Jack Little (American football)
Encyclopedia
Jack Harold Little is a former American football
player and assistant football coach. After playing college football
for Texas A&M, he played two seasons for the Baltimore Colts
from 1953–54. He later served as a college assistant coach before working in Texas' parole system and finally retiring.
. At the age of 12, his father died. His mother remarried when Jack was a senior in high school and moved to Washington, D.C.
Jack and his older brother, Gene, remained in Corpus Christi. His brother received a scholarship to play football at Rice University
.
In high school, Little was a second-team All-District football player.
as a freshman, he did not attend any classes or played football there. Intimidated by the three-a-day practices that Houston held, Little and a high school friend escaped to Texas A&M
. Little tried out for the football team, only because head coach Harry Stiteler
was impressed by his toughness, determination, and intelligence.
Little lettered in football at Texas A&M from 1950–52. In 1950, he was part of an A&M squad that led the Southwest Conference (SWC) in total offense, and played in the Presidential Cup. Little made two All-America
first teams during his college years, one as a junior in 1951 and another as a senior in 1952. He also named an All-SWC lineman the same years. He also made the distinguished students list during his senior year for his academic performance. He was ultimately inducted into the Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame in 1982.
In the 1953 NFL Draft
, Little was selected in the 5th round (50th overall) by the Baltimore Colts
. He played two seasons for the Colts before a back injury ended his playing career.
head coach John Bridgers
. Little accepted the position in 1963, and helped lead the Bears to an 8–3–0 record and a No. 20 finish in the national Coaches Poll
. Little served as a coaching assistant at Baylor until 1968, when Bridgers was fired. Little remained for a brief period at Baylor, working in the school's outdoor education program.
Little later became an assistant for Sam Houston State University
. He quit the coaching profession after another back injury. He then worked for Texas' parole system for 17 years before retiring in 1996.
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...
player and assistant football coach. After playing college football
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...
for Texas A&M, he played two seasons for the Baltimore Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
from 1953–54. He later served as a college assistant coach before working in Texas' parole system and finally retiring.
Early years
Little was born in Corpus Christi, TexasCorpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
. At the age of 12, his father died. His mother remarried when Jack was a senior in high school and moved to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Jack and his older brother, Gene, remained in Corpus Christi. His brother received a scholarship to play football at Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
.
In high school, Little was a second-team All-District football player.
Playing career
Although Little enrolled at the University of HoustonUniversity of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
as a freshman, he did not attend any classes or played football there. Intimidated by the three-a-day practices that Houston held, Little and a high school friend escaped to Texas A&M
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
. Little tried out for the football team, only because head coach Harry Stiteler
Harry Stiteler
Robert Harry Stiteler was an American athlete and football coach. While attending Texas A&M University, he set a Southwest Conference record in the pole vault and played football at the quarterback position for the Aggies football team in 1930...
was impressed by his toughness, determination, and intelligence.
Little lettered in football at Texas A&M from 1950–52. In 1950, he was part of an A&M squad that led the Southwest Conference (SWC) in total offense, and played in the Presidential Cup. Little made two All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
first teams during his college years, one as a junior in 1951 and another as a senior in 1952. He also named an All-SWC lineman the same years. He also made the distinguished students list during his senior year for his academic performance. He was ultimately inducted into the Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame in 1982.
In the 1953 NFL Draft
1953 NFL Draft
The 1953 National Football League Draft was held on January 22, 1953.-Player selections:-Round one:* HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:...
, Little was selected in the 5th round (50th overall) by the Baltimore Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. He played two seasons for the Colts before a back injury ended his playing career.
Career after the NFL
After his brief stint in the NFL, Little became an assistant football coach for Texas A&I (now Texas A&M–Kingsville). He was subsequently offered another assistant job by Baylor UniversityBaylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
head coach John Bridgers
John Bridgers
John D. Bridgers was an American football coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Johns Hopkins University from 1953 to 1956 and at Baylor University from 1959 to 1968, compiling a career college football record of 59–74–2...
. Little accepted the position in 1963, and helped lead the Bears to an 8–3–0 record and a No. 20 finish in the national Coaches Poll
Coaches Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....
. Little served as a coaching assistant at Baylor until 1968, when Bridgers was fired. Little remained for a brief period at Baylor, working in the school's outdoor education program.
Little later became an assistant for Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University was founded in 1879 and is the third oldest public institution of higher learning in the State of Texas. It is located in Huntsville, Texas. It is one of the oldest purpose-built institutions for the instruction of teachers west of the Mississippi River and the first...
. He quit the coaching profession after another back injury. He then worked for Texas' parole system for 17 years before retiring in 1996.