Steve Sloan
Encyclopedia
Stephen Charles Sloan is a former American football
player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played college football
as a quarterback
at the University of Alabama
from 1962 to 1965 and then played for two seasons in the National Football League
with the Atlanta Falcons
(1966–1967). Sloan served as the head football coach at Vanderbilt University
(1973–1974), Texas Tech University
(1975–1977), the University of Mississippi
(1978–1982), and Duke University
(1983–1986), compiling a career record of 68–86–3. He also served as the athletic director
at the University of Alabama, the University of North Texas
, University of Central Florida
, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
before his retirement in 2006. In 2000, Sloan was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
at the University of Alabama
under legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant
between 1962–1965. He arrived in Tuscaloosa
in 1962, though was not eligible to play with the varsity
team due to NCAA
rules at the time. In his sophomore season, Sloan was a backup to quarterback
Joe Namath
, but played in most games at defensive back
or quarterback. The 1963 Crimson Tide went 9–2 with a 12–7 victory over Ole Miss
in the Sugar Bowl
.
Sloan was the primary quarterback in his junior season in 1964 while Namath was injured. The 1964 team finished 10–1, won the Southeastern Conference
title, and was named the consensus national champion
. However, in the 1965 Orange Bowl
versus Texas, Sloan was forced out of the game with injury. Namath came off the bench to win MVP honors despite Alabama losing, 21–17.
Following the departure of Namath to the American Football League
, Sloan became Alabama's full-time starter for the 1965 season, in which Alabama repeated as SEC and national champions. The team finished 9–1–1 with a 39–28 victory over Nebraska
in the 1966 Orange Bowl
.
After college, he was selected by the NFL
's Atlanta Falcons
in the 11th round of the 1966 NFL Draft
. He played sparingly as a back-up over the course of two seasons. In his brief NFL career, he only appeared in eight games, and only one as a starter. During those eight games, he completed 10 of 31 passes, for no touchdowns and four interceptions.
for the Florida State Seminoles
. The following year, he moved to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
for the same position.
In 1973, he took his first job as a head coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores
. In his first season, Vanderbilt finished at 5–6, including a 1–6 record in conference play. During his second season, however, Vanderbilt finished at 7–3–1 and qualified for a post-season bowl game
. The team was placed in the Peach Bowl
against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. The two teams played to a 6–6 tie in the game. It was Vanderbilt's first bowl game since 1955 and second in school history. The Commodores have played in only two bowl games (1982 Hall of Fame Bowl and 2008 Music City Bowl) since.
The Texas Tech University
athletic department offered Sloan head football coaching position with in January 1975. Though Sloan originally declined, he took the job on January 2, 1975. Texas Tech was believed to have offered him $
30,000 per year contract, as well as $11,000 from television show income. He took five of his assistant coaches with him to the Red Raiders program, including defensive coordinator
Bill Parcells
. In his three seasons with Texas Tech, Sloan compiled a 23–12 record.
In late 1977, Sloan took his third head coaching job with the Ole Miss Rebels football
program. Sloan was head coach for five seasons at Ole Miss, winning 20 games, losing 34, and tying one. His best season came in 1978 when the Rebels finished at 5–6.
In December 1982, Sloan decided to leave Ole Miss to become the head football coach for the Duke Blue Devils football
program. In his first season at Duke, Sloan led the Blue Devils to a 3–8 record, despite beginning the season 0–7. In his remaining three seasons, he compiled a 10–23 record before resigning. Steve Spurrier
was named as his successor.
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, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played 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...
as a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
at the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
from 1962 to 1965 and then played for two seasons in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
with the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1966–1967). Sloan served as the head football coach at Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
(1973–1974), Texas Tech University
Texas 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...
(1975–1977), the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
(1978–1982), and Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
(1983–1986), compiling a career record of 68–86–3. He also served as the 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 the University of Alabama, the University of North Texas
University of North Texas
The University of North Texas is a public institution of higher education and research in Denton. Founded in 1890, UNT is part of the University of North Texas System. As of the fall of 2010, the University of North Texas, Denton campus, had a certified enrollment of 36,067...
, University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...
before his retirement in 2006. In 2000, Sloan was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
Playing career
Sloan played college footballCollege 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...
at the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
under legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant
Bear Bryant
Paul William "Bear" Bryant was an American college football player and coach. He was best known as the longtime head coach of the University of Alabama football team. During his 25-year tenure as Alabama's head coach, he amassed six national championships and thirteen conference championships...
between 1962–1965. He arrived in Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
in 1962, though was not eligible to play with the varsity
Varsity team
In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
team due to NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
rules at the time. In his sophomore season, Sloan was a backup to quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Joe Namath
Joe Namath
Joseph William "Joe" Namath , nicknamed "Broadway Joe" or "Joe Willie", is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and professional football in the...
, but played in most games at defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
or quarterback. The 1963 Crimson Tide went 9–2 with a 12–7 victory over Ole Miss
Ole Miss Rebels football
The football history of the University of Mississippi , includes the formation of the first football team in the state and is 26th on the list of college football's all-time winning programs...
in the Sugar Bowl
1964 Sugar Bowl
The 1964 Sugar Bowl, part of the 1963 bowl game season, was the 30th annual contest and took place on January 1, 1964, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana. The competing teams were the and the Alabama Crimson Tide, both representing the Southeastern Conference...
.
Sloan was the primary quarterback in his junior season in 1964 while Namath was injured. The 1964 team finished 10–1, won the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
title, and was named the consensus national champion
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
. However, in the 1965 Orange Bowl
Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. It has been played annually since January 1, 1935 and celebrated its 75th playing on January 1, 2009...
versus Texas, Sloan was forced out of the game with injury. Namath came off the bench to win MVP honors despite Alabama losing, 21–17.
Following the departure of Namath to the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
, Sloan became Alabama's full-time starter for the 1965 season, in which Alabama repeated as SEC and national champions. The team finished 9–1–1 with a 39–28 victory over Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
in the 1966 Orange Bowl
1966 Orange Bowl
The 1966 Orange Bowl of the Orange Bowl featured the third ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers and the fourth ranked Alabama Crimson Tide.Alabama scored first on a 32 yard touchdown pass from Steve Sloan to Ray Perkins as Alabama took a 7-0 lead. In the second quarter, Nebraska's Bob Churchich threw a 33...
.
After college, he was selected by the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 11th round of the 1966 NFL Draft
1966 NFL Draft
The 1966 National Football League Draft was held on November 27, 1965. It was the last draft in which the NFL and the AFL drafted their players separate of one another. As a result, many players selected by teams from both leagues would choose to play for the more established NFL, or in a rarer...
. He played sparingly as a back-up over the course of two seasons. In his brief NFL career, he only appeared in eight games, and only one as a starter. During those eight games, he completed 10 of 31 passes, for no touchdowns and four interceptions.
Coaching career
In 1971, Sloan received his first coaching job as an offensive coordinatorOffensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
for the Florida State Seminoles
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
. The following year, he moved to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
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...
for the same position.
In 1973, he took his first job as a head coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores
Vanderbilt Commodores football
The Vanderbilt Commodores football program is a college football team that represents Vanderbilt University. The team currently competes in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Southeastern Conference...
. In his first season, Vanderbilt finished at 5–6, including a 1–6 record in conference play. During his second season, however, Vanderbilt finished at 7–3–1 and qualified for a post-season bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
. The team was placed in the Peach Bowl
1974 Peach Bowl
1974 Peach Bowl was a postseason college football match between the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Vanderbilt represented the Southeastern Conference and Texas Tech represented the Southwestern Conference in the competition...
against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. The two teams played to a 6–6 tie in the game. It was Vanderbilt's first bowl game since 1955 and second in school history. The Commodores have played in only two bowl games (1982 Hall of Fame Bowl and 2008 Music City Bowl) since.
The Texas Tech University
Texas 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...
athletic department offered Sloan head football coaching position with in January 1975. Though Sloan originally declined, he took the job on January 2, 1975. Texas Tech was believed to have offered him $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
30,000 per year contract, as well as $11,000 from television show income. He took five of his assistant coaches with him to the Red Raiders program, including defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Bill Parcells
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006...
. In his three seasons with Texas Tech, Sloan compiled a 23–12 record.
In late 1977, Sloan took his third head coaching job with the Ole Miss Rebels football
Ole Miss Rebels football
The football history of the University of Mississippi , includes the formation of the first football team in the state and is 26th on the list of college football's all-time winning programs...
program. Sloan was head coach for five seasons at Ole Miss, winning 20 games, losing 34, and tying one. His best season came in 1978 when the Rebels finished at 5–6.
In December 1982, Sloan decided to leave Ole Miss to become the head football coach for the Duke Blue Devils football
Duke Blue Devils football
The Duke Blue Devils football program is a college football team that represents Duke University . The team is currently a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Blue Devils compete in the Coastal...
program. In his first season at Duke, Sloan led the Blue Devils to a 3–8 record, despite beginning the season 0–7. In his remaining three seasons, he compiled a 10–23 record before resigning. Steve Spurrier
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
was named as his successor.