Biff Jones

Lawrence McCeney "Biff" Jones (October 8, 1895 – February 12, 1980) was an American college football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as a head coach at the United States Military Academy, Louisiana State University (LSU), the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Nebraska, compiling a career coaching record of 87–33–15. Jones was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1954.

Biff Jones
Jones from 1941 Cornhusker
Biographical details
Born(1895-10-08)October 8, 1895
Washington, D.C., U.S.
DiedFebruary 12, 1980(1980-02-12) (aged 84)
Chevy Chase, Maryland, U.S.
Playing career
1915–1917Army
Position(s)Tackle
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1926–1929Army
1932–1934LSU
1935–1936Oklahoma
1937–1941Nebraska
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1935–1936Oklahoma
1937–1942Nebraska
1942–1948Army
Head coaching record
Overall87–33–15
Bowls0–1
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 SoCon (1932)
2 Big Six (1937, 1940)
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1954 (profile)

Coaching career

Biff Jones graduated from the U. S. Military Academy at West Point in 1917, and served as an artillery lieutenant in France during the rest of World War I. He returned to West Point in 1926, where he served for four years as head coach of the football team, then was assigned by the army to Louisiana State University to coach the LSU Tigers football team, beginning with the 1932 season.[1]

At LSU, Jones was head coach for three seasons, and led the team to a Southern Conference Championship in 1932.[2] He resigned after the 1934 season after a heated exchange with noted LSU supporter, Louisiana senator Huey P. Long.[3] In the last game of the season, Long was displeased after the team had lost two straight games and was trailing at halftime to Oregon. Long decided to give a motivational speech to the team at halftime, but was turned away by Jones at the locker room door.[4] The ensuing argument ended with Jones declaring to resign, effective at the end of the game.[3] LSU won the game 14–13. The army then assigned him to serve as head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners football team, where he served during 1935 and 1936.[lower-alpha 1] This assignment ended when the military transferred him to a new position that had no connection with football.[1]

Jones retired from the Army with the rank of major in 1937, intending to concentrate on his football coaching career.[5] In 1937, he left the Oklahoma Sooners to coach their rival, the Nebraska Cornhuskers, replacing coach Dana X. Bible. Jones remained at Nebraska for five years a tallied a 28–14–4 mark. He led Nebraska to its first bowl game, the 1941 Rose Bowl, and also coached the second-ever televised college football game. Jones left Nebraska when he was recalled up to service during World War II.[1][6]

Death

Biff Jones died February 13, 1980, at his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland. His wife had died in 1978.[7]

Head coaching record
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs AP#
Army Cadets (Independent) (1926–1929)
1926 Army 7–1–1
1927 Army 9–1
1928 Army 8–2
1929 Army 6–4–1
Army: 30–8–2
LSU Tigers (Southern Conference) (1932)
1932 LSU 6–3–14–0T–1st
LSU Tigers (Southeastern Conference) (1933–1934)
1933 LSU 7–0–33–0–22nd
1934 LSU 7–2–24–24th
LSU: 20–5–611–2–2
Oklahoma Sooners (Big Six Conference) (1935–1936)
1935 Oklahoma 6–33–22nd
1936 Oklahoma 3–3–31–2–24th
Oklahoma: 9–6–34–4–3
Nebraska Cornhuskers (Big Six Conference) (1937–1941)
1937 Nebraska 6–1–23–0–21st11
1938 Nebraska 3–5–12–3T–3rd
1939 Nebraska 7–1–14–12nd18
1940 Nebraska 8–25–01stL Rose7
1941 Nebraska 4–53–2T–2nd
Nebraska: 28–14–417–6–2
Total:87–33–15
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

Notes
  1. Jones also taught classes in military science.

References
  1. "Biff Jones to Leave Nebraska for West Point." Chicago Tribune.January 24, 1942. Accessed March 10, 1942
  2. "LSU Year-by-Year Records" (PDF). lsusports.net. p. 107. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-01-19. Retrieved 2018-07-29.
  3. Vincent 2008, p. 49.
  4. Vincent 2008, p. 48.
  5. "Lawrence 'Biff' Jones." National Football Foundation Member Biography. Accessed March 10, 2016.
  6. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original on May 12, 2009. Retrieved October 25, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Lawrence (Biff) Jones, 84 Football Star, Coach Dies." Washington Post. February 13, 1980. Accessed March 10, 2016.

Bibliography
  • Vincent, Herb (2008). LSU Football Vault: The History of the Fighting Tigers. Whitman Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-0794824280.
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