Ralph Jordan

James Ralph "Shug" Jordan (/ʃʊɡ ˈdʒɜːrdən/ SHUUG JUR-dən; September 25, 1910 – July 17, 1980) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach of football and basketball. He served as the head football coach at Auburn University from 1951 to 1975, where he compiled a record of 176–83–6. He has the most wins of any coach in Auburn Tigers football history. Jordan's 1957 Auburn squad went undefeated with a record of 10–0 and was named the national champion by the Associated Press. Jordan was also the head men's basketball coach at Auburn (1933–1942, 1945–1946) and at the University of Georgia (1946–1950), tallying a career college basketball record of 136–103. During his time coaching basketball, he also served as an assistant football coach at the two schools. Auburn's Jordan–Hare Stadium was renamed in Jordan's honor in 1973. Jordan was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1982.

"Shug Jordan" redirects here. For the Shug Jordan Parkway, see Alabama State Route 267.

Ralph Jordan
Jordan, c. 1960
Biographical details
Born(1910-09-25)September 25, 1910
Selma, Alabama, U.S.
DiedJuly 17, 1980(1980-07-17) (aged 69)
Auburn, Alabama, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1928–1932Auburn
Basketball
1929–1932Auburn
Baseball
c. 1930Auburn
Position(s)Center (football)
Guard (basketball)
Pitcher (baseball)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1934–1942Auburn (assistant)
1945Auburn (assistant)
1946Miami Seahawks (assistant)
1947–1950Georgia (assistant)
1951–1975Auburn
Basketball
1933–1942Auburn
1945–1946Auburn
1946–1950Georgia
Head coaching record
Overall176–83–6 (football)
136–103 (basketball)
Bowls5–7
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
National (1957)
SEC (1957)
Awards
Football
4x SEC Coach of the Year (1953, 1957, 1963, 1972)
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1982 (profile)

Early years and playing career

Born in Selma, Alabama, Jordan was nicknamed "Shug" as a child because of his love for sorghum sugar cane. A 1932 graduate of Auburn, he lettered in football, basketball, and baseball and was voted the Most Outstanding Athlete in 1932, awarded the Porter Loving Cup.[1] Jordan was initiated into Theta Chi Fraternity at Auburn, and he started the Delta Beta chapter of Theta Chi at the University of Georgia.

Early coaching career

After graduation, Jordan became the head basketball coach and an assistant football coach at Auburn. In ten seasons (1933–1942, 1945–1946) as the head coach of the Auburn Tigers men's basketball team, he compiled a record of 95–77. Jordan also compiled 45 wins as head basketball coach at Georgia. In addition to having the most wins by a football coach in Auburn history, Jordan ranks fifth in wins among Tigers basketball coaches.

Military service in World War II

During World War II, Jordan fought in four major invasions as a United States Army officer. He saw action in North Africa and Sicily before being wounded in the invasion of Normandy and receiving a Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. After recovering from his wounds, he continued action in the Pacific theater, serving at Okinawa.

Head football coaching career

Prior to being hired as Auburn's head football coach in 1951, Jordan spent one season as an assistant coach of the Miami Seahawks of the All-America Football Conference in 1946, and then four years as an assistant at the University of Georgia. When he became head football coach at Auburn, he retained assistants Shot Senn (linemen), Joel Eaves (defensive ends), and Dick McGowen as head freshmen team coach, all former Auburn players who had assisted Jordan's predecessor, Earl Brown. Jordan also hired George L. "Buck" Bradberry (defensive backfield), Homer Hobbs (assistant line), Gene Lorendo (offensive ends), all former Georgia players, and Charlie Waller (offensive backfield). McGowen also served as Auburn's head baseball coach from 1951 to 1957. By 1957 Jordan led Auburn to the Southeastern Conference title and AP national championship.

In 1971, Jordan coached quarterback Pat Sullivan to the Heisman Trophy. The next year, Jordan's Tigers upset heavily favored, arch-rival Alabama in the Iron Bowl, a victory which became known as Punt Bama Punt. In 1973, the university renamed Cliff Hare Stadium as Jordan–Hare Stadium in Jordan's honor, the first stadium in the United States to be named for an active coach. Reflecting Auburn's rise to national prominence under his watch, the stadium's capacity more than tripled during his tenure, from 21,600 when he returned to the Plains in 1951 to 61,261 when he retired. When Jordan retired after the 1975 season, he had amassed a record of 176–83–6 for a .675 winning percentage.

Death

Jordan died on July 17, 1980, at his home in Auburn, Alabama after a four-month fight with leukemia.[2]

Personal life

Jordan met Evelyn Walker (1913–2011), a native of Augusta, Georgia, and a student at the University of South Carolina, when Jordan accompanied the Auburn University basketball team to a tournament there in 1934. Jordan and Walker married in 1937 and were the parents of three children. Evelyn Walker Jordan served as a Panhellenic advisor on the Auburn campus and became a licensed couples counsellor.

Head coaching record

Football
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Auburn Tigers (Southeastern Conference) (1951–1975)
1951 Auburn 4–52–46th
1952 Auburn 2–80–712th
1953 Auburn 7–3–14–2–15thL Gator17
1954 Auburn 8–33–3T–7thW Gator13
1955 Auburn 7–2–15–2–13rdL Gator88
1956 Auburn 3–33–35th
1957 Auburn 10–06–01st21
1958 Auburn 9–0–16–0–12nd44
1959 Auburn 7–34–35th15
1960 Auburn 5–24–24th1413
1961 Auburn 5–43–47th
1962 Auburn 5–3–12–36th
1963 Auburn 6–25–12ndL Orange65
1964 Auburn 4–42–36th
1965 Auburn 4–5–13–1–14thL Liberty
1966 Auburn 4–61–58th
1967 Auburn 6–43–37th
1968 Auburn 7–44–2T–3rdW Sun16
1969 Auburn 8–35–2T–3rdL Astro-Bluebonnet1520
1970 Auburn 9–25–23rdW Gator910
1971 Auburn 7–24–1T–2ndL Sugar512
1972 Auburn 8–16–12ndW Gator75
1973 Auburn 5–61–5T–8thL Sun
1974 Auburn 9–24–2T–2ndW Gator68
1975 Auburn 3–6–21–4–1T–7th
Auburn: 145–83–785–65–5
Total:145–83–7
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

Basketball
Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Auburn Tigers (Southeastern Conference) (1933–1942)
1933–34 Auburn 2–112–912th
1934–35 Auburn 4–133–911th
1935–36 Auburn 10–77–45th
1936–37 Auburn 11–47–44th
1937–38 Auburn 14–56–34th
1938–39 Auburn 16–66–44th
1939–40 Auburn 7–106–78th
1940–41 Auburn 13–66–56th
1941–42 Auburn 11–69–55th
Auburn Tigers (Southeastern Conference) (1945–1946)
1945–46 Auburn 7–97–6
Auburn: 95–7759–56
Georgia Bulldogs (Southeastern Conference) (1946–1950)
1946–47 Georgia 2–3
1947–48 Georgia 18–106–8
1948–49 Georgia 17–136–9
1949–50 Georgia 4–2
Georgia: 41–2812–17
Total:136–103

Honors and awards

References
  1. "The Rattle of Theta Chi". 1932.
  2. "Ralph (Shug) Jordan Dead at 69; Coached Football at Auburn; A Colorful Coach" (PDF). The New York Times. July 18, 1980. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
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