Grant Teaff facts for kids
Teaff, c. 1976
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| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 12, 1933 Hermleigh, Texas, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1953–1954 | San Angelo |
| 1955 | McMurry |
| Position(s) | Linebacker |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1956 | Lubbock HS (TX) (assistant) |
| 1957–1959 | McMurry (assistant) |
| 1960–1965 | McMurry |
| 1966–1968 | Texas Tech (assistant) |
| 1969–1971 | Angelo State |
| 1972–1992 | Baylor |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1992–1993 | Baylor |
| 1993–2016 | AFCA (executive director) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 170–151–8 |
| Bowls | 4–4 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 2 SWC (1974, 1980) | |
| Awards | |
| AFCA Coach of the Year (1974) Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year (1974) 2x SWC Coach of the Year (1974, 1980) Amos Alonzo Stagg Award (2006) |
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| College Football Hall of Fame Inducted in 2001 (profile) |
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Grant Garland Teaff was a famous American football player and coach. He was born on November 12, 1933. Coach Teaff led teams at McMurry University, Angelo State University, and Baylor University. He coached from 1960 to 1992.
During his career, he won 170 games. He is best known for coaching the Baylor Bears football team for 21 seasons. His Baylor teams won two big titles and played in eight bowl games. He holds the record for the most wins as a coach at Baylor, with 128 victories. In 2001, Grant Teaff was honored by being added to the College Football Hall of Fame.
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Grant Teaff's Early Football Days
Grant Teaff started playing football at Snyder High School in Snyder, Texas. After high school, he continued playing in college. He played for San Angelo Junior College, which is now Angelo State University. Later, he played for McMurry University in Abilene, Texas.
In 1956, he became an assistant coach at Lubbock High School. He then returned to McMurry University as an assistant coach from 1957 to 1959.
First Head Coaching Jobs
Grant Teaff became a head coach for the first time at McMurry University in 1960. He coached there until 1965. Some of his players became professional football players. After McMurry, he was an assistant coach at Texas Tech. Then, from 1969 to 1971, he was the head coach at Angelo State University.
Coaching the Baylor Bears
In 1972, Grant Teaff became the head coach at Baylor University. The Baylor football team had not been very successful before he arrived. They had won only 7 games and lost 43 in the five seasons before him.
Coach Teaff quickly helped the team improve. In 1974, just two years after he started, Baylor won eight games. They also won the Southwest Conference title. This was their first conference title since 1924! A famous game that year was when they beat the Texas Longhorns 34–24. Baylor came back from being behind 24–7 at halftime. This win was Baylor's first against Texas in 17 years. The 1974 season and that amazing win are often called the "Miracle on the Brazos." This name comes from the Brazos River near the Baylor campus.
The "Worms Warm" Game
In 1978, Coach Teaff led his team to another memorable victory. His Baylor Bears had a tough season, with only 2 wins and 8 losses. They were about to play the No. 9 ranked Texas team. Many Baylor players were injured, and everyone expected them to lose.
To help his team, Coach Teaff used a special strategy. He also told them a story about two Eskimo fishermen. One fisherman was catching many fish, but the other couldn't catch any. The frustrated fisherman asked for the secret. His friend pulled a worm from his mouth and said, "You've got to keep the worms warm!" Coach Teaff then pulled a worm from his own mouth and told his team, "This game is yours." He wanted them to know that winning might be uncomfortable, but it would be worth it. The Bears went on to win the game 38-14, even though they finished the season with a 3-8 record.
Baylor's Continued Success
Coach Teaff stayed as Baylor's head coach until 1992. His teams often had winning records. They won the Southwest Conference title again in 1980. His teams also won several important bowl games:
- The 1979 Peach Bowl
- The 1985 Liberty Bowl
- The 1986 Bluebonnet Bowl
- The 1992 John Hancock Bowl (his last game as coach)
Baylor also played in other bowl games, like the 1975 and 1981 Cotton Bowl Classic. Coach Teaff's Baylor teams were especially good against the University of Texas. He had a winning record of 10 wins and 11 losses against them. In comparison, Baylor had a much harder time against Texas before and after Teaff's time.
Life After Coaching
After he stopped coaching football, Grant Teaff took on a new role. In 1994, he became the executive director of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). This organization is based in Waco, Texas. The AFCA helps represent football coaches across the United States. They often work with the NCAA and the media. They discuss new rules and changes in college football.
Grant Teaff is married to Donell Phillips. They have three daughters.
