They have been playing football at the University of Arkansas for more than a century – and they have been playing it well! In fact, when you calculate the percentage of wins versus games played, the Arkansas Razorbacks are among the 25 elite programs in the country, with victories in excess of 650 and losses that have not yet reached 450. During its time in the defunct Southwest Conference, the Razorbacks were winners of the conference a total of thirteen times – a clear indication of the quality of their program. More than half of those Conference titles were earned under the leadership of the man who coached the Razorbacks for nearly two decades beginning in 1958: Frank Broyles.

Broyles the Player

Most college football coaches have their football roots as a player. In Frank’s case, he began his career playing for his Decatur high school squad. His college ball was played for Georgia Tech, where he was a quarterback. During his time with the team, he was an important part of four bowl-eligible teams, including the 1944 campaign that saw Broyles not only win the Player of the Year honor in the SEC but break the Orange Bowl passing yards record as well. Broyles record would stand for more than fifty years until Michigan’s Tom Brady broke it in the 2000 Orange Bowl. Broyles’ outstanding play at Georgia Tech was not only honored with a Hall of Fame induction by his school, but also by the Cotton, Gator, and Orange Bowls.

Broyles the Coach

The beginnings of Broyles coaching career followed much the same path taken by other coaches before and since: one assistant coaching job after another. First as Coach Bob Woodruff’s assistant at both Baylor and Florida, then as an assistant at his Georgia Tech alma mater. His first head coaching job was at the University of Missouri, which he held for one season. He left the team the following year when he was given the opportunity to coach the Razorbacks. Once arriving in 1958, Broyles tenure at the school lasted almost 50 years, as he coached the team until 1976 and then took the job of athletic director. His tenure marked a period of consistent success for the Arkansas program.

While at Arkansas for one year short of two decades, Broyles won a total of 144 games, and lost only 58. Those results alone would qualify his stewardship of the program as one of the highest points in Razorbacks history, but he accomplished even more. While competing in the Southwest Conference, his Arkansas squads won a total of seven championships, dominating that Conference in a way that few other teams ever managed. The icing on the cake that was Broyles career with Arkansas came in 1964 when his team capped their season by winning the national championship.

In addition to his many achievements leading the team, his legacy involves the lives of many of his players – particularly with regards to their own success as coaches later in their careers. NFL coaches such as Barry Switzer and the great Jimmy Johnson played for Broyles, and then later brought their own dominant coaching styles onto the sidelines of their own squads in the professional ranks. Perhaps the greatest tribute to Broyles’ legacy came with the creation of the Broyles Award in 1996 – an award that recognizes each year’s top assistant coaches.

Author Bio: Ivan Jamison is a big sports fan. You can check out his Arkansas Razorbacks Watch or his Los Angeles Dodgers Watch or his New York Mets Watch

Category: Sports
Keywords: Arkansas Razorback