Jerry Stovall

Last updated

Jerry Stovall
Jerry Stovall 1962.png
Stovall (No. 21) returning a kickoff for LSU in 1962
No. 21
Position: Safety
Punter
Personal information
Born: (1941-04-30) April 30, 1941 (age 82)
West Monroe, Louisiana, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school: West Monroe
College: LSU (1960–1962)
NFL Draft: 1963  / Round: 1 / Pick:  2
AFL Draft: 1963  / Round: 1 / Pick: 3
Career history
As a player:
As a coach:
  • LSU (1980–1983)
    Head coach
As an administrator:
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions:18
Interception yards:243
Fumble recoveries:6
Defensive touchdowns:2
Punts:87
Punting yards:3,498
Punting average:40.2
Longest punt:69
Head coaching record
Career:22–21–2 (.511)
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR

Jerry Lane Stovall (born April 30, 1941), nicknamed "Mr. Everything", is an American former football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played college football for the LSU Tigers, where he was a unanimous selection to the 1962 College Football All-America Team as a halfback. Stovall played professionally as a safety and punter in the National Football League (NFL) with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1963 to 1971. Stovall served as the head football coach at his alma mater, LSU, from 1980 to 1983, compiling a record of 22–21–2 in four seasons and leading the 1982 team to an appearance in the 1983 Orange Bowl. He was the athletic director at Louisiana Tech University from 1990 to 1993. He is the only player in LSU history to be named a unanimous All-American (1962), be selected to the college football hall of fame (2010), be selected as a first round pick (1963), and to be selected to the pro bowl (1966, 1967, and 1969).

Contents

Early life and college

Born and raised in West Monroe, Louisiana, Stovall graduated from West Monroe High School in 1959. He played college football at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge, succeeding Heisman Trophy winner Billy Cannon as the Tigers' halfback. Stovall served a multitude of roles for the Tigers, including running back, defensive back, return specialist, and punter. [1] His primary position was left halfback, which in the days of one-platoon football was both a running back and defensive back.

His 57-yard run in 1961 helped LSU defeat arch-rival Ole Miss by a score of 10–7 in a major upset. [2]

Stovall was a unanimous choice for the All-America team of 1962 at halfback. He won the Walter Camp Memorial Trophy as the nation's best back, [3] was named SEC Player of the Year, and was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. He finished 89 votes behind Oregon State's Terry Baker.

Professional career

Stovall was the second overall pick in the 1963 NFL draft, selected by the St. Louis Cardinals. He was also the third overall pick of the 1963 American Football League draft. The Cardinals converted him to full-time defensive back. He was regarded as one of the top rookies in the league in 1963. [4] During his nine seasons with St. Louis, Stovall had 18 interceptions in 97 games, and was selected to the Pro Bowl after the 1966, 1967, and 1969 seasons.

Coaching career

After his NFL career, Stovall became a college football assistant coach. He eventually returned to LSU, as an assistant for head coach Charlie McClendon. Stovall became LSU's head coach as an emergency hire after new head coach Bo Rein died when his plane depressurized and disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean.

In Stovall's four years with the Tigers (1980–1983), LSU finished 7–4, 3–7–1, 8–3–1, and 4–7. Only one of Stovall's teams appeared in the final AP Poll: the 1982 team. That team finished the season ranked No. 11 after it beat No. 4 Florida, No. 8 Alabama, and No. 7 Florida State and earned a spot in the Orange Bowl, where LSU lost, 21–20, to a No. 3 Nebraska team led by Tom Osborne. As a result of his performance in 1982, Stovall was named the national coach of the year by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, as well as the SEC Coach of the Year. [5]

In 1983, Stovall's success of 1982 came unraveled. The Tigers went 0–6 in the SEC, including a 45–26 loss at home to Mississippi State, leaving Stovall 0–4 for his career against the Bulldogs.

Stovall had a 2–2 record against Tulane. To date, the Tigers have only lost to Tulane on two other occasions since 1948, both under McClendon. After the Tigers had secured the Orange Bowl berth in 1982, they suffered their only home loss to Tulane since 1948. The Tigers have won 18 in a row in the series since but has only played the Green Wave six times since 1994, typically winning by comfortable margins.

Stovall's dismissal by athletic director Bob Brodhead was approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors on December 2, 1983.

Administration

After his head coaching stint at LSU, Stovall went on to take a job in banking before becoming athletic director at Louisiana Tech University from 1990 to 1994. Afterwards, Stovall became the president and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Sports Foundation, an organization dedicated to securing sporting events for the Baton Rouge area. [6]

Head coaching record

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs Coaches#AP°
LSU Tigers (Southeastern Conference)(1980–1983)
1980 LSU 7–44–2T–4th
1981 LSU 3–7–11–4–18th
1982 LSU 8–3–14–1–12ndL Orange 1111
1983 LSU 4–70–6T–9th
LSU:22–21–29–13–2
Total:22–21–2

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Robinson (safety)</span> American football player (born 1938)

Johnny Nolan Robinson is a former American football player. He was primarily a safety, but also played on offense as a halfback and flanker early in his career. He played college football at Louisiana State University (LSU) for the Tigers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Cannon</span> American football player (1937–2018)

William Abb Cannon Sr. was an American football halfback, fullback and tight end who played professionally in the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL). He attended Louisiana State University (LSU), where he played college football as a halfback, return specialist, and safety for the LSU Tigers. At LSU, Cannon was twice named a unanimous All-American, helped the 1958 LSU team win a national championship, and received the Heisman Trophy as the nation's most outstanding college player in 1959. His punt return against Ole Miss on Halloween night in 1959 is considered by fans and sportswriters to be one of the most famous plays in LSU sports history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiger Stadium (Louisiana)</span> Football stadium at Louisiana State University

Tiger Stadium is an outdoor stadium located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on the campus of Louisiana State University. It is the home stadium of the LSU Tigers football team. Prior to 1924, LSU played its home games at State Field, which was located on the old LSU campus in Downtown Baton Rouge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles McClendon</span> American football player and coach (1923–2001)

Charles Youmans McClendon, also known as "Cholly Mac", was an American college football player and coach. He served at the head football coach at Louisiana State University (LSU) from 1962 to 1979, compiling a record of 137–59–7. McClendon was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LSU Tigers football</span> Collegiate football team representing Louisiana State University

The LSU Tigers football program, also known as the Fighting Tigers, represents Louisiana State University in college football. The Tigers compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1908 LSU Tigers football team</span> American college football season

The 1908 LSU Tigers football team represented the LSU Tigers of Louisiana State University during the 1908 college football season. The Tigers were coached by Edgar Wingard and posted a perfect 10–0 record, outscoring opponents 442 to 11. The team played its home games at State Field and competed as members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Alexander (running back)</span> American football player (born 1957)

Charles Fred Alexander Jr. is a former professional American football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football for Louisiana State University (LSU) and twice received consensus All-America honors, and he was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He was a first-round pick in the 1979 NFL draft by the Bengals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alabama–LSU football rivalry</span> American college football rivalry

The Alabama–LSU football rivalry, also known as the "First Saturday in November" and the "Saban Bowl", is an American college football rivalry between the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and the LSU Tigers football team of Louisiana State University. Both schools are charter members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and both universities' sports teams have competed in the SEC's West Division since the conference was split into two divisions in 1992.

Robert Edgar Brodhead was an American gridiron football player, executive, and college athletics administrator. He was the athletic director at Louisiana State University (LSU) from 1982 to 1987. He is also the author of Sacked! The Dark Side of Sports at Louisiana State University (ISBN 0-9446790-0-5)

The 1987 Sugar Bowl was the 53rd edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Thursday, January 1. Part of the 1986–87 bowl game season, it featured the fifth-ranked LSU Tigers of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and #6 Nebraska Cornhuskers of the Big Eight Conference. Favored Nebraska trailed early and won, 30–15.

James Ramsey Dardar is a former National Football League (NFL) defensive lineman. He appeared in 16 NFL games, all for the 1984 St. Louis Cardinals, and he spent brief periods on the rosters of the New York Giants and Houston Oilers.

The 1932 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University (LSU) in the 1932 Southern Conference football season. This was LSU's final season as a member of the Southern Conference, and it won a share of the conference title. After the first two games, all the rest were shutouts either by LSU or the opponent.

The 1974 Orange Bowl was the fortieth edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, on Tuesday, January 1. The final game of the 1973–74 bowl season, it matched the sixth-ranked independent Penn State Nittany Lions and the #13 LSU Tigers of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

The 1983 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University (LSU) as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Jerry Stovall, the Tigers compiled an overall record of 4–7, with a mark of 0–6 in conference play, and finished tied for ninth in the SEC.

The 1980 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University (LSU) as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by first-year head coach Jerry Stovall, the Tigers compiled an overall record of 7–4, with a mark of 4–2 in conference play, and finished tied for fourth in the SEC.

The 1979 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University (LSU) as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by 18th-year head coach Charles McClendon, the Tigers compiled an overall record of 7–5, with a mark of 4–2 in conference play, and finished tied for third in the SEC.

The 1979 Tangerine Bowl was an American college football bowl game that was played on December 22, 1979 at Orlando Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The game matched the LSU Tigers against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. It was the final contest of the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season for both teams. The game ended in a 34–10 victory for the Tigers.

The LSU Tigers football team represents Louisiana State University in the sport of American football. The university has fielded a team every year since it began play in 1893, except in 1918 due to World War I. It has competed in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) since 1933, and in the conference's Western division since 1992. Previously, LSU was a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) from 1896 to 1921 and the Southern Conference (SoCon) from 1922 to 1932. There have been 32 head coaches for the team, starting with Charles E. Coates in 1893. Since 2022, the head coach of the Tigers is Brian Kelly. LSU has played 1,221 games in its 123 seasons of play, and has compiled an all-time record of 772 wins, 405 losses, and 47 ties as of the end of the 2016 season.

References

  1. ↑ Slavich, Mark (November 4, 2010). "In Focus: Hall of Fame Inductee Jerry Stovall". LSUsports.net. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  2. ↑ Hilburn, Chet (2012). The Mystique of Tiger Stadium: 25 Greatest Games: The Ascension of LSU Football. Bloomington, Indiana: WestBow Press. p. 35. ISBN   9781449752699.
  3. ↑ "Jerry Stovall Wins Walter Camp Trophy". The Post-Crescent. Associated Press. January 7, 1963. p. 9. Retrieved April 2, 2017– via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Kickoff". Ocala Star-Banner. October 13, 1963. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  5. ↑ "LSU says Stovall still coach". The Pantagraph. Associated Press. November 28, 1983. p. 14. Retrieved April 2, 2017– via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "College". Santa Cruz Sentinel. July 2, 1994. p. 34. Retrieved April 2, 2017– via Newspapers.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.