Larry Mullins
Encyclopedia
Laurence A. "Moon" Mullins (June 13, 1908 – August 10, 1968) was an American college football
coach and athletic director
. He served as the head coach at St. Benedict's College
from 1932 to 1936, Loyola University of New Orleans from 1937 to 1939, and Saint Ambrose University
in 1940 and 1947 to 1950. Mullins was the athletic director at Kansas State University
and Marquette University
.
on June 13, 1908. He attended the University of Notre Dame
, where he played on the football team
under head coach Knute Rockne
as a fullback
from 1928 to 1930. The 1930 team finished with a perfect untied and undefeated record. He graduated from the school with a bachelor of arts
degree in 1931.
. His first position was as the backfield assistant under head coach H. W. Hargiss in 1931 for a salary of $4,000. The following season, he became head football coach and athletic director
at St. Benedict's
, a small college in Atchison, Kansas
with 600 students at the time, for a salary of about $3,500. While there, he led his teams to a 38–5–1 record. Kansas
accounted for two of the five losses. His final season there in 1936, St. Benedict's finished undefeated and untied.
In January 1937, the Loyola University of New Orleans hired Mullins as its head coach. During his three-year tenure, he compiled a 11–16–1 record at Loyola. The Wolves finished the 1939 season with a 5–5 mark, which was sufficient to capture the Dixie Conference
championship. In December 1939, he announced that he would not seek renewal of his expiring contract. Two weeks later, the school discontinued its football program. In 1940, he became head coach at Saint Ambrose University
in Davenport, Iowa
, where he led the football team to an undefeated season.
After American entry into World War II
, Mullins entered the United States Navy Reserve
. He was sworn in as a lieutenant senior grade in Jacksonville, Florida
on March 23, 1942 and then attended a month-long course in Annapolis, Maryland
prior to service in the Navy's physical training program. The following year, he assisted Lieutenant Colonel Bernie Bierman
, the athletic director and football coach at the Iowa Preflight School
. During the 1943 season, he served as the Iowa Pre-Flight backfield coach. By December 1944, Mullins had attained the rank of lieutenant commander and was Iowa Pre-Flight athletic director. In August 1945, he was made a staff officer of the Naval Air Intermediate Training Command in Corpus Christi, Texas
. While there, Mullins coached the Naval Air Station
football team.
On November 5, 1945, Santa Clara University
appointed him as its head coach of its football program, which had been temporarily suspended during the war. However, Mullins tendered his resignation on May 7, 1946 after his abortive five-month search for a residence for his wife and six children in the midst of housing shortage. Mullins returned to Corpus Christi to enter the sporting goods business, but soon reentered the coaching ranks. In 1947, he returned to Saint Ambrose where he served for four more seasons. Mullins led the Bees to another undefeated finish in 1949 with an 8–0 record, and was named the "Little All-American Coach of the Year". In 1950, Saint Ambrose finished 12–1. The grueling 13-game schedule culminated in a victory over Loras to capture the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
championship. Mullins' career total at the school was 40–7–1.
In February 1951, Kansas State University
appointed Mullins as its athletic director with a $9,000 salary. In 1956, Mullins took the same position at Marquette University
with a substantial pay raise. The university, which discontinued football and track in 1960, dismissed Mullins on January 31, 1962.
Mullins died of cancer in Chicago
on August 10, 1968 at the age of 60. His body was interred in South Bend, Indiana
.
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 and athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
. He served as the head coach at St. Benedict's College
Benedictine College
Benedictine College is a co-educational university in Atchison, Kansas, founded in 1971 by the merger of St. Benedict's College for men and Mount St. Scholastica College for women. It is a Roman Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts, and residential college located on bluffs overlooking the...
from 1932 to 1936, Loyola University of New Orleans from 1937 to 1939, and Saint Ambrose University
Saint Ambrose University
St. Ambrose University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university affiliated with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport. It is located in a residential area of Davenport, Iowa.-History:...
in 1940 and 1947 to 1950. Mullins was the athletic director at Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
and Marquette University
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...
.
Early life
Mullins was born in South Pasadena, CaliforniaSouth Pasadena, California
South Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 25,619, up from 24,292 at the 2000 census. It is located in in the West San Gabriel Valley...
on June 13, 1908. He attended the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, where he played on the football team
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
under head coach Knute Rockne
Knute Rockne
Knute Kenneth Rockne was an American football player and coach. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history...
as a fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
from 1928 to 1930. The 1930 team finished with a perfect untied and undefeated record. He graduated from the school with a bachelor of arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1931.
Coaching career
After college, Mullins began his coaching career at the University of KansasUniversity of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
. His first position was as the backfield assistant under head coach H. W. Hargiss in 1931 for a salary of $4,000. The following season, he became head football coach and athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
at St. Benedict's
Benedictine College
Benedictine College is a co-educational university in Atchison, Kansas, founded in 1971 by the merger of St. Benedict's College for men and Mount St. Scholastica College for women. It is a Roman Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts, and residential college located on bluffs overlooking the...
, a small college in Atchison, Kansas
Atchison, Kansas
Atchison is a city situated along the Missouri River in the eastern part of Atchison County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,021. It is the county seat and most populous city of Atchison County...
with 600 students at the time, for a salary of about $3,500. While there, he led his teams to a 38–5–1 record. 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....
accounted for two of the five losses. His final season there in 1936, St. Benedict's finished undefeated and untied.
In January 1937, the Loyola University of New Orleans hired Mullins as its head coach. During his three-year tenure, he compiled a 11–16–1 record at Loyola. The Wolves finished the 1939 season with a 5–5 mark, which was sufficient to capture the Dixie Conference
Dixie Conference
The Dixie Conference was the name of three collegiate athletic leagues in the United States. The first operated from 1930 until the United States' entry into World War II in 1942. The second conference to use the name existed from 1948 to 1954...
championship. In December 1939, he announced that he would not seek renewal of his expiring contract. Two weeks later, the school discontinued its football program. In 1940, he became head coach at Saint Ambrose University
Saint Ambrose University
St. Ambrose University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university affiliated with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport. It is located in a residential area of Davenport, Iowa.-History:...
in Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
, where he led the football team to an undefeated season.
After American entry into World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Mullins entered the United States Navy Reserve
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
. He was sworn in as a lieutenant senior grade in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
on March 23, 1942 and then attended a month-long course in Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
prior to service in the Navy's physical training program. The following year, he assisted Lieutenant Colonel Bernie Bierman
Bernie Bierman
Bernard W. "Bernie" Bierman was an American football player and coach. He coached from 1919 to 1950 except for a span during World War II when he served in the U.S. armed forces...
, the athletic director and football coach at the Iowa Preflight School
Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks football
The Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks represented the U.S. Navy pre-flight school at the University of Iowa in the college football seasons of 1942, 1943, and 1944.- History :...
. During the 1943 season, he served as the Iowa Pre-Flight backfield coach. By December 1944, Mullins had attained the rank of lieutenant commander and was Iowa Pre-Flight athletic director. In August 1945, he was made a staff officer of the Naval Air Intermediate Training Command in Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus 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...
. While there, Mullins coached the Naval Air Station
Naval Air Station Corpus Christi
Naval Air Station Corpus Christi , also known as Truax Field, is a naval base located six miles southeast of the central business district of Corpus Christi, in Nueces County, Texas, USA.-History:...
football team.
On November 5, 1945, Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University is a private, not-for-profit, Jesuit-affiliated university located in Santa Clara, California, United States. Chartered by the state of California and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, it operates in collaboration with the Society of Jesus , whose...
appointed him as its head coach of its football program, which had been temporarily suspended during the war. However, Mullins tendered his resignation on May 7, 1946 after his abortive five-month search for a residence for his wife and six children in the midst of housing shortage. Mullins returned to Corpus Christi to enter the sporting goods business, but soon reentered the coaching ranks. In 1947, he returned to Saint Ambrose where he served for four more seasons. Mullins led the Bees to another undefeated finish in 1949 with an 8–0 record, and was named the "Little All-American Coach of the Year". In 1950, Saint Ambrose finished 12–1. The grueling 13-game schedule culminated in a victory over Loras to capture the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is an College Athletic Conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. As the name implies, member teams are located in the state of Iowa.-History:...
championship. Mullins' career total at the school was 40–7–1.
In February 1951, Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
appointed Mullins as its athletic director with a $9,000 salary. In 1956, Mullins took the same position at Marquette University
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...
with a substantial pay raise. The university, which discontinued football and track in 1960, dismissed Mullins on January 31, 1962.
Mullins died of cancer in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
on August 10, 1968 at the age of 60. His body was interred in South Bend, Indiana
South Bend, Indiana
The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
.