Clarence Bowden Wyatt (October 4, 1917 – January 21, 1969) was an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
player and coach. Wyatt played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
at the
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee (officially The University of Tennessee, Knoxville; or UT Knoxville; UTK; or UT) is a public land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee. Founded in 1794, two years before Tennessee became the 16th state, ...
and was later the head football coach at three schools, the
University of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming (UW) is a public land-grant research university in Laramie, Wyoming. It was founded in March 1886, four years before the territory was admitted as the 44th state, and opened in September 1887. The University of Wyoming ...
(1947–1952), the
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and the largest university in the state. Founded as Arkansas ...
(1953–1954), and his alma mater, Tennessee (1955–1962). He compiled a 99–56–5 record in 16 seasons as a head coach.
In Wyoming, Wyatt turned around a team that had struggled under previous coach
Bunny Oakes and had operated intermittently in the previous years because of World War II. His turnaround plan involved a round-the-clock training regimen, one that defensive back
Marv Levy
Marvin Daniel Levy (; born August 3, 1925) is an American former football coach and executive who was a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for seventeen seasons. He spent most of his head coaching career with the Buffalo Bills, lea ...
would later note did not allow players adequate time to complete their academic studies (leading Levy to transfer to
Coe College
Coe College is a private liberal arts college in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was founded in 1851 and is historically affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). The college is a member of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest and the Associat ...
). Wyatt's plan would secure Wyoming a
perfect season
A perfect season is a sports season, including any requisite playoff portion, in which a team remains and finishes undefeated and untied. The feat is extremely rare at the professional level of any team sport, and has occurred more commonly at the ...
and a win in the
1951 Gator Bowl.
Wyatt's most notable victory at Tennessee came on November 7, 1959, when his
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football program (variously called "Tennessee", "Vols", "UT", or "Big Orange") represents the University of Tennessee (UT).
The Vols have played football for 130 seasons, starting in 1891; their combined record of 862â ...
Volunteers upset top-ranked
LSU
Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...
, 14–13, by stopping a two-point conversion attempt by eventual
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard ...
winner
Billy Cannon
William Abb Cannon (August 2, 1937 – May 20, 2018) was an American football halfback, fullback and tight end who played professionally in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He attended Louisiana State Un ...
late in the game. The victory ended the Tigers' 18-game winning streak.
Wyatt was elected to the
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive attraction devoted to college football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players and coaches of college football that were vote ...
in 1972 as a player and again in 1997 as a coach.
Personal life and death
Wyatt married Mary Alson Miller around 1940. They had one daughter named Mary Gail "Missy", born in 1942.
Wyatt died of viral pneumonia on January 21, 1969 at hospital in
Sweetwater, Tennessee
Sweetwater is a city in Monroe and McMinn counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the most populous city in Monroe County. The population was 5764 at the 2010 census and 6,312 at the 2020 census. Sweetwater is the home of the Craighead C ...
.
Head coaching record
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wyatt, Bowden
1917 births
1969 deaths
American football ends
Arkansas Razorbacks football coaches
Del Monte Pre-Flight Navyators football players
Mississippi State Bulldogs football coaches
Oklahoma State Cowboys football coaches
Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Volunteers athletic directors
Tennessee Volunteers football coaches
Tennessee Volunteers football players
Wyoming Cowboys football coaches
All-American college football players
College Football Hall of Fame inductees
People from Kingston, Tennessee
Coaches of American football from Tennessee
Players of American football from Tennessee
Deaths from pneumonia in Tennessee