Cleve Bryant facts for kids

Cleve Bryant (born March 27, 1947) is a well-known figure in American football. He was a talented player and later became a successful coach. He served as the head football coach for the Ohio University team from 1985 to 1989.

After his coaching days, Bryant became the Associate Athletics Director for Football Operations for the Texas Longhorns football team. In this role, he helped manage many parts of the football program. This included scheduling games and handling the daily operations of the team and its facilities. Bryant worked closely with famous coach Mack Brown at both the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Texas at Austin.

Playing Football

Cleve Bryant was a star player at Ohio University. In 1967, he earned special honors as the quarterback. He led the Bobcats to win their conference championship that year. The team won the conference title again in 1968. For his amazing performance, Bryant was named the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year.

After college, he was chosen by the Denver Broncos in the 1970 NFL Draft. This means a professional team wanted him to play for them. However, he did not end up joining the team.

Bryant's achievements were recognized in several ways. He was inducted into the Ohio University Hall of Fame in 1975. Later, in 1988, he was also added to the Citrus Bowl Hall of Fame.

Coaching Career Highlights

Bryant's journey as a college coach began in 1977. He started at Miami University, where he coached quarterbacks and wide receivers. The next year, he moved to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. There, he continued to coach quarterbacks.

Success at North Carolina

From 1978 to 1981, the North Carolina Tar Heels had great success. They played in three post-season bowl games. In 1980, they won the Atlantic Coast Conference title. They had an impressive record of 7 wins and 0 losses in conference games. Overall, they finished that season with 11 wins and only 1 loss.

Coaching in the NFL

In 1982, Bryant took a big step in his career. He left college coaching to become the running backs coach for the New England Patriots. This is a professional team in the NFL. During his two seasons with the Patriots, the team's running game improved a lot. They ranked 2nd and 5th in rushing yards across the league. This was a big jump from their previous rankings.

Head Coach at Ohio University

In late 1984, Bryant returned to his old school, Ohio University, as the head coach. This was a very important moment. He became only the third black head football coach in the history of NCAA Division I football.

His first season in 1985 had a record of 2 wins and 9 losses. The next two years, 1986 and 1987, saw records of 1 win and 10 losses. In 1988, the Bobcats improved to 4 wins, 6 losses, and 1 tie. However, in his final season in 1989, the team finished with 1 win, 9 losses, and 1 tie. Over his five seasons as head coach at Ohio, Bryant's overall record was 9 wins, 44 losses, and 2 ties.

Even though his team's win-loss record wasn't the best, Bryant felt proud of other things. He believed they made a positive difference in the lives of young players. He understood that winning games was important for coaches to keep their jobs.

Bryant often said that the academic performance and graduation rates of his players were excellent. He remembered a game against Eastern Michigan where players had to leave to take final exams. Even starters had to go! But the expectation was still to win the game. This shows how much he valued both sports and education.

Personal Life

Cleve Bryant is married to Jean Bryant. Jean has also worked for the University of Texas football program for a long time. She served as an academic advisor, helping student-athletes with their studies.