Buddy Brothers
Encyclopedia
John O. "Buddy" Brothers (May 29, 1909 – December 25, 1991) was an American college football
coach. He coached the Tulsa Golden Hurricane
football team at the University of Tulsa
from 1946 to 1952 and compiled a 45–25–4 record and 0.635 winning percentage
.
, where he played on the football team
from 1928 to 1930. Brothers coached at Tulsa for seven seasons. During that time, his teams compiled four Missouri Valley Conference
championship, and Brothers was twice named the conference Coach of the Year. He posted a 45–25–4 record and 0.635 winning percentage, which makes him the ninth winningest Tulsa coach in school history.
In 1946, Brothers and quarterback Clyde LeForce
led the Golden Hurricane to a 9–1 record. Tulsa recorded impressive wins over Texas Tech
, Cincinnati
, and conference co-champions Arkansas
and Kansas
. The Golden Hurricane beat Kansas, 56–0, after scoring five touchdowns in the first half within a 12-minute span. The lone loss came to Detroit.
In 1949, Tulsa posted just a 5–5–1 record, but that included one of the biggest upsets of the season. The Golden Hurricane beat undefeated Villanova
, 21–19, a team that had recorded earlier wins over Texas A&M
, Penn State
, Detroit, and Saint Mary's
. After the game, Brothers told the media, "You know, we've had one coming to us for a long time. I guess this was it. We hadn't been doing much and Villanova was bigger, faster and a sound favorite. "But a half dozen of the boys came to me this afternoon. They said they were speaking for the team when they told me: "'We're gonna win this one for you, coach, just to make you coach of the week'."
In 1951, in the game against Marquette
, the opposing coach, Lisle Blackbourn
, accused the Golden Hurricane of "flagrantly illegal tactics." Brothers called the charges "unfair, unsportsmanlike, and onesided." The incident created enough ill will that the schools cancelled the 1952 game.
After the end of his coaching tenure at Tulsa, Brothers went on to coach high school football including stints at Norman High School, 1956 and 1957, and Tom S. Lubbock High School.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
coach. He coached the Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Tulsa Golden Hurricane football
The University of Tulsa's Golden Hurricane football team represents Tulsa in Conference USA. Tulsa is currently coached by first-year head coach Bill Blankenship. The football team was coached by Todd Graham until he accepted the head coaching job at Pittsburgh....
football team at the University of Tulsa
University of Tulsa
The University of Tulsa is a private university awarding bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It is currently ranked 75th among doctoral degree granting universities in the nation by US News and World Report and is listed as one of the "Best 366 Colleges" by...
from 1946 to 1952 and compiled a 45–25–4 record and 0.635 winning percentage
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
.
Coaching career
Brothers attended Texas Tech UniversityTexas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
, where he played on the football team
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
from 1928 to 1930. Brothers coached at Tulsa for seven seasons. During that time, his teams compiled four Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
championship, and Brothers was twice named the conference Coach of the Year. He posted a 45–25–4 record and 0.635 winning percentage, which makes him the ninth winningest Tulsa coach in school history.
In 1946, Brothers and quarterback Clyde LeForce
Clyde LeForce
Clyde J. LeForce, Jr. was an American football quarterback in the National Football League. He played college football for the University of Tulsa.-College career:...
led the Golden Hurricane to a 9–1 record. Tulsa recorded impressive wins over Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
, Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats football
The Cincinnati Bearcats football program represents the University of Cincinnati in a college football. They compete at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level as members of the Big East Conference. The Bearcat football program is one of the nation's oldest, having fielded a team as...
, and conference co-champions Arkansas
Arkansas Razorbacks football
The Arkansas Razorbacks football program is a college football team that represents the University of Arkansas. The team is a member of the Southeastern Conference's Western Division, which is in Division I's Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
and Kansas
Kansas Jayhawks football
The Kansas Jayhawks football program is the intercollegiate football program of the University of Kansas Jayhawks. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference....
. The Golden Hurricane beat Kansas, 56–0, after scoring five touchdowns in the first half within a 12-minute span. The lone loss came to Detroit.
In 1949, Tulsa posted just a 5–5–1 record, but that included one of the biggest upsets of the season. The Golden Hurricane beat undefeated Villanova
Villanova Wildcats football
The Villanova Wildcats football program represents Villanova University in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision . The Wildcats play at Villanova Stadium with capacity of 12,500.-History:...
, 21–19, a team that had recorded earlier wins over Texas A&M
Texas A&M Aggies football
The Texas A&M Aggies football team represents Texas A&M University in college football. The Aggies have competed in the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996. They will join the Southeastern Conference in July 2012. Texas A&M football has earned one national title and 18...
, Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
, Detroit, and Saint Mary's
Saint Mary's College of California
Saint Mary's College of California is a private, coeducational college located in Moraga, California, United States, a small suburban community about east of Oakland and 20 miles east of San Francisco. It has a 420-acre campus in the Moraga hills. It is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church...
. After the game, Brothers told the media, "You know, we've had one coming to us for a long time. I guess this was it. We hadn't been doing much and Villanova was bigger, faster and a sound favorite. "But a half dozen of the boys came to me this afternoon. They said they were speaking for the team when they told me: "'We're gonna win this one for you, coach, just to make you coach of the week'."
In 1951, in the game against Marquette
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
, the opposing coach, Lisle Blackbourn
Lisle Blackbourn
Lisle "Liz" Blackbourn was an American football coach who was the third head coach of the Green Bay Packers. He coached the Packers from 1954 to 1957....
, accused the Golden Hurricane of "flagrantly illegal tactics." Brothers called the charges "unfair, unsportsmanlike, and onesided." The incident created enough ill will that the schools cancelled the 1952 game.
After the end of his coaching tenure at Tulsa, Brothers went on to coach high school football including stints at Norman High School, 1956 and 1957, and Tom S. Lubbock High School.