20 @ Dallas, TX

9/26____at Michigan State (5-4)_______W 9 - 7

10/3____Southern Mississippi (non-IA)__W 7 - 3 @ Mobile, AL

10/10___Houston (3-7)______________W 28 - 6

10/17___at *Texas Christian (8-3)______ L 6 - 39

10/24___*Baylor (4-6)_______________L 0 - 13

10/31___at *Arkansas (9-2)___________L 7 - 12

11/7____*Southern Methodist (5-4-1)____L 11 - 14

11/14___at *Rice (1-7-2)_____________ L 2 - 7

11/26___*Texas (9-2)________________L 17 - 20

1958

Record: 4 – 6

Head Coach: James Meyers

9/20_____Texas Tech (3-7)_____________L 14 - 15@ Dallas, TX

9/27_____at Houston (5-4)_____________ L 7 - 39

10/4_____Missouri (5-4-1)_____________W 12 - 0

10/11____at Maryland (4-6)____________ W 14 - 10

10/18____*Texas Christian (8-2-1)________L 8 - 24

10/25____at *Baylor (3-7)______________W 33 - 27

11/1_____*Arkansas (4-6)______________ L 8 - 21

11/8_____at *Southern Methodist (6-4)_____L 0 - 33

11/15____at *Rice (5-5)________________W 28 - 21

11/27____at *Texas (7-3)________________L 0 - 27