John McKay

Bio

In 16 years as head coach at Southern California, John McKay's teams won the MacArthur Bowl, presented annually by the National Football Foundation to the national champion, four times - 1962, 1967, 1972 and 1974. McKay's teams won 127 games, lost 40, tied 8 and were in the Rose Bowl eight times. His last nine years were astounding. The Trojans played their most famous rivals, UCLA and Notre Dame,18 games and lost only three times. John was born July 5, 1923, in Everettsville, W.Va. a town that is now extinct. It was coal mining territory; when the coal gave out, the people moved out. John's father died when he was 13; he took a job sweeping out the general store at 5 a.m. before going to school and has maintained a lifelong reputation for hard, honest work. After high school in Shinniston, W.Va.., John worked a year in the mines, served four years in the Air Force, and finally reached college at age 23. He attended Purdue one year, Oregon three years, and was a starting back on the football team at both places. Pro football offered him a playing contract, but he turned it down to begin a coaching career, and here is the record: assistant coach, Oregon 1950-58; assistant Southern California, 1959; head coach Southern California 1960-75; head coach Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1976-84. McKay also served as director of athletics at Southern California. He served as president of the American Football Coaches Association. The school was in the PAC 8 Conference. In 16 years McKay lost only 17 conference games. He coached 40 All-Americans, including Heisman Trophy winners O.J. Simpson and Mike Garrett. Other stars included Lynn Swann, Pat Haden, Ron Yary and Charlie Young. In 1974, he wrote a book. "McKay A Coach's Story."