Billy Laval
Encyclopedia
Around 1912, Laval was invited by Clemson
coach Frank Dobson to watch their football game
against Georgia Tech
. The event piqued Laval's interest in the sport, and he began studying it in earnest.
Despite never having played a single down of football
, in 1914, he became the coach of the Furman B squad under head coach W. B. Bible, brother of Dana X. Bible
. Bible, however, was an English professor with little knowledge of the game, and Laval soon had the B squad capable of decisively beating the varsity team in scrimmages. After the season, the school sent Laval to be mentored by Illinois
head coach and football innovator Robert Zuppke
, who had won the 1914 national championship. In 1915, W. B. Bible resigned and Laval took his place as the head football coach in addition to his duties as baseball coach. As an "all-year coach", his salary was $1,100, which was about the average at the time. He coached Furman football from 1916 to 1927 and compiled a 71–34–3 record. In 1920, Laval returned to the Greenville Spinners to serve as their manager
during the baseball season.
In 1927, Laval accepted a three-year contract worth $8,000 per year to coach at the University of South Carolina
, which made him the highest-paid coach in the state. He coached South Carolina
from 1928 to 1934 and compiled a 10–14–4 record. Opposing coaches began demanding rule changes to limit the pre-snap shifts and motion of the "crazy quilt". Rules began to change toward the end of his tenure.
In 1932, Laval recruited four players from the 1930 Texas state high school basketball champions. South Carolina basketball coach Rock Norman did not want to play the new recruits ahead of his more seasoned players, so Laval agreed to coach the team for the season. Because of his lack of basketball knowledge, Laval had one of Norman's players, team captain Buck Smith act as an assistant coach. South Carolina ended the season on a fifteen-game winning streak and captured the Southern Conference
tournament championship. Jeff Sagarin
retroactively ranked South Carolina that season's third-best team in the nation. Norman returned to take over the basketball team the following year.
In 1933, the South Carolina athetic department reported a $15,200 deficit, and Laval reluctantly agreed to take a pay cut to $5,000. However, the department's financial difficulties worsened, and the next year it requested Laval take a second pay cut to $3,600, which he refused. The school allowed his contract to lapse after the 1934 season.
Laval then moved on to Emory and Henry College
to serve as its head football, basketball, and baseball coach from 1936 to 1937. In 1938, he returned to his home state to coach at Newberry College
. He remained there until retirement in 1950.
and Greenwood
. He and his wife had three children: two sons and a daughter. His wife died on November 22, 1956 after a long illness. Laval himself died shortly thereafter on January 20, 1957 from a heart attack at his son's home in Columbia
. The South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame inducted him in 1961, and the Furman University Athletic Hall of Fame inducted him in 1981.
Clemson Tigers football
The Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
coach Frank Dobson to watch their football game
Clemson – Georgia Tech rivalry
The Clemson–Georgia Tech football rivalry is an American college football rivalry game played by the Clemson Tigers football team of Clemson University and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team of the Georgia Institute of Technology...
against Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
. The event piqued Laval's interest in the sport, and he began studying it in earnest.
Despite never having played a single down of football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, in 1914, he became the coach of the Furman B squad under head coach W. B. Bible, brother of Dana X. Bible
Dana X. Bible
Dana Xenophon Bible was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Mississippi College , Louisiana State University , Texas A&M University , the University of Nebraska , and the University of Texas...
. Bible, however, was an English professor with little knowledge of the game, and Laval soon had the B squad capable of decisively beating the varsity team in scrimmages. After the season, the school sent Laval to be mentored by Illinois
Illinois Fighting Illini football
The Illinois Fighting Illini are a major college football program, representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. They compete in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference.-Current staff:-All-time win/loss/tie record:*563-513-51...
head coach and football innovator Robert Zuppke
Robert Zuppke
Robert Carl Zuppke was an American football coach. He served the head coach at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 1913 until 1941, compiling a career college football record of 131–81–12. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951, Zuppke coached his...
, who had won the 1914 national championship. In 1915, W. B. Bible resigned and Laval took his place as the head football coach in addition to his duties as baseball coach. As an "all-year coach", his salary was $1,100, which was about the average at the time. He coached Furman football from 1916 to 1927 and compiled a 71–34–3 record. In 1920, Laval returned to the Greenville Spinners to serve as their manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
during the baseball season.
In 1927, Laval accepted a three-year contract worth $8,000 per year to coach at the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
, which made him the highest-paid coach in the state. He coached South Carolina
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
from 1928 to 1934 and compiled a 10–14–4 record. Opposing coaches began demanding rule changes to limit the pre-snap shifts and motion of the "crazy quilt". Rules began to change toward the end of his tenure.
In 1932, Laval recruited four players from the 1930 Texas state high school basketball champions. South Carolina basketball coach Rock Norman did not want to play the new recruits ahead of his more seasoned players, so Laval agreed to coach the team for the season. Because of his lack of basketball knowledge, Laval had one of Norman's players, team captain Buck Smith act as an assistant coach. South Carolina ended the season on a fifteen-game winning streak and captured the Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
tournament championship. Jeff Sagarin
Jeff Sagarin
Jeff Sagarin is an American sports statistician well-known for his development of a methodology for ranking and rating sports teams in a variety of sports...
retroactively ranked South Carolina that season's third-best team in the nation. Norman returned to take over the basketball team the following year.
In 1933, the South Carolina athetic department reported a $15,200 deficit, and Laval reluctantly agreed to take a pay cut to $5,000. However, the department's financial difficulties worsened, and the next year it requested Laval take a second pay cut to $3,600, which he refused. The school allowed his contract to lapse after the 1934 season.
Laval then moved on to Emory and Henry College
Emory and Henry College
Emory & Henry College, known as E&H, Emory, or the College, is a private liberal arts college located in Emory, Virginia, United States. The campus comprises of Washington County, Virginia, which is part of the mountain region of Southwest Virginia...
to serve as its head football, basketball, and baseball coach from 1936 to 1937. In 1938, he returned to his home state to coach at Newberry College
Newberry College
Newberry College is a liberal-arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located on a historic campus in Newberry, South Carolina.The college has 1,025 students and a 19:1 student-teacher ratio...
. He remained there until retirement in 1950.
Later life
After coaching, Laval ran a chain of sporting goods stores throughout South Carolina. He also worked in the front office of minor league baseball teams in Rock HillRock Hill, South Carolina
Rock Hill is the largest city in York County, South Carolina and the fourth-largest city in the state. It is also the third-largest city of the Charlotte metropolitan area, behind Charlotte and Concord, North Carolina. The population was 71,459 as of . Rock Hill has undergone rapid growth between...
and Greenwood
Greenwood, South Carolina
Greenwood is a city in and the county seat of Greenwood County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 22,071 at the 2000 census and had slightly increased to 22,710 according to a 2009 estimate.-Geography:...
. He and his wife had three children: two sons and a daughter. His wife died on November 22, 1956 after a long illness. Laval himself died shortly thereafter on January 20, 1957 from a heart attack at his son's home in Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
. The South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame inducted him in 1961, and the Furman University Athletic Hall of Fame inducted him in 1981.