Clyde Lee (American football)

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Clyde Lee
Clyde Lee as Houston head coach.jpg
Lee, c.1952
Biographical details
Born(1908-02-11)February 11, 1908
Wortham, Texas, U.S.
DiedDecember 12, 1995(1995-12-12) (aged 87)
Lake Jackson, Texas, U.S.
Playing career
1930–1932 Centenary
Position(s) End
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1932–1935 Overton HS (TX)
1935–1941 Kilgore
1945–1947 Tulsa (assistant)
1948–1954 Houston
Head coaching record
Overall37–32–2 (college)
57–10–5 (junior college)
Bowls1–0
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
3 TJCC (1936, 1939, 1941)
1 MVC (1952)

Clyde V. Lee (February 11, 1908 – December 12, 1995) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Houston from 1948 to 1954, guiding the Cougars to a 37–32–2 record. Lee played his college career at Centenary College from 1930 to 1932 under Homer Norton. [1] Among his college teammates was Lovette Hill, who later served as his colleague at Houston on his coaching staff and as head baseball coach for the school.

Contents

After his college playing career, Lee served as head coach for several sports including football to Overton High School in Overton, Texas. [1] He was paid $90 a month, taught five math classes, a history class, and coached for four sports without an assistant. In three seasons, his record was 28–3–2. Lee then moved into his first college coaching job as head coach for Kilgore College where he compiled a 57–10–5 record before entering the United States Navy. Upon leaving the armed services, he coached at the University of Tulsa under Buddy Brothers for two years.

At Houston, Lee was credited with improving the strength of the Cougars' schedules. This began during the 1949 season, when Houston played its first major opponent, William & Mary. He led the Cougars to their first bowl game berth, to the 1952 Salad Bowl, and a Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) championship in 1952. During his first season, fewer than 100 season tickets were sold by the Cougars, but by 1952, over 10,000 were sold.

After retiring from coaching, Lee moved to Freeport, Texas, and became a regular at Cougars home games. [2] He died on December 12, 1995, at Plantation Health Care Center in Lake Jackson, Texas. [3]

Head coaching record

Junior college

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs
Kilgore Rangers (Texas Junior College Conference)(1935–1941)
1935 Kilgore5–3–2
1936 Kilgore10–11st
1937 Kilgore9–2–1
1938 Kilgore8–1–1
1939 Kilgore 10–09–01st
1940 Kilgore7–2–1
1941 Kilgore8–16–01st
Kilgore:57–10–5
Total:57–10–5
      National championship        Conference title        Conference division title or championship game berth

College

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs Coaches#
Houston Cougars (Lone Star Conference)(1948)
1948 Houston 5–63–34th
Houston Cougars (Gulf Coast Conference)(1949)
1949 Houston 5–4–11–23rd
Houston Cougars (Independent)(1950)
1950 Houston 4–6
Houston Cougars (Missouri Valley Conference)(1951–1954)
1951 Houston 6–52–24thW Salad
1952 Houston 8–23–01st19
1953 Houston 4–4–11–23rd
1954 Houston 5–53–12nd
Houston:37–32–213–10
Total:37–32–2
      National championship        Conference title        Conference division title or championship game berth

References

  1. 1 2 Wizig, Jerry (1977). Eat 'Em Up Cougars: Houston Football. Huntsville, Alabama: The Strode Publisher. p. 104. ISBN   978-0-87397-122-5.
  2. Wizig, Jerry (1977). Eat 'Em Up Cougars: Houston Football. Huntsville, Alabama: The Strode Publisher. p. 108. ISBN   978-0-87397-122-5.
  3. "Clyde V. Lee". Brazosport Facts . Clute, Texas. December 12, 1995. p. 2A. Retrieved February 16, 2022 via Newspapers.com Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg .