Johnny Majors

College coach infobox
Name = Johnny Majors


Caption = Coach Johnny Majors
DateOfBirth = birth date and age|1935|5|21
Birthplace =
DateOfDeath =
Sport = College football
College = University of Tennessee
Title =
CurrentRecord =
OverallRecord = 185-137-10
Awards = 1976 National Coach of the Year
CFbDWID = 1435
Player = trigger
Years = 1953-1956
Team = University of Tennessee
Position = Tailback
Coach = Trigger
CoachYears = 1993-1996
1977-1992
1973-1976
1968-1972
CoachTeams = Pitt
Tennessee
Pitt
Iowa State
FootballHOF =

Johnny Majors (born May 21, 1935 in Lynchburg, Tennessee), was a longtime College Football Head Coach and alumnus of the University of Tennessee. Majors was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame (as a player) in 1987.

Playing career

He played high school ball for the Huntland Hornets of Franklin County, Tennessee. They won the state championship in 1951. His dad, Shirley was the head coach at Huntland from 1949-1957 and he also played alongside his brother Joe.

A triple-threat tailback at the University of Tennessee, one of the last schools to use the single wing rather than some version of the T formation, Majors was an All-American in 1956. He played for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League in 1957 and then became an assistant coach at several schools.

As a running back, he was the runnerup for the 1956 Heisman Trophy.

Coaching career

Iowa State University

Majors was the 24th head college football coach for the Iowa State University Cyclones located in Ames, Iowa and he held that position for five seasons, from 1968 until 1972. His career coaching record at Iowa state was 24 wins, 30 losses, and 1 ties. This ranks him seventh at Iowa state in total wins and 16th at Iowa state in winning percentage. [ [http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/big12/iowa_state/coaching_records.php Iowa State Coaching Records ] ]

University of Pittsburgh

After Iowa State, Majors found his greatest success as coach of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers in 1973. In Pittsburgh he recruited such greats as Heisman Trophy winner Tony Dorsett and Matt Cavanaugh among others. The Panthers won the national title in 1976, after which Majors went back to his alma mater. Majors also received National Coach of the Year honors for that season.

University of Tennessee

At Tennessee, Majors achieved success in the 1980s and early 1990s winning three SEC Championships (in 1985, 1989 and 1990), but falling short of a National Championship. In 1989, the Majors-led Vols followed a 5-6 season with a 11-1 season, the largest turnaround of the year. In 1992 he was forced out while he was recovering from heart surgery. An assistant by the name of Phillip Fulmer (which Majors hired himself) not only took over the position, but was the main force behind his resignation.

Return to Pittsburgh

After being forced to resign at Tennessee, he returned to his second home of Pittsburgh to once again coach the Panthers. Throughout the mid-1990s Majors tried to recreate the magic of 1976 at Pitt but achieved little success. He retired from coaching following the 1996 NCAA season and served at Pitt in the position of Special Assistant to the Athletic Director and Chancellor until the summer of 2007. [http://books.google.com/books?id=2HY9Fer-FE0C&pg=PA1&lpg=PA1&dq=colonel+joe+thompson&source=web&ots=dUNEjvtSOh&sig=4PJVeZPh8nsn34dkQz2ELYt5S0Q#PPA1,M1] A room on the second floor of the Pittsburgh Athletic Association adjacent to Pitt's campus is dedicated to him and displays memorabilia from his career. Majors now resides in Knoxville, TN. with his wife Mary Lynn.

Trivia

* Majors lost the Heisman Trophy to Paul Hornung, who starred for Notre Dame. That year Notre Dame had a losing record (2-8). To date, this is the only time the Heisman Trophy has been awarded to a player on a losing team. Many believe that Hornung won the Heisman because he played for Notre Dame which at the time was the "big shot" football school.
* He is a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.
* The City of Knoxville named a street after Majors. The street is on the campus of The University of Tennessee and is the location of the school's practice facility.
* Actor Lee Majors borrowed Majors' last name to form his stage name. According to one published account, Lee (real name Harvey Lee Yeary), met Majors in his youth while John was a football player at UT, and they became friends. The two are not actually related, although Lee Majors could regularly be seen roaming the sidelines during John Majors' tenure at Pitt and during the early days at Tennessee.

Head coaching record

CFB Yearly Record Subhead
name = Iowa State Cyclones
startyear = 1968
conf = Big Eight Conference
endyear = 1972CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1968
name = Iowa State
overall = 3-7
conference = 1-6
confstanding = 7th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1969
name = Iowa State
overall = 3-7
conference = 1-6
confstanding = 7th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1970
name = Iowa State
overall = 5-6
conference = 1-6
confstanding = T-6th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1971
name = Iowa State
overall = 8-4
conference = 4-3
confstanding = 4th
bowlname = Sun
bowloutcome = L
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1972
name = Iowa State
overall = 5-6-1
conference = 2-4-1
confstanding = 5th
bowlname = Liberty
bowloutcome = L
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Subhead
name = Pittsburgh Panthers
startyear = 1973
conf = Independent
endyear = 1976CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1973
name = Pittsburgh
overall = 6-5-1
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname = Fiesta
bowloutcome = L
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1974
name = Pittsburgh
overall = 7-4
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1975
name = Pittsburgh
overall = 8-4
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname = Sun
bowloutcome = W
bcsbowl =
ranking = T13
ranking2 = 15CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship = national
year = 1976
name = Pittsburgh
overall = 12-0
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname = Sugar
bowloutcome = W
bcsbowl =
ranking = 1
ranking2 = 1CFB Yearly Record Subhead
name = Tennessee Volunteers
startyear = 1977
conf = Southeastern Conference
endyear = 1992CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1977
name = Tennessee
overall = 4-7
conference = 1-5
confstanding = 8th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1978
name = Tennessee
overall = 5-5-1
conference = 3–3
confstanding = T-4th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1979
name = Tennessee
overall = 7-5
conference = 3-3
confstanding = T-5th
bowlname = Bluebonnet
bowloutcome = L
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1980
name = Tennessee
overall = 5-6
conference = 3-3
confstanding = 6th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1981
name = Tennessee
overall = 8-4
conference = 3-3
confstanding = T-4th
bowlname = Garden State
bowloutcome = W
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1982
name = Tennessee
overall = 6-5-1
conference = 3-2-1
confstanding = 5th
bowlname = Peach
bowloutcome = L
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1983
name = Tennessee
overall = 9-3
conference = 4–2
confstanding = T-3rd
bowlname = Citrus
bowloutcome = W
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1984
name = Tennessee
overall = 7-4-1
conference = 3-3
confstanding = T-5th
bowlname = Sun
bowloutcome = L
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
year = 1985
name = Tennessee
overall = 9-1-2
conference = 5-1
confstanding = 1st
bowlname = Sugar
bowloutcome = W
bcsbowl =
ranking = 4
ranking2 = 4CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1986
name = Tennessee
overall = 7-5
conference = 3-3
confstanding = 6th
bowlname = Liberty
bowloutcome = W
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1987
name = Tennessee
overall = 10-2-1
conference = 4-1-1
confstanding = 3rd
bowlname = Peach
bowloutcome = W
bcsbowl =
ranking = 13
ranking2 = 14CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1988
name = Tennessee
overall = 5-6
conference = 3-4
confstanding = T-6th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
year = 1989
name = Tennessee
overall = 11-1
conference = 6-1
confstanding = T-1st
bowlname = Cotton
bowloutcome = W
bcsbowl =
ranking = 5
ranking2 = 5CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
year = 1990
name = Tennessee
overall = 9-2-2
conference = 5-1-1
confstanding = 1st
bowlname = Sugar
bowloutcome = W
bcsbowl =
ranking = 7
ranking2 = 8CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1991
name = Tennessee
overall = 9-3
conference = 5–2
confstanding = 3rd
bowlname = Fiesta
bowloutcome = L
bcsbowl =
ranking = 15
ranking2 = 14CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1992
name = Tennessee
overall = 5-3*
conference = 3-3
confstanding = 3rd (East)
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking = 12
ranking2 = 12CFB Yearly Record Subhead
name = Pittsburgh Panthers
startyear = 1993
conf = Big East Conference
endyear = 1996CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1993
name = Pittsburgh
overall = 3-8
conference = 2-5
confstanding = 6th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1994
name = Pittsburgh
overall = 3-8
conference = 2-5
confstanding = 7th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1995
name = Pittsburgh
overall = 2-9
conference = 0-7
confstanding = 8th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1996
name = Pittsburgh
overall = 4-7
conference = 3-4
confstanding = 5th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
name=
overall=
confrecord=*-first three games of the season and bowl were coached by Phillip Fulmer.CFB Yearly Record End
overall = 185-137-10
bcs = no
poll = two
polltype =

References

External links

* [http://post-gazette.com/pg/07210/805288-87.stm Ron Cook: Goodbye,Johnny]
* [http://www.cyclones.com/ Iowa State University athletics website]
* [http://www.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/tenn/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/05fbguide-records UT Sports Coaching Records]