Bear Bryant

Bear Bryant

Bryant in 1973
Biographical details
Born	(1913-09-11)September 11, 1913 Moro Bottom, Arkansas, U.S.
Died	January 26, 1983(1983-01-26) (aged 69) Tuscaloosa, Alabama, U.S.
Playing career
1933–1935	Alabama
Position(s)	End
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1936 (spring)	Union (TN) (line)
1936–1939	Alabama (line)
1940–1941	Vanderbilt (line)
1942	Georgia Pre-Flight (ends)
1944	North Carolina Pre-Flight (line)
1945	Maryland
1946–1953	Kentucky
1954–1957	Texas A&M
1958–1982	Alabama
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1954–1957	Texas A&M
1958–1983	Alabama
Head coaching record
Overall	323–85–17
Bowls	15–12–2
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
6 national (1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979) 14 SEC (1950, 1961, 1964–1966, 1971–1975, 1977–1979, 1981) 1 SWC (1956)
Awards
3× AFCA Coach of the Year (1961, 1971, 1973) 12× SEC Coach of the Year (1950, 1959, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1977–1979, 1981) Third-team All-American (1935) Second-team All-SEC (1934)
College Football Hall of Fame Inducted in 1986 (profile)

Paul William "Bear" Bryant (September 11, 1913 – January 26, 1983) was an American college football player and coach. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest college football coaches of all time, and best known as the head coach of the University of Alabama football team from 1958 to 1982. During his 25-year tenure as Alabama's head coach, he amassed six national championships and 13 conference championships. Upon his retirement in 1982, he held the record for the most wins (323) as a head coach in collegiate football history. The Paul W. Bryant Museum, Paul W. Bryant Hall, Paul W. Bryant Drive, and Bryant–Denny Stadium are all named in his honor at the University of Alabama.

He was also known for his trademark black and white houndstooth hat, even though he normally wore a plaid one, deep voice, casually leaning up against the goal post during pre-game warmups, and holding his rolled-up game plan while on the sidelines. Before arriving at Alabama, Bryant was head football coach at the University of Maryland, the University of Kentucky, and Texas A&M University.