James M. Patton (born ) was an American football player and coach. Patton 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 ...

as a

guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault * Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street * Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning * Prison ...

and quarterback at

Oklahoma A&M Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New M ...

for three years before graduating in 1938. After graduating, he served as the athletic director and football and basketball coach at

Marietta, Oklahoma Marietta is a city and county seat in Love County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 2,626 at the 2010 census, a 7.4 percent increase from the figure of 2,445 in 2000. Marietta is part of the Ardmore, Oklahoma, Micropolitan Stati ...

. One year later, he became the football and basketball coach at Sasakwa, Oklahoma. Two years later, he became an assistant football coach at

Guthrie, Oklahoma Guthrie is a city and county seat in Logan County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City Metroplex. The population was 10,191 at the 2010 census, a 2.7 percent increase from the figure of 9,925 in the 2000 census. First kno ...

. In the spring of 1942, Patton enlisted in the United States Navy. He played on the

1942 Great Lakes Navy Bluejackets football team The 1942 Great Lakes Navy Bluejackets football team represented the United States Navy's Great Lakes Naval Training Station (Great Lakes NTS) during the 1942 college football season. Playing a schedule that included six Big Nine Conference footba ...

. In 1943, he served as an instructor in the Navy's V-12 program at Washburn University. He was promoted to the rank of ensign in 1944 and played for the Fort Pierce Amphibs in 1945. After being discharged from the Navy in 1946, Patton returned to coaching at Davis High School Davis, Oklahoma, for two years. He was then an assistant football coach at Cameron Junior College—now known as Cameron University—in

Lawton, Oklahoma Lawton is a city in and the county seat of Comanche County, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Ce ...

, for two years in 1948 and 1949. His 1948 team won the state junior college championship. In 1950, he was hired as an assistant football coach at New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (now known as New Mexico State University). He served in that capacity for three seasons from 1950 to 1952. In August 1953, he was named the acting head coach of the New Mexico A&M football team. He served as head coach for the 1953 and 1954 seasons. His 1954 team compiled a 0–9 record, the worst in school history. He resigned in December 1954. His overall record as head coach was 2–16.

Head coaching record

College

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Patton, James Year of birth missing Year of death missing American football guards American football quarterbacks Cameron Aggies football coaches Great Lakes Navy Bluejackets football players New Mexico State Aggies football coaches Oklahoma State Cowboys football players High school basketball coaches in Oklahoma High school football coaches in Oklahoma Junior college football coaches in the United States United States Navy personnel of World War II United States Navy officers Players of American football from Oklahoma