University of Tennessee Athletics
Stallings Named as Neyland Award Winner
March 21, 2002 | Football
March 21, 2002
The Knoxville Quarterback Club named Gene Stallings, head coach at Texas A& M and Alabama and the NFL's Arizona Cardinals franchise, the 2002 recipient of the Robert R. Neyland Memorial Trophy.
The Quarterback Club has made the award annually since 1967 to an outstanding leader in intercollegiate athletics in honor and memory of the Vol head coach (1926-52) and Athletics Director (1952-62). Stallings is the third coach with Alabama ties to win the award, joining Wallace Wade (1968) and Paul "Bear" Bryant (1983).
"I remember being in
a sporting goods store in my hometown of Paris, Texas, when I was a kid,"
Stallings said, "and having Gen. Neyland pointed out to me. He was in town
on a fishing trip. That is my earliest recollection. I know that, when you think
about the tradition of Tennessee football, he's the one you think about. I've
always been one of his greatest admirers and I'm pleased to receive the award
that bears his name."
When the 1996 Alabama football season ended, Stallings announced that he would
"pass the torch" as he retired from active coaching with an overall
record of 70-16-1 at Alabama, 27-45-1 at Texas A&M and 23-34-1 in the NFL.
"Gene Stallings is
the epitome of what the Neyland Award represents," Quarterback Club president
Jimmy Hyams said. "He is an outstanding coach and an outstanding person.
His unselfish work in the community has been widely acclaimed. I can think of
no more deserving winner."
One of Bryant's favorite coaching sons and a member of the Bear's famed "Junction
Boys" at Texas A&M in the mid-1950s, Stallings was named Alabama's
22nd head coach Jan. 11, 1990. In seven years at the Capstone, Stallings directed
the Tide to a national championship in 1992, an SEC title that same year, four
SEC West titles and six post-season bowl appearances, winning five of the six
games. He was named SEC "Coach of the Year" in 1992 and 1993. He was
1-0 in bowl games at College Station, defeating Alabama 20-16 in the 1968 Cotton
Bowl.
He ended his career on a winning note with a 17-14 victory over Michigan in
the 1997 Outback Bowl. He also became the first coach on either side of the
Alabama-Auburn rivalry to win the Iron Bowl in his final season.
Stallings will be honored at the annual Awards Luncheon of the East Tennessee Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame April 13 at the Foundry, 747 World's Fair Park in downtown Knoxville. The event begins at 11:15 a.m. Tickets are $25 each and may be ordered by calling (865) 974-1216 or (865) 974-1266.
Previous winners of the Robert R. Neyland Memorial Trophy are:
- Douglas A. Dickey (Tennessee) in 2001
- Tom Osborne (Nebraska) in 2000
- Eddie Robinson (Grambling State University) in 1999
- Lou Holtz (Notre Dame) in 1998
- Terry Donahue (UCLA) in 1997
- Hayden Fry (Iowa) in 1996
- Dan Devine (Notre Dame) in 1995
- Jerry Claiborne (Kentucky) in 1994
- Grant Teaff (Baylor) in 1993
- Bobby Bowden (Florida State) in 1992
- Murray Warmath (Minnesota) in 1991
- Bo Schembechler (Michigan) in 1990
- Vince Dooley (Georgia) in 1989
- LaVell Edwards (Brigham Young) in 1988
- Charles McClendon (LSU) in 1987
- Bob Woodruff (Tennessee) in 1986
- Duffy Daugherty (Michigan State) in 1985
- Woody Hayes (Ohio State) in 1984
- Paul "Bear" Bryant (Alabama) in 1983
- Bill Murray (Duke) in 1982
- Ara Parseghian (Notre Dame) in 1981
- Bob Devaney (Nebraska) in 1980
- Frank Broyles (Arkansas) in 1979
- Ralph (Shug) Jordan (Auburn) in 1978
- Darrell Royal (Texas) in 1977
- John McKay (Southern California) in 1976
- Lynn (Pappy) Waldorf (California) in 1975
- Fritz Crisler (Michigan) in 1974
- Bud Wilkinson (Oklahoma) in 1973
- John Vaught (Mississippi) in 1972
- Jess Neely (Rice) in 1971
- John Barnhill (Arkansas) in 1970
- Bobby Dodd (Georgia Tech) in 1969
- Wallace Wade (Alabama) in 1968
- Nathan Dougherty (Tennessee) and Herman Hickman (Yale) in 1967
