Upon his retirement in 1982, he held the record for most wins as head coach in collegiate football history with 323 wins. During his 25-year tenure as Alabama's head coach, he amassed six national championships and thirteen conference championships. He was best known as the longtime head coach of the University of Alabama football team. Paul William " Bear" Bryant (Septem– January 26, 1983) was an American college football player and coach. So as we enter into unprecedented times in college football with a season of limited fans in the stadiums and entire conferences opting out until 2021, I’m reminded that college football has been through unprecedented times in the past, and emerged better because of it.Bryant with his trademark houndstooth hatģx AFCA Coach of the Year (1961, 1971, 1973)ġ2x SEC Coach of the Year (1950, 1959, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1977–1979, 1981) Why do sports matter? Why is it not just a game? That’s why! Because sports figures like Bear Bryant knew they could make a difference. It’s why today’s athletes are able to exercise their voice to address social issues and concerns. You could argue that Coach Bryant just wanted to win more football games, but no matter his reasoning, his decision reshaped history. In celebrating the 50-year anniversary of the game that turned the Tide, I decided to dedicate a podcast episode to asking three players who were there the night of USC’s win what they thought of the game’s significance. The Corporate Competitor podcast will air on Friday and then my colleagues at ESPN intend to celebrate the story as well during their College GameDay broadcast on Saturday. The backstory of the game makes this even more compelling. Bryant had put it on the schedule only a few months prior after a quick meeting with McKay in the Los Angeles airport. He recognized the opportunity to make a statement about the need to integrate his team. He knew his decision would not be a popular one for many in Alabama, but enlightening them to what could be achieved in a fully integrated world could only come from someone with his clout and stature. Bryant’s genius was in recognizing the significance of the moment and taking advantage of it. plan that ultimately allowed him to integrate his roster. Sports is often a vehicle for change, and this game revved the engines and added fresh tires for the advancement of college football at Alabama. By 1979, the team had gone from zero Black players to 18 Black players on the roster. They’d also won three national championships, posting a win-loss record of 107-13 in that 10-year window. In 1971, junior college transfer defensive lineman Johnny Mitchell became Alabama’s first Black player to see playing time. That same year, another Black player, running back Wilbur Jackson would join him on the field. In fact, Jackson was in the stands watching the game as a freshman. Then by 1973, Mitchell would be invited back by Bryant to become Alabama’s first Black assistant coach. Mitchell is currently an assistant coach to Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers.Īlabama head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant used his platform, and the right moment, to hatch a brilliant. To say the Tide was overmatched would be an understatement. USC beat Bama 42-21 and all 6 touchdowns by the Trojans were scored by Black players. The breakout star of the game was a backup fullback named Sam “Bam” Cunningham who made his college football debut by rushing 12 times for 135 yards and 2 touchdowns. USC’s victory-paired with Cunningham’s dominant performance, was the feather in the cap that Coach Bryant needed to convince the fan base and higher-ups that the University should actively recruit and play Black players on the football team.
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