John Chavis (American football) facts for kids
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| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 16, 1956 Dillon, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1976–1978 | Tennessee |
| Position(s) | Nose tackle |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1979 | Tennessee (GA) |
| 1980–1983 | Alabama A&M (DL) |
| 1984–1985 | Alabama State (DC) |
| 1986–1988 | Alabama A&M (DC) |
| 1989–1994 | Tennessee (DL/LB) |
| 1995–2008 | Tennessee (DC/LB) |
| 2009–2014 | LSU (DC/LB) |
| 2015–2017 | Texas A&M (DC/LB) |
| 2018–2019 | Arkansas (DC/LB) |
| 2022–2024 | Birmingham Stallions (DC/LB) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Awards | |
| Broyles Award (2011) | |
Johnny Chavis (born October 16, 1956), known as "The Chief," is a famous American college football coach. He was most recently the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Birmingham Stallions in the United Football League (UFL).
Before that, he coached for many big college teams. These include the Arkansas Razorbacks, Tennessee Volunteers, LSU Tigers, and Texas A&M Aggies. He was known for leading strong defenses.
Contents
John Chavis: His Playing Days
John Chavis started his football journey as a player at the University of Tennessee. He joined the team as a "walk-on," meaning he wasn't given a scholarship at first. He played as a defensive lineman, a position where players try to stop the other team's offense.
He played from 1976 to 1978. In 1977, he played well and earned a scholarship. He finished his college playing career with 74 tackles. A tackle is when a defensive player stops the player with the ball.
Chavis earned his college degree in 1979. He grew up in Dillon, South Carolina, where he also played high school football.
John Chavis: A Coaching Legend
John Chavis became a highly respected football coach. He was especially known for building strong defenses. A defensive coordinator is the coach in charge of the defense.
Starting His Coaching Journey
Chavis began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Tennessee in 1979. After that, he coached at Alabama A&M and Alabama State.
At Alabama A&M, he became the defensive coordinator. His defenses were incredibly good, ranking first in the nation for total defense in 1987 and 1988. This was a big achievement for a Division II school.
Coaching at Tennessee
In 1989, Chavis returned to the University of Tennessee as a coach. He worked with the defensive line and linebackers. In 1995, he was promoted to defensive coordinator.
Under Chavis, Tennessee's defense became known for being very "stingy." This means they were tough to score against. His defenses often ranked among the best in the country.
After the 1998 season, when Tennessee won the national championship, Chavis was recognized as the best linebacker coach in the SEC. He was also named assistant head coach in 1999. In 2006, he received the Assistant Football Coach of the Year award.
Chavis's time at Tennessee ended after the 2008 season. Even though the team had a tough year, his defense still ranked 3rd nationally.
Coaching at LSU
On January 5, 2009, Chavis became the defensive coordinator for the LSU Tigers. His defenses at LSU were consistently ranked among the best in the nation.
In 2011, the LSU team had an amazing undefeated regular season. They even played in the national championship game that year. For his excellent work, Chavis won the Broyles Award in 2011. This award goes to the best assistant coach in college football.
Many players coached by Chavis at LSU went on to play in the NFL. By 2013, 19 of his players had been drafted into the NFL.
Coaching at Texas A&M
In 2015, Chavis took on a new role as the defensive coordinator for the Texas A&M Aggies. He coached there for three seasons.
After the 2017 season, the head coach at Texas A&M was replaced. The new coach decided to bring in his own defensive coordinator, so Chavis moved on.
Coaching at Arkansas
In January 2018, Chavis joined the Arkansas Razorbacks as their defensive coordinator. He coached there for two seasons.
Coaching the Birmingham Stallions
In 2022, Chavis became the defensive coordinator for the Birmingham Stallions. This team plays in the United Football League (UFL). He left the team in May 2024.
Family Life
John Chavis is married to Diane Crisp Chavis. They have two sons named C. John Chavis and Jason Chavis.
