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Cleve Bryant

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Cleve Bryant
Biographical details
Born (1947-03-27) March 27, 1947 (age 77)
Canton, Ohio
Playing career
1965–1969Ohio
Position(s)Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1977Miami (OH) (QB/WR)
1978–1981North Carolina (QB/WR)
1982–1984New England (RB)
1985–1989Ohio
1990–1991Illinois (WR)
1992–1994Texas (WR)
1995–1997North Carolina (WR/recruiting)
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1998–1999Texas (assistant AD)
2000–2011Texas (associate AD)
Head coaching record
Overall9–44–2
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
MAC Offensive Player of the Year (1968)

Cleve Bryant (born March 27, 1947) is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Ohio University from 1985 to 1989. Bryant was later the Associate Athletics Director for Football Operations for the Texas Longhorns football team. His responsibilities ranged from administrative operations to scheduling, as well as day-to-day operations of the football team and its facilities.[1] Bryant worked for Mack Brown at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and followed Brown to the University of Texas at Austin in 1998. Bryant was the wide receiver coach at Texas under John Mackovic from 1992 to 1994, before he joined Brown's staff at North Carolina.[1]

He was dismissed from the University of Texas in March 2011 because a university investigation determined he sexually harassed a 24-year-old athletic department employee.[2]

Playing career

Bryant attended Ohio University, where he earned all-conference honors in 1967 as the quarterback, while leading the Bobcats to a conference title. The Bobcats repeated the feat the following year, and Bryant went on to earn the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year honors.[1]

He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 11th round during 1970 NFL Draft,[3] but he did not make the team.

Bryant was inducted into the Ohio University Hall of Fame in 1975 and to the Citrus Bowl Hall of Fame in 1988.

Coaching career

Bryant's college coaching career began in 1977 at Miami University, where he coached quarterbacks and wide receivers. The following year, he left to accept a position coaching the quarterbacks at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. From 1978 to 1981 the Tar Heels went to three post-season bowl games and won the Atlantic Coast Conference title in 1980, going 7–0 in conference play and 11–1 overall.[4] In 1982, Bryant left Chapel Hill to become the running backs coach for the New England Patriots. During his two seasons coaching the Patriots running backs New England finished 2nd and 5th in rushing, compared to 15th in 1981 and 11th in 1984.[5]

In late 1984, Bryant was hired as the head coach by Ohio University, his alma mater, becoming only the third black head football coach in NCAA. Division I history.[6] Bryant posted a 2–9 record during his first season in 1985, followed by back-to-back 1–10 performances in 1986 and 1987. The Bobcats improved to 4–6–1 in 1988, but fell to 1–9–1 in Bryant's final season as Ohio's head coach. Bryant compiled a 9–44–2 (.182) record during his five seasons coaching Ohio.[7]

While readily admitting his less-than-stellar record in the win-loss department, Bryant still believes he has something to be proud of from those days.

"I think we made a difference, mostly negative, in the lives of some young people," he said. "We did not win enough ball games. We were not good enough athletically to win enough games for them to be able to keep me, and I totally understand that."

Though his won-loss record wasn't anywhere near the best in the nation, he said, the academic performance and graduation rates of his players were. One of his fondest memories, he said, was of a game against Eastern Michigan.

"It was toward the end of the year, and kids had final exams," he recalled. "I had to call a timeout, so they could go take final exams. And that included starters! But the expectation was the same - win the game." [8]

Personal life

Bryant is married to Jean Bryant, a long-time academic advisor to the University of Texas football program.

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Ohio Bobcats (Mid-American Conference) (1985–1989)
1985 Ohio 2–9 2–7 10th
1986 Ohio 1–10 0–8 10th
1987 Ohio 1–10 0–8 9th
1988 Ohio 4–6–1 4–3–1 5th
1989 Ohio 1–9–1 1–6–1 8th
Ohio: 9–44–2 7–32–2
Total: 9–44–2

References

  1. ^ a b c "Cleve Bryant". MackBrown-TexasFootball.com. The University of Texas. Archived from the original on May 22, 2009. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
  2. ^ "Football aide Cleve Bryant fighting dismissal, lawyer says". Austin American-Statesman. June 23, 2011. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  3. ^ "National Football League: NFL Draft History Full Draft - by Team". NFL.com. National Football League. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
  4. ^ NationalChamps.net
  5. ^ NFL.com, "Statistics"
  6. ^ Ohio University, "African Americans at Ohio University Timeline"
  7. ^ Ohio University,"Ohio Football History"
  8. ^ The Athens News, "What ever happened to...Cleve Bryant, star Ohio quarterback, head coach"
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