Don James (American football) facts for kids
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James in July 2013
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| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 31, 1932 Massillon, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | October 20, 2013 (aged 80) Kirkland, Washington, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1951–1953 | Miami (FL) |
| Position(s) | Quarterback, defensive back |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1956–1957 | Kansas (GA) |
| 1958 | Southwest Miami HS (FL) |
| 1959–1961 | Florida State (DB) |
| 1962–1965 | Florida State (DC) |
| 1966–1967 | Michigan (DB) |
| 1968–1970 | Colorado (DC) |
| 1971–1974 | Kent State |
| 1975–1992 | Washington |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 178–76–3 (college) |
| Bowls | 10–5 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 1 national (1991) 1 MAC (1972) 6 Pac-8/Pac-10 (1977, 1980–81, 1990–92) |
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| Awards | |
| AFCA Coach of the Year (1977) Paul "Bear" Bryant Award (1991) Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year (1991) George Munger Award (1991) Sporting News College Football COY (1991) MAC Coach of the Year (1972) 3× Pac-10 Coach of the Year (1980, 1990, 1991) |
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| College Football Hall of Fame Inducted in 1997 (profile) |
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| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
 U.S. Army |
| Years of service | 1954–1956 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | Cold War |
Donald Earl James (born December 31, 1932 – died October 20, 2013) was a famous American football player and coach. He was the head coach at Kent State University from 1971 to 1974. Later, he coached the University of Washington team from 1975 to 1992. His college coaching record was 178 wins, 76 losses, and 3 ties.
His 1991 Washington team had an amazing season. They went undefeated with 12 wins and 0 losses. This team won a share of the national championship. They beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl. Don James was honored for his coaching. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997.
Contents
Early Life of Don James
Don James was born in 1932 in Massillon, Ohio. He was one of five brothers. Four of them played football. His oldest brother, Tommy, was a star player. Tommy played for Ohio State and won a national championship in 1942. He also played professional football for ten years.
Don James went to Massillon Washington High School. He was the quarterback for his school's football team. He played in 1948 and 1949 and graduated in 1950.
College Football and Military Service
Don James received a football scholarship to the University of Miami. He played quarterback for the Hurricanes in 1952 and 1953. He set new records for the team. These included most completions, yards, and completion percentage in a single season.
In 1954, he earned a degree in education. After college, he joined the U.S. Army as a lieutenant. He served in the Army from 1954 to 1956. In 1992, he was added to the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.
Don James' Coaching Career
Starting as an Assistant Coach
After his military service, James became a graduate assistant coach. He worked for the Jayhawks at the University of Kansas. He also earned a master's degree in education there. In 1959, he coached high school football in Florida. For the next twelve seasons, he was an assistant coach at several colleges. These included Florida State, Michigan, and Colorado.
Leading the Kent State Golden Flashes
In 1971, Don James became a head coach. He coached the Kent State team in Ohio. He coached there for four years. His record at Kent State was 25 wins, 19 losses, and 1 tie.
At Kent State, he coached some future stars. These included NFL player Jack Lambert. He also coached future college head coaches Nick Saban and Gary Pinkel. In 1972, the Golden Flashes won their only Mid-American Conference (MAC) title. They also played in their first bowl game, the Tangerine Bowl. The 1973 team had their best record ever, with 9 wins and 2 losses.
Coaching the Washington Huskies
In December 1974, James was hired by the University of Washington (UW). He became the head coach of the Huskies. He coached the Huskies for 18 seasons, from 1975 to 1992.
Coach James led the Huskies to a national championship in 1991. His teams won four Rose Bowls. They also won the Orange Bowl in 1985. Overall, his Washington teams had a great record of 153 wins, 57 losses, and 2 ties. They won 22 games in a row from 1990 to 1992. James was named college coach of the year in 1977, 1984, and 1991. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997.
In 1992, there were reports about some players receiving extra benefits. This led to investigations by the Pacific-10 Conference and the NCAA. Even though Don James and his coaches were not found to have broken any rules, he resigned. He left his coaching job on August 22, 1993. He did this to protest what he felt were unfair punishments against his team. His wife later said that his resignation might have saved his life.
Personal Life
Don James married his high school sweetheart, Carol Hoobler. She was also from Massillon, Ohio. Carol followed James to Miami and became a cheerleader. They got married in August 1952. They had three children: Jeff, Jill, and Jeni.
In 2004, James raised the Seattle Seahawks 12th man flag before a game. This is a special tradition for the Seahawks football team.
Death
Don James passed away in 2013 at age 80. He died from pancreatic cancer at his home in Kirkland.
Legacy
In October 2017, the University of Washington honored Don James. They unveiled a bronze statue of James at Husky Stadium in Seattle. This statue celebrates his important contributions to the team.
Coaching Tree
Don James learned from five head coaches during his career:
- Chuck Mather (Kansas)
- Perry Moss (Florida State)
- Bill Peterson (Florida State)
- Bump Elliott (Michigan)
- Eddie Crowder (Colorado)
Many of Don James's assistant coaches went on to become head coaches themselves. They coached in college or the NFL. Some famous examples include:
- Nick Saban (Alabama, LSU, Michigan State, Toledo, Miami Dolphins)
- Gary Pinkel (Missouri, Toledo)
- Jim E. Mora (New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts)
- Jim L. Mora (Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks, UCLA, UConn)
Images for kids
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United States Army seal
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Lieutenant rank insignia
