Bowden Wyatt

Bowden Wyatt
Biographical details
Born	October 4, 1917; Kingston, Tennessee, U.S.
Died	January 21, 1969 (aged 51); Sweetwater, Tennessee, U.S.
Playing career
1936–1938	Tennessee
1943	Del Monte Pre-Flight
Position(s)	End
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1939–1941	Mississippi State (assistant)
1946	Mississippi State (assistant)
1947–1952	Wyoming
1953–1954	Arkansas
1955–1962	Tennessee
1964–1965	Oklahoma State (assistant)
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1962–1963	Tennessee
Head coaching record
Overall	99–56–5
Bowls	2–2
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
	2 Skyline Six / Skyline (1949–1950); 1 SWC (1954); 1 SEC (1956)
Awards
	AFCA Coach of the Year (1956); SEC Coach of the Year (1956)
	College Football Hall of Fame; Inducted in 1972 (player), 1997 (coach) (profile)

Clarence Bowden Wyatt (October 4, 1917 – January 21, 1969) was an American football player and coach. Wyatt played college football at the University of Tennessee and was later the head football coach at three schools, the University of Wyoming (1947–1952), the University of Arkansas (1953–1954), and his alma mater, Tennessee (1955–1962). He compiled a 99–56–5 record in 16 seasons as a head coach.

In Wyoming, Wyatt turned around a team that had struggled under previous coach Bunny Oakes and had operated intermittently in the previous years because of World War II. His turnaround plan involved a round-the-clock training regimen, one that defensive back Marv Levy would later note did not allow players adequate time to complete their academic studies (leading Levy to transfer to Coe College). Wyatt's plan would secure Wyoming a perfect season and a win in the 1951 Gator Bowl.^[1]

Wyatt's most notable victory at Tennessee came on November 7, 1959, when his Tennessee Volunteers football Volunteers upset top-ranked LSU, 14–13, by stopping a two-point conversion attempt by eventual Heisman Trophy winner Billy Cannon late in the game. The victory ended the Tigers' 18-game winning streak.

Wyatt was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1972 as a player and again in 1997 as a coach.

Personal life and death

Wyatt married Mary Alson Miller around 1940. They had one daughter named Mary Gail "Missy", born in 1942.

Wyatt died of viral pneumonia on January 21, 1969, at hospital in Sweetwater, Tennessee.^[2]

Head coaching record


Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs	Coaches^#	AP^°
Wyoming Cowboys (Mountain States / Skyline Six / Skyline Conference) (1947–1952)
1947	Wyoming	4–5	2–4	6th
1948	Wyoming	4–5	0–5	6th
1949	Wyoming	9–1	5–0	1st
1950	Wyoming	10–0	5–0	1st	W Gator	14	12
1951	Wyoming	7–2–1	5–1–1	2nd
1952	Wyoming	5–4	4–3	4th
Wyoming:		39–17–1	21–13–1
Arkansas Razorbacks (Southwest Conference) (1953–1954)
1953	Arkansas	3–7	2–4	5th
1954	Arkansas	8–3	5–1	1st	L Cotton	8	10
Arkansas:		11–10	7–5
Tennessee Volunteers (Southeastern Conference) (1955–1962)
1955	Tennessee	6–3–1	3–2–1	5th
1956	Tennessee	10–1	6–0	1st	L Sugar	2	2
1957	Tennessee	8–3	4–3	5th	W Gator	16	13
1958	Tennessee	4–6	4–3	5th
1959	Tennessee	5–4–1	3–4–1	8th
1960	Tennessee	6–2–2	3–2–2	5th		19
1961	Tennessee	6–4	4–3	T–4th
1962	Tennessee	4–6	2–6	10th
Tennessee:		49–29–4	29–23–4
Total:		99–56–5
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth
^#Rankings from final Coaches Poll. ^°Rankings from final AP Poll.

References

^ Tucker, Cody (April 15, 2021). "Some of the University of Wyoming's Best Have Called Buffalo Home". 7220 Sports. Townsquare Media. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
^ "Bowden Wyatt Dies in Sweetwater Hospital". The Leaf-Chronicle. Clarksville, Tennessee. January 21, 1969. p. 6. Retrieved December 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com .

External links

Bowden Wyatt (player) at the College Football Hall of Fame
Bowden Wyatt (coach) at the College Football Hall of Fame
Bowden Wyatt at Find a Grave

[1] Tucker, Cody (April 15, 2021). "Some of the University of Wyoming's Best Have Called Buffalo Home". 7220 Sports. Townsquare Media. Retrieved September 12, 2022.

[2] "Bowden Wyatt Dies in Sweetwater Hospital". The Leaf-Chronicle. Clarksville, Tennessee. January 21, 1969. p. 6. Retrieved December 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com .

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