Johnny Vaught
Encyclopedia
John Howard Vaught was an American
college football
coach
at the University of Mississippi
(Ole Miss) from 1947 to 1970 and again in 1973.
Born in Olney, Texas
, Vaught graduated as valedictorian
from Polytechnic High School
in Fort Worth, Texas
and attended Texas Christian University
, where he was an honor student and was named All-America
n. Vaught served as a line coach at the University of North Carolina
under head coach Raymond Wolf
from 1936 until 1941. After serving in World War II
as a lieutenant commander
in the United States Navy
, he took a job as an assistant coach at Ole Miss in 1946, and was named head coach a year later. After winning the university's first conference title in his initial season in 1947, he led the Rebels to additional Southeastern Conference
titles in 1954, 1955, 1960, 1962, and 1963.
Vaught is the only coach in Ole Miss history to win an SEC football championship. Three of his teams, in 1959, 1960, and 1962, won shares of the national championship
. His 1960 team received the Grantland Rice Award
from the Football Writers Association of America
. Vaught took Ole Miss to 18 bowl game
s, winning 10 times including five victories in the Sugar Bowl
. Only two coaches held a winning record against Vaught: Paul "Bear" Bryant, with a record of 7 wins, 6 losses, and 1 tie against Vaught, and Robert Neyland
holding a 3 win to two loss advantage.
Vaught's overall record at Ole Miss was 190 wins 61 losses and 12 ties. When Vaught was named Ole Miss head coach, the university ranked 9th in all-time Southeastern Conference football standings. When he retired in 1970, Ole Miss had moved up to third. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1979. In 1982, Ole Miss revised the name of its football stadium from Hemingway Stadium to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
in his honor. On February 3, 2006, Vaught died at the age of 96 in Oxford, Mississippi
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
at the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
(Ole Miss) from 1947 to 1970 and again in 1973.
Born in Olney, Texas
Olney, Texas
Olney is a city in Young County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,236 in 2008.-Geography:Olney is located at ....
, Vaught graduated as valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
from Polytechnic High School
Polytechnic High School (Fort Worth, Texas)
Polytechnic High School is a public high school located on the eastern side of Fort Worth, Texas.-Notable alumni:*Hugh Parmer , former mayor of Fort Worth and former member of both houses of the Texas State Legislature-External links:...
in Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
and attended Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
, where he was an honor student and was named All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n. Vaught served as a line coach at the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
under head coach Raymond Wolf
Raymond Wolf
Raymond Bernard "Bear" Wolf was an American football player and coach. Wolf was a native of Illinois and an alumnus of Texas Christian University, where he played college football and baseball...
from 1936 until 1941. After serving in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a lieutenant commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, he took a job as an assistant coach at Ole Miss in 1946, and was named head coach a year later. After winning the university's first conference title in his initial season in 1947, he led the Rebels to additional Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
titles in 1954, 1955, 1960, 1962, and 1963.
Vaught is the only coach in Ole Miss history to win an SEC football championship. Three of his teams, in 1959, 1960, and 1962, won shares of the national championship
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
. His 1960 team received the Grantland Rice Award
Grantland Rice Award
The Grantland Rice Trophy is an annual award presented in the United States since 1954 to the college football team adjudged by the Football Writers Association of America to be "national champion". Named for the legendary sportswriter, Grantland Rice, the trophy was the first national...
from the Football Writers Association of America
Football Writers Association of America
The Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA...
. Vaught took Ole Miss to 18 bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
s, winning 10 times including five victories in the Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
. Only two coaches held a winning record against Vaught: Paul "Bear" Bryant, with a record of 7 wins, 6 losses, and 1 tie against Vaught, and Robert Neyland
Robert Neyland
Robert Reese Neyland, MBE was an American football player and coach and and officer in the United States Army, reaching the rank of brigadier general. He served three stints as the head football coach as the University of Tennessee...
holding a 3 win to two loss advantage.
Vaught's overall record at Ole Miss was 190 wins 61 losses and 12 ties. When Vaught was named Ole Miss head coach, the university ranked 9th in all-time Southeastern Conference football standings. When he retired in 1970, Ole Miss had moved up to third. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 1979. In 1982, Ole Miss revised the name of its football stadium from Hemingway Stadium to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium at Hollingsworth Field is an outdoor athletic stadium located in Oxford, Mississippi. The stadium serves as the home for the University of Mississippi Rebels college football team...
in his honor. On February 3, 2006, Vaught died at the age of 96 in Oxford, Mississippi
Oxford, Mississippi
Oxford is a city in, and the county seat of, Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1835, it was named after the British university city of Oxford in hopes of having the state university located there, which it did successfully attract....
.