Jim Owens

Jim Owens
Owens from 1960 UW yearbook
Sport(s) Football
Biographical details
Born (1927-03-06)March 6, 1927
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Died June 6, 2009(2009-06-06) (aged 82)
at his home in Bigfork, Montana[1]
Playing career
1946–1949 Oklahoma
1950 Baltimore Colts
Position(s) End
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1951–1953 Kentucky (assistant)
1954–1956 Texas A&M (assistant)
1957–1974 Washington
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1960–1969 Washington
Head coaching record
Overall 99–82–6
Bowls 2–1
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 National (1960)
3 AAWU (1959, 1960, 1963)
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1982 (profile)

James Donald Owens (March 6, 1927 – June 6, 2009) was an American football player and coach. He was the head coach at the University of Washington from 1957 to 1974, compiling a record of 99–82–6 (.545) in 18 seasons.

Owens played college football at the University of Oklahoma from 1946 to 1949, under head coach Bud Wilkinson, where he was a teammate of Darrell Royal, whom, ironically was the Huskies' head coach in 1956, then took the same post at Texas, allowing Owens to come to Seattle.[2] He played a year of pro football in 1950 and then was a college assistant coach for six years under the legendary Bear Bryant at the University of Kentucky and Texas A&M University.[3] According to legend, after the 1956 season, when the Washington Huskies were looking for a head coach, Bryant indicated to reporters that Owens "will make a great coach for somebody some day."[4]

In 1959 and 1960, he led Washington to back-to-back ten-win seasons and consecutive Rose Bowl wins, as well as a national championship in 1960. He also coached the Huskies to the 1964 Rose Bowl. Owens concurrently served as the athletic director at Washington from 1960 to 1969. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1982.

Owens resigned as head coach of the Huskies following the 1974 season at the end of his last contract, a three-year deal at $33,000 per year.[5] His later years at Washington were marred by accusations of racism and the backlash that resulted from his actions and attitudes towards black players.[6] He was succeeded by Don James, who would also coach the Huskies for 18 seasons. He would later apologize for his actions and a statue of Owens was erected at Washington in 2003.[7]

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Washington Huskies (PCC/AAWU/Pac-8) (1957–1974)
1957 Washington 3–6–13–47th
1958 Washington 3–71–68th
1959 Washington 10–16–1T–1stW Rose78
1960 Washington 10–17–01stW Rose56
1961 Washington 5–4–12–1–1T–2nd
1962 Washington 7–1–24–12nd14
1963 Washington 6–54–11stL Rose15
1964 Washington 6–45–23rd
1965 Washington 5–54–34th
1966 Washington 6–44–34th
1967 Washington 5–53–4T–3rd
1968 Washington 3–5–21–5–18th
1969 Washington 1–91–77th
1970 Washington 6–44–3T–2nd
1971 Washington 8–34–3T–3rd19
1972 Washington 8–34–3T–3rd
1973 Washington 2–90–78th
1974 Washington 5–63–4T–5th
Washington: 99–82–660–58–2
Total:99–82–6
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

  1. ↑ "Jim Owens, Former Washington Football Coach, Dies at 82". The New York Times. Associated Press. June 8, 2009. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Former Washington football coach Jim Owens dies at 82". USA Today. Associated Press. June 6, 2009. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  3. ↑ Withers, Bud (June 6, 2009). "Jim Owens, coaching legend of UW football, dies at 82". Seattle Times. Archived from the original on June 11, 2009.
  4. ↑ "Sarkisian has 'it' factor UW needs".
  5. ↑ "Huskies' Owens quits". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Lewiston, Idaho. Associated Press. November 27, 1974. p. B1. Retrieved June 23, 2017 – via Google News.
  6. ↑ Gayton, Carver (September 19, 2004). "Carver Gayton reflects on the Jim Owens statue at Husky Stadium, University of Washington". HistoryLink. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  7. ↑ Condotta, Bob (October 26, 2003). "Owens repeats apology as statue is unveiled". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
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