Jess Neely
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Jesse Claiborne Neely (January 4, 1898 – April 9, 1983) 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 a
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
and football coach. He was head football coach at Southwestern University (now
Rhodes College Rhodes College is a private liberal arts college in Memphis, Tennessee. Historically affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA), it is a member of the Associated Colleges of the South and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges a ...
) from 1924 to 1927, at
Clemson University Clemson University () is a public land-grant research university in Clemson, South Carolina. Founded in 1889, Clemson is the second-largest university in the student population in South Carolina. For the fall 2019 semester, the university enro ...
from 1931 to 1939 and at
Rice University William Marsh Rice University (Rice University) is a Private university, private research university in Houston, Houston, Texas. It is on a 300-acre campus near the Houston Museum District and adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. Rice is ranke ...
from 1940 to 1966, compiling a career
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 ...
record of 207–176–19. He was inducted into 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 ...
as a coach in 1971. Neely was also the head baseball coach at the
University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a Public university, public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and la ...
(1929–1930), at Clemson (1932–1938) and at Rice (1945 and 1948), tallying a career
college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
mark of 109–108–5.


Early years and ancestry

Neely was born on January 4, 1898, in
Smyrna, Tennessee Smyrna is a town in Rutherford County, Tennessee. Smyrna's population was 53,070 at the 2020 census. In 2007, '' U.S. News & World Report'' listed Smyrna as one of the best places in the United States to retire. Smyrna is part of the Nashville ...
to William Daniel Neely, Sr. and Mary Elizabeth Gooch. His father died of
sunstroke Heat stroke or heatstroke, also known as sun stroke, is a severe heat illness that results in a body temperature greater than , along with red skin, headache, dizziness, and confusion. Sweating is generally present in exertional heatstroke, b ...
in 1900. His mother's father was John Gooch, a farmer and breeder of thoroughbred horses in Goochland. John, known as "Colonel Jack", organized the Company E of the 20th Tennessee Regiment during the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
. His brother, Bill Neely, Jr., was a captain and All-Southern
end End, END, Ending, or variation, may refer to: End *In mathematics: ** End (category theory) ** End (topology) **End (graph theory) ** End (group theory) (a subcase of the previous) **End (endomorphism) *In sports and games **End (gridiron footbal ...
on the undefeated 1910 Vanderbilt football team. Jess attended Branham and Hughes Military Academy.


Playing career


Middle Tennessee State

''The First Fifty Years: A History of Middle Tennessee State College'' recounts Neely's days playing for Middle Tennessee State Normal School:
Jess Neely, a brilliant half-back and a handsome man on the campus, is remembered for his popularity among members of the opposite sex and for an incident that occurred just prior to a football game with Southern Presbyterian in Clarksville. Miles had done an exceptionally good job in mentally preparing his team for the game. He climaxed the pre-game, locker-room exhortation with a soaring call for courage and deathless allegiance to "dear Ol' Normal." Neely was greatly affected by the words of his coach for he leaped to his feet and, roaring like an angry bull, led the team in a rush to the doorway opening to the field. He misjudged the extremely low entrance, and his head received the full impact of the strip of wall above the doorway. He was revived shortly before the
kickoff Kickoff or kick-off may refer to * Kick-off (association football) * Kickoff (gridiron football) * ''Kick Off'' (series), a series of computer association football games * ''Kick Off'' (album), a 1985 album by Onyanko Club * ''Kick Off'' (mag ...
, but he never quite knew where he was, frequently
huddling In biology, kleptothermy is any form of thermoregulation by which an animal shares in the metabolic thermogenesis of another animal. It may or may not be reciprocal, and occurs in both endotherms and ectotherms. One of its forms is huddling. Howe ...
and aligning himself with the enemy.
That team included Preston Vaughn Overall and
Rupert Smith General Sir Rupert Anthony Smith, (born 13 December 1943) is a retired British Army officer and author of '' The Utility of Force''. He was a senior commander during the Gulf War, for which he was recognised with the award of the Distinguished ...
, who rejoined Neely on the 1921 Vanderbilt team.


Vanderbilt

Neely played football at
Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1-million ...
from
1920 Events January * January 1 ** Polish–Soviet War in 1920: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20. ** Kauniainen, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its own ma ...
to
1922 Events January * January 7 – Dáil Éireann (Irish Republic), Dáil Éireann, the parliament of the Irish Republic, ratifies the Anglo-Irish Treaty by 64–57 votes. * January 10 – Arthur Griffith is elected President of Dáil Éirean ...
under head coach
Dan McGugin Daniel Earle McGugin (July 29, 1879 – January 23, 1936) was an American football player and coach, as well as a lawyer. He served as the head football coach at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee from 1904 to 1917 and again from ...
. He was captain and halfback of the undefeated 1922 team, and its best passer. Neely belonged to the
Delta Tau Delta Delta Tau Delta () is a United States-based international Greek letter college fraternity. Delta Tau Delta was founded at Bethany College, Bethany, Virginia, (now West Virginia) in 1858. The fraternity currently has around 130 collegiate chapters ...
fraternity.


1920

Although the Commodores expected a "hard game against the university rivals", Vanderbilt shut out Tennessee 20–0. All three Commodore touchdowns came from passes by Neely to Gink Hendrick. Neely's long first-quarter pass hit Hendrick, who ran 25 yards for the touchdown. In the second quarter Hendrick ran to the 4-yard line on a pass from Neely, and the first half ended with Vanderbilt in possession at the Tennessee one-foot line. Hendrick caught another 30-yard touchdown pass from Neely in the fourth quarter. Two weeks later the Commodores lost 56–6 to one of
Auburn Auburn may refer to: Places Australia * Auburn, New South Wales * City of Auburn, the local government area *Electoral district of Auburn *Auburn, Queensland, a locality in the Western Downs Region *Auburn, South Australia *Auburn, Tasmania *Aub ...
's greatest teams, Vanderbilt's worst defeat since its 83–0 loss to
Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...
in 1917. The Commodores had only one
first down A down is a period in which a play transpires in gridiron football. The down is a distinguishing characteristic of the game compared to other codes of football, but is synonymous with a "tackle" in rugby league. The team in possession of the f ...
, and never moved the ball beyond their 40-yard line. Neely was one of Vanderbilt's few stars, blocking well and passing Vanderbilt's only touchdown to Hendrick in the end zone. In a "thriller from the start," the
Alabama Crimson Tide The Alabama Crimson Tide refers to the intercollegiate athletic varsity teams that represent the University of Alabama, located in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide teams compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I as a mem ...
defeated Vanderbilt for the first time on November 6, 1920, by a score of 14–7. A forward pass from Doc Kuhn to Neely gave the Commodores their sole touchdown. The following week, "expecting one of the greatest football games of the year", Vanderbilt had a difficult practice schedule before its game with the
Virginia Cavaliers The Virginia Cavaliers, also known as ''Wahoos'' or ''Hoos'', are the athletic teams representing the University of Virginia, located in Charlottesville. The Cavaliers compete at the NCAA Division I level ( FBS for football), in the Atlantic C ...
; Virginia and Vanderbilt tied, 7–7. Early in the game, Vanderbilt mounted a swift offense, with Neely throwing Hendrick a touchdown pass. That season, Vanderbilt opponents gained less on punt returns than they did against any other team in the South because of coverage by Percy Conyers and Neely.


1921


=Football

= In the second week of the
1921 Events January * January 2 ** The Association football club Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, from Belo Horizonte, is founded as the multi-sports club Palestra Italia by Italian expatriates in First Brazilian Republic, Brazil. ** The Spanish lin ...
season the Commodores shut out the Mercer Baptists, 42–0. Neely helped score one of four second-quarter touchdowns with a 55-yard pass to end Tot McCullough, and had a 25-yard
punt return In gridiron football, a punt is a kick performed by dropping the ball from the hands and then kicking the ball before it hits the ground. The most common use of this tactic is to punt the ball downfield to the opposing team, usually on the final d ...
in the second half. In the next game, a 21–14 victory over the
Kentucky Wildcats The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky (UK), a founding member of the Southeastern Conference. The Kentucky Wildcats is the student body of the University of Kentucky. 30,473 ...
, the Wildcats scored against the Commodores for the first time in their history. Kentucky's second possession began with Bob Lavin fumbling the return, which was recovered by Neely on the 10-yard line. On third down, after little gain on first and second, Frank Godchaux ran an end-around touchdown. Rupe Smith scored the other two touchdowns, his first on a drive begun with a 22-yard pass from Neely to captain Pink Wade (father of later Vanderbilt quarterback
Bill Wade William James Wade (October 4, 1930 – March 9, 2016) was an American football quarterback who played professionally in the National Football League (NFL). He is considered one of the greatest athletes in Nashville and Vanderbilt University h ...
). One Kentucky touchdown followed a blocked Neely punt. The Wildcats threatened to score late and tie the game, but they turned the ball over on downs at the two-yard line; Neely ran 34 yards, to the 36-yard line. In the season's sixth week, Vanderbilt defeated
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
14–0 at
Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...
in line with predictions. Neely played a role in both touchdowns. Early in the first quarter, Vanderbilt had the ball at midfield after an Alabama punt. Two line bucks preceded Neely's connection with Tot McCullough for a 30-yard pass play. Neely ran for about 17 yards more through
left tackle Tackle is a playing position in gridiron football. Historically, in the one-platoon system prevalent in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, o ...
, putting the ball on the nine-yard line. After a run by Frank Godchaux,
Lynn Bomar Robert Lynn Bomar (January 21, 1901 – June 11, 1964) was an American football end in the National Football League (NFL). Bomar played college football, basketball and baseball for Vanderbilt University, following coach Wallace Wade and ...
bucked over the line for the touchdown and Rupe Smith made the
field goal A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...
. The second scoring drive began with a pass interception by Paul Stumb. In the second half, quarterback Doc Kuhn invigorated the Commodores after he sat out the first half due to injuries; Neely ran for 21 yards around the right end, and Kuhn passed 25 yards to Tot McCullough. Rupe Smith (or Kuhn) then ran the remaining few yards for the touchdown. For its seventh game, Vanderbilt faced the defending
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) was one of the first collegiate athletic conferences in the United States. Twenty-seven of the current Division I FBS (formerly Division I-A) football programs were members of this conferen ...
(SIAA) champion
Georgia Bulldogs The Georgia Bulldogs are the athletic teams that represent the University of Georgia. The female athletic teams are sometimes referred to as Lady Bulldogs. The Bulldogs compete in NCAA Division I and are members of the Southeastern Conference ( ...
at home. The game, the highlight of Vanderbilt's season, was described by ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' as an "important clash" and would determine the SIAA champion. Georgia scored during the first half; early in the fourth quarter Neely intercepted a pass, weaving for 25 yards to Georgia's 40-yard line before he was tackled by Jim Reynolds. Two long pass attempts failed, and Thomas Ryan lined up to punt. Rupert Smith sneaked behind Ryan; he
rushed ''Rushed'' is a 2021 American mystery thriller drama film directed by Vibeke Muasya and starring Siobhan Fallon Hogan (who also wrote the screenplay and co-produced the film) and Robert Patrick. Plot Barbara O’Brien, an Irish-Catholic mother i ...
to recover the 25-yard
onside kick In gridiron football, an onside kick is a kickoff deliberately kicked short in an attempt by the kicking team to regain possession of the ball. This is in contrast with a typical kickoff, in which the kicking team intends to give the ball to the o ...
, jumping up to get the ball off a bounce from the Bulldogs and racing for a 15-yard touchdown. The game ended in a tie, and the teams shared the SIAA championship. Vanderbilt finished its season against
Sewanee Sewanee may refer to: * Sewanee, Tennessee * Sewanee: The University of the South * ''The Sewanee Review'', an American literary magazine established in 1892 * Sewanee Natural Bridge * Saint Andrews-Sewanee School See also * Suwanee (disambiguati ...
in "the muddiest game in its history"; the Commodores were reportedly knee-deep in mud and water, with the players unrecognizable. The game was scoreless until the fourth quarter, when Sewanee fumbled the
snap Snap or SNAP may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Snap'', the original release title for the 2013 film ''Enter the Dangerous Mind'' *''Snap'' (TV series), a CITV programme * ''The Stanly News and Press'', a newspaper in Albemarle, North Carol ...
on a punt; the punter was smothered by the Commodores' Neely, Godchaux and Wade for a
safety Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to risk management, the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings There are ...
.
Hek Wakefield Henry Smith "Hek" Wakefield (February 10, 1899 – November 19, 1962) was an American college football player and coach. He played fullback and end for the Vanderbilt Commodores of Vanderbilt University from 1921 to 1924, receiving the honor ...
later scored a touchdown for a 9–0 Vanderbilt win.


=Baseball

= Neely was a member of the
1921 Events January * January 2 ** The Association football club Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, from Belo Horizonte, is founded as the multi-sports club Palestra Italia by Italian expatriates in First Brazilian Republic, Brazil. ** The Spanish lin ...
SIAA champion Vanderbilt baseball team. According to ''The Commodore'', the school yearbook, in a 1921 game against
Southwestern Presbyterian University Rhodes College is a private liberal arts college in Memphis, Tennessee. Historically affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA), it is a member of the Associated Colleges of the South and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleg ...
the team scored a
world record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organization ...
13 runs in one
inning In baseball, softball, and similar games, an inning is the basic unit of play, consisting of two halves or frames, the "top" (first half) and the "bottom" (second half). In each half, one team bats until three outs are made, with the other team ...
with two out. ''
The Tennessean ''The Tennessean'' (known until 1972 as ''The Nashville Tennessean'') is a daily newspaper in Nashville, Tennessee. Its circulation area covers 39 counties in Middle Tennessee and eight counties in southern Kentucky. It is owned by Gannett, ...
'' reported:
Neely singled as did Kuhn;
Neil Neil is a masculine name of Gaelic and Irish origin. The name is an anglicisation of the Irish ''Niall'' which is of disputed derivation. The Irish name may be derived from words meaning "cloud", "passionate", "victory", "honour" or "champion".. A ...
fanned but Thomas got his third straight hit and both tallied. Big Tot got
hit Hit means to strike someone or something. Hit or HIT may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Hit, a fictional character from '' Dragon Ball Super'' * Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization ...
by a pitched ball and Smith was safe on a
fielder's choice In baseball, fielder's choice (abbreviated FC) refers to a variety of plays involving an offensive player reaching a base due to the defense's attempt to put out another baserunner, or the defensive team's indifference to his advance. Fielder's cho ...
with one out. Woodruf flied out to
right Rights are law, legal, social, or ethics, ethical principles of Liberty, freedom or entitlement; that is, rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to people according to some legal system, social convent ...
. Tyner slammed one to
center Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...
which Jetty juggled and everybody advanced a pair of sacks. Ryan was
safe A safe (also called a strongbox or coffer) is a secure lockable box used for securing valuable objects against theft or fire. A safe is usually a hollow cuboid or cylinder, with one face being removable or hinged to form a door. The body and ...
on another
error An error (from the Latin ''error'', meaning "wandering") is an action which is inaccurate or incorrect. In some usages, an error is synonymous with a mistake. The etymology derives from the Latin term 'errare', meaning 'to stray'. In statistics ...
and two runs came over. Neely beat out his second hit of the inning and Kuhn walked. Neil walked. Thomas was safe on an error and Big Tot McCullough picked one over the right field fence, clearing the sacks--but oh, what's the use? Why continue?


1922

Neely was captain of the undefeated 1922 team. In the second week of play Vanderbilt shut out Henderson-Brown 33–0, with Neely scoring a third-quarter touchdown."Vandy Defeats Arkansas Team."
The Macon Daily Telegraph 8 Oct. 1922: 8.
Despite an injured left arm, he started in the scoreless tie with Michigan at the dedication at
Dudley Field FirstBank Stadium (formerly Dudley Field and Vanderbilt Stadium) is a American football, football stadium located in Nashville, Tennessee. Completed in 1922 as the first stadium in the American South, South to be used exclusively for college foo ...
. Vanderbilt was forced to punt from its seven-yard line early in the first quarter.e.g. see "No Change Is Made In Lineup of Team." ''Ironwood Daily Globe'' 20 Oct. 1922: 10. The Wolverines completed their first pass (from
Doug Roby Douglas Fergusson Roby (March 24, 1898 – March 31, 1992) was an American sportsman and Olympics official. After playing football at Phillips University and the University of Michigan, he worked for American Metal Products Company, an automobi ...
to Paul Goebel), setting in motion a change in field position which placed them inside the five-yard line. The Commodore punt was partially blocked, giving Michigan the ball at Vanderbilt's 25-yard line. Two
end run In gridiron football, an end run is a running play in which the player carrying the ball tries to avoid being tackled by running outside the end (or flank) of the offensive line. It is distinct from a dive, which is a run "up the middle", or an o ...
s, two line bucks and a forward pass brought them to first and goal after six minutes. The Commodore defense stiffened, repelling four touchdown tries; three runs up the middle were stopped before the goal line.
Franklin Cappon Franklin C. "Cappy" Cappon (October 17, 1900 – November 29, 1961) was an American college football and college basketball player and coach. He played football and basketball at Phillips University and the University of Michigan and coached at Lu ...
gained a yard,
Harry Kipke Harry George Kipke (; March 26, 1899 – September 14, 1972) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach. He was the head football coach at Michigan State College in 1928 and at the University of Michigan from 1929 to 1937 ...
lost one and Cappon drove to within a foot of the goal; Neely was heard shouting, "Stop 'em!" On fourth down, Michigan faked a
field goal A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...
and ran with Harry Kipke
off tackle An off-tackle run in American football is a play in which the running back carries the ball through a running lane off of the tackle's block. The lead block kicks out the end man on the line of scrimmage, and another offensive player usually blo ...
to the right. Kipke was tackled inches from the end zone."Powerful Wolverine Eleven Held To Scoreless Tie By Commodores."
Augusta Chronicle 1922 Oct. 15
A Vanderbilt player pushed himself off the goal post to generate a greater backwards push as the crowd cheered. Vanderbilt's only noteworthy offensive play occurred soon afterwards. The Commodores punted out of the shadow of their goalpost after a
goal line stand The following terms are used in American football, both conventional and indoor. Some of these terms are also in use in Canadian football; for a list of terms unique to that code, see ''Glossary of Canadian football''. 0–9 ...
; Neely tackled Kipke (or Irwin Uteritz) hard on the punt return, causing a fumble which he recovered. He then connected on a 20–plus-yard pass to Tot McCullough. This gave Vanderbilt the ball at Michigan's 20-yard line, but subsequent Vanderbilt plays saw runs stopped with little gain and a pass intercepted by Uteritz. The tie was reportedly preserved when Neely recovered a fumble near the Commodore goal. He and
Lynn Bomar Robert Lynn Bomar (January 21, 1901 – June 11, 1964) was an American football end in the National Football League (NFL). Bomar played college football, basketball and baseball for Vanderbilt University, following coach Wallace Wade and ...
were acknowledged as Vanderbilt's players of the game, and Neely wept tears of joy by the game's end. Bomar spent much of his day tackling Michigan runners,"Vanderbilt Opens Its News Stadium with Tie."
Charlotte Sunday Observer 15 Oct. 1922: 2.
and Neely was a battered, bruised captain playing hard despite his injuries. Franklin Cappon said after the game, "What sort of a crazy man is this Neely? He played like a fiend and when he tackled me I thought I was broken in two. When I got up he was crying and cussed me out. I was the one who should have been crying". At the
Texas State Fair The State Fair of Texas is an annual state fair held in Dallas at historic Fair Park. The fair has taken place every year since 1886 except for varying periods during World War I and World War II as well as 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It ...
game in
Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
against the
Texas Longhorns The Texas Longhorns are the athletic teams representing the University of Texas at Austin. The teams are sometimes referred to as the Horns and take their name from Longhorn cattle that were an important part of the development of Texas, and a ...
, an early surge saw Texas at Vanderbilt's 18-yard line. McGugin sent in Neely, his injured captain. It worked to some extent, with Texas losing yards and ending up at the 17-yard line;"Vanderbilt Downs Texas Longhorns, Long Grid Rivals."
Dallas Morning News 22 Oct. 1922
Franklin Stacy then kicked a field goal. After a Vanderbilt touchdown, the offenses exchanged punts before Neely ran back a 30-yard punt return. The 60-yard drive which followed was capped by a 46-yard touchdown run by
Gil Reese David Argillus "Gil" Reese (January 14, 1901 – May 30, 1993) nicknamed "The Tupelo Flash" was an American football, basketball, and baseball player for the Vanderbilt Commodores of Vanderbilt University. He was captain of all three his senior ...
. In the fourth quarter, Neely hit Bomar with a 23-yard pass and Bomar ran for 20 yards more, close to the goal. Reese ran it in on the next play and the field goal was good, giving the Commodores a 20–10 victory. Vanderbilt defeated the
Tennessee Volunteers The Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Volunteers are the 20 male and female varsity college athletics, intercollegiate athletics programs that represent the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Volunteers compete in NCAA Division I, ...
14–6, with both touchdowns on passes from Neely. The first was in the second quarter, on a 31-yard pass to Doc Kuhn; in the fourth quarter, a five-yard pass to Lynn Bomar also scored a touchdown."Vanderbilt Wins From Volunteers."
The State olumbia, SC5 Nov. 1922: 11.
The Volunteer Yearbook (1923)
p. 110-111
Neely-to-Bomar is considered one of the best pass-receiver combinations in Vanderbilt history. In the game against the
Georgia Bulldogs The Georgia Bulldogs are the athletic teams that represent the University of Georgia. The female athletic teams are sometimes referred to as Lady Bulldogs. The Bulldogs compete in NCAA Division I and are members of the Southeastern Conference ( ...
, Neely connected with Bomar on a long pass thrown from a few yards behind the
line of scrimmage In gridiron football, a line of scrimmage is an imaginary transverse line (across the width of the field) beyond which a team cannot cross until the next play has begun. Its location is based on the spot where the ball is placed after the end o ...
at the 45-yard line. Bomar caught it around the seven-yard line before being tackled by Georgia halfback Loren Chester (Teany) Randall at about the three-yard line. The next series of downs produced a touchdown by Gil Reese on his second run at the left tackle. Although Neely was sidelined by injury in the second quarter, Vanderbilt won 12–0."Vanderbilt Defeats the University of Georgia."
Charlotte Sunday Observer 19 Nov. 1922: 2.
At the end of the season, he was on
Walter Camp Walter Chauncey Camp (April 7, 1859 – March 14, 1925) was an American football player, coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". Among a long list of inventions, he created the sport's line of scrimmage and the system ...
's list of players worthy of mention, and Vanderbilt compiled an 8–0–1 record. The season was among the best in school and Southern football history; according to a number of publications, Vanderbilt's season was the best in the South. One of the highest honors a student could receive at Vanderbilt was
Bachelor of Ugliness The Bachelor of Ugliness was a title conferred onto Vanderbilt University's most popular male undergraduate. One of the highest honors that a student could achieve, it was given to the male undergraduate student believed to be most representative of ...
, created by William H. Dodd in 1885 and given to the male undergraduate student considered most representative of ideal young manhood. In 1923, Neely received the award.


Coaching career

After Neely graduated from Vanderbilt with a law degree in 1924, he began his coaching career at Murfreesboro High School in Tennessee and ran a farm-loan business. His college-football coaching career began at
Rhodes College Rhodes College is a private liberal arts college in Memphis, Tennessee. Historically affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA), it is a member of the Associated Colleges of the South and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges a ...
(then known as Southwestern University), a job he got thanks to former coach McGugin's recommendation, where he had a 20–17–2 record from 1924 to 1927. Neely was assistant baseball coach at
Princeton Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ni ...
in the spring of 1928 before going to
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
. From
1928 Events January * January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly proving the existence of DNA. * January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris Bazhanov, J ...
to
1930 Events January * January 15 – The Moon moves into its nearest point to Earth, called perigee, at the same time as its fullest phase of the Lunar Cycle. This is the closest moon distance at in recent history, and the next one will be ...
, Neely was assistant football coach under former Vanderbilt assistant
Wallace Wade William Wallace Wade (June 15, 1892 – October 7, 1986) was an American football player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at the University of Alabama fro ...
, and compiled a 28–15–2 record as the school's head baseball coach from 1929 to 1930. From
1931 Events January * January 2 – South Dakota native Ernest Lawrence invents the cyclotron, used to accelerate particles to study nuclear physics. * January 4 – German pilot Elly Beinhorn begins her flight to Africa. * January 22 – Sir I ...
to
1939 This year also marks the start of the Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 ** Third Reich *** Jews are forbidden to ...
he coached football at Clemson, compiling a 43–35–7 record. Neely coached at Rice from 1940 to 1966 with a 144–124–10 record, the most wins by a Rice coach. He won the first four bowl games he coached: the 1940 Cotton Bowl (with Clemson), the 1946 Orange Bowl and the
1949 Events January * January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2022. * January 2 – Luis ...
and
1953 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a Estonian government-in-exile, government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito i ...
Cotton Bowls (with Rice). However, at Rice, he also lost the last three bowl games he coached: the 1957 Cotton Bowl, the 1960 Sugar Bowl and 1961
Bluebonnet Bowl The Bluebonnet Bowl was an annual college football bowl game played in Houston, Texas. A civic group was appointed by the Houston Chamber of Commerce Athletics Committee in 1959 to organize the bowl game. It was held at Rice Stadium from 1959 ...
.


Clemson

Neely coached the Tigers during what is known as the "Seven Lean Years", and helped start the first booster club. The 1939 team lost only to
Tulane Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into a comprehensive pub ...
.https://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/islandora/object/tulane%3A23027/datastream/PDF/view In the 1940 Cotton Bowl, Neely's Tigers upset
Frank Leahy Francis William Leahy (August 27, 1908 – June 21, 1973) was an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and professional sports executive. He served as the head football coach at Boston College from 1939 to 1940 and at ...
's
Boston College Eagles The Boston College Eagles are the athletic teams that represent Boston College, located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level (Football Bowl Subdivisi ...
.
Banks McFadden James Banks McFadden (February 7, 1917 – June 4, 2005) was an American football and basketball player and coach. McFadden is best known for his association with Clemson University, where he spent 43 years as a player, coach, and administrator. H ...
led the Tigers.


Rice

Neely was hired by Rice in 1940 and led the team to a six-win turnaround. Neely's 1946 team won the
Southwest Conference The Southwest Conference (SWC) was an NCAA Division I college athletic conference in the United States that existed from 1914 to 1996. Composed primarily of schools from Texas, at various times the conference included schools from Oklahoma an ...
and the
Orange Bowl The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Miami metropolitan area. It has been played annually since January 1, 1935, making it, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Sun Bowl, the second-oldest bowl game in th ...
. Weldon Humble starred for the Owls The 1949 team won the
Southwest Conference The Southwest Conference (SWC) was an NCAA Division I college athletic conference in the United States that existed from 1914 to 1996. Composed primarily of schools from Texas, at various times the conference included schools from Oklahoma an ...
and the Cotton Bowl, and Neely was named the conference's coach of the year. Hall of Fame end Froggy Williams was "the most important cog" in Neely's "gridiron machine". The 1949 team won the Cotton Bowl. In
1953 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a Estonian government-in-exile, government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito i ...
Neely's Rice team again won the Cotton Bowl. The game featured one of college football's most famous plays.
Dicky Moegle Richard Lee Maegle (born Moegle; September 14, 1934 – July 4, 2021) was an American professional American football, football player who was a Halfback (American football), halfback in the National Football League (NFL) for the San Francisco 49 ...
had broken free on a run when he was tackled by Tommy Lewis, who had come off the sidelines from Alabama's bench. Moegle was awarded a touchdown for the illegal play.
Buddy Dial Gilbert Leroy "Buddy" Dial (January 17, 1937 – February 29, 2008) was an American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Rice University. Early yea ...
tied Williams's records in 1958. Rice lost the 1960 Sugar Bowl to national champion Ole Miss. Neely's last road win was a 20–17 upset over the
Texas Longhorns The Texas Longhorns are the athletic teams representing the University of Texas at Austin. The teams are sometimes referred to as the Horns and take their name from Longhorn cattle that were an important part of the development of Texas, and a ...
in 1965.


Athletic director at Vanderbilt

After the 1966 season he returned to Vanderbilt as athletic director, and received the
Amos Alonzo Stagg Award :''There is a separate " Amos Alonzo Stagg Coaching Award". The Amos Alonzo Stagg Award is presented annually by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) to the "individual, group or institution whose services have been outstanding in t ...
the following year. Neely brought the football program out of a dire financial situation.
Jess convinced Sam Fleming, who was involved at that time in a $30 million campus fundraising project, that he could get the McGugin Center built and called on his friends among those the late Alf Sharpe, to help him. This actually started all the improvements of the football facilities at the university. Jess had a very special way with people.


Legacy

In 1999, he was ranked 39th on ''
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
'' list of the 50 greatest Tennessee sports figures of the 20th century.


Head coaching record


Football


See also

*
List of college football coaches with 200 wins This is a list of college football coaches with 200 career wins. "College level" is defined as a four-year college or university program in either the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) or the National Collegiate Athletic Ass ...


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * *


External links

* *
The Coach: Jess Neely's last game and interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Neely, Jess 1898 births 1983 deaths American football halfbacks Alabama Crimson Tide baseball coaches Alabama Crimson Tide football coaches Clemson Tigers athletic directors Clemson Tigers baseball coaches Clemson Tigers football coaches Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football players Rhodes Lynx football coaches Rice Owls athletic directors Rice Owls baseball coaches Rice Owls football coaches Vanderbilt Commodores athletic directors Vanderbilt Commodores football players College Football Hall of Fame inductees People from Smyrna, Tennessee Coaches of American football from Tennessee Players of American football from Tennessee Baseball coaches from Tennessee Vanderbilt Commodores baseball players