Tirrel Burton
Encyclopedia
Tirrel Burton is a former American football
player, coach, and radio broadcaster. He played halfback
for Ara Parseghian
's championship teams at Miami University
in 1954 and 1955 and led the undefeated, untied 1955 team in rushing, scoring, pass interceptions, kickoff returns and punt returns, while breaking the university's all-time single-season scoring record. He played one year of professional football in 1956 for the Ottawa Rough Riders
of the Canadian Football League
. He was an assistant football coach at Central State University
(1968), Miami University (1969) and the University of Michigan
(1970–1991). He became a radio announcer for Michigan Wolverines football
games on WUOM radio in 1994.
in Oxford, Ohio
. Miami's head football coach at the time, Ara Parseghian
, recruited Burton to Miami. Parseghian recalled, "He had tremendous speed and we were anxious to have him. He could break the line. That's what every coach looks for." Burton became a two-sport star at Miami, lettering three years each in both football and track from 1953 to 1955. As a halfback on Parseghian's football teams, Burton helped lead Miami to Mid-American Conference
championships in both 1954 and 1955. The 1955 team compiled a perfect 9-0 record, and Burton led the team in rushing (722 yards in 82 carries), scoring (84 points), pass interceptions (4), kickoff returns (3 for 68 yards) and punt returns (14 for 216 yards). Burton's 84 points in 1955 (14 touchdowns in nine games) broke the school's single-season scoring record. At the conclusion of the 1955 season, Burton received more votes than any other player on the All-Mid-American Conference team. He was also selected by Associated Press
for its second-team All-Midwestern team behind first-team selection Howard "Hopalong" Cassidy.
Despite its undefeated, untied record, the 1955 Miami football team was not invited to a post-season bowl game, leading the university's president, John D. Millott, to state publicly that he believed "Southern 'social customs'" may have blocked a post-season football bowl bid. An anonymous university of official stated, "That's a roundabout way of saying we weren't chosen because we have colored boys on our squad."
Burton's career rushing total at Miami was 1,298 yards on 157 carries for an average of 8.3 yards per carry. His career scoring total at Miami was 151 points.
In track, Burton won Mid-American Conference championships in the low hurdles three consecutive years and also placed in the high jump and 100-yard dash. As a senior, he placed second in the low hurdles at the national AAU
meet and third at the national NCAA meet.
in the Canadian Football League
. After a November 1956 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
, the Ottawa Citizen described Burton as one of Ottawa's stars: "Burton, one of Ottawa's stars, played a leading role in the 95-yard drive which brought the Riders their game-winning field goal. He took a long, 40-yard pass from Ledyard at center field and scurried like a scared rabbit to the Hamilton 27 before being nailed." In his one season of professional football, Burton led the league with eight interceptions. He scored four touchdowns (three rushing, one receiving), and had 155 rushing yards (29 carries for 5.34 yards per carry), 319 receiving yards (14 receptions for 22.79 yards per reception), and 175 kickoff return yards (11 returns for 15.91 yards per return).
. He was the head coach of a Cincinnati high school football team for two years. Burton credited his college coach for inspiring him to be a coach: "Ara Parseghian was a great coach, ahead of his time as a teacher of all aspects of football. Because of him, I wanted to be a coach."
Burton began a long career as a college football coach in 1968, accepting a position as an assistant football coach at the historically black
Central State University
in Wilberforce, Ohio
.
In 1969, Burton's former Miami University teammate, Bill Mallory
, was hired as the head football coach at Miami, replacing Bo Schembechler
who had accepted the head coaching job at the University of Michigan
. Mallory asked Burton to join his coaching staff at Miami, and Burton agreed. Mallory later recalled: "I'd known him back when we were students. I always had great respect for him. He was a darn good coach. I knew he'd be the kind of person I would want on my staff. I knew he would be a good teacher of the game." Burton became the first African-American coach in any capacity at Miami.
After one season at Miami, Bo Schembechler offered Burton an assistant coaching position at Michigan, and Burton accepted. Despite his strong ties to Miami, Burton recalled that he could not pass on the opportunity to coach at Michigan: "I left Miami to coach at Michigan because of the challenge and an upward move in the profession." Burton began a long career at the University of Michigan as the coach of the 1970 freshman football team and took over responsibility for the offensive ends in 1972. Burton coached Jim Smith to All-American honors in 1976 and remained an assistant football coach at Michigan for 22 years from 1970 to 1991. Burton reported that coaching under Schembechler had been a huge honor: "Bo Schembechler was a great coach. He was from the same mold as Ara [Parseghian] ... Bo was demanding of his coaches and his players. I learned most of what I know about football from Bo."
, who had been announcing University of Michigan football games since 1963, as the radio announcers for Michigan Wolverines football
games on WUOM radio.
Burton was inducted into the Miami University Hall of Fame in 1974.
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 radio broadcaster. He played halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
for Ara Parseghian
Ara Parseghian
Ara Raoul Parseghian is a former American football player and coach of Armenian descent. He served as the head football coach at Miami University , Northwestern University , and the University of Notre Dame , compiling a career college football record of 170–58–6...
's championship teams at Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
in 1954 and 1955 and led the undefeated, untied 1955 team in rushing, scoring, pass interceptions, kickoff returns and punt returns, while breaking the university's all-time single-season scoring record. He played one year of professional football in 1956 for the Ottawa Rough Riders
Ottawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. He was an assistant football coach at Central State University
Central State University
Central State University, commonly referred to as "C-State", is a historically black university located in Wilberforce, Ohio, United States. It is the only public HBCU in Ohio.-History:...
(1968), Miami University (1969) and the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
(1970–1991). He became a radio announcer for Michigan Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
games on WUOM radio in 1994.
Athlete at Miami University
After three-and-a-half years of military service, Burton enrolled at Miami UniversityMiami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
in Oxford, Ohio
Oxford, Ohio
Oxford is a city in northwestern Butler County, Ohio, United States, in the southwestern portion of the state. It lies in Oxford Township, originally called the College Township. The population was 21,943 at the 2000 census. This college town was founded as a home for Miami University. Oxford...
. Miami's head football coach at the time, Ara Parseghian
Ara Parseghian
Ara Raoul Parseghian is a former American football player and coach of Armenian descent. He served as the head football coach at Miami University , Northwestern University , and the University of Notre Dame , compiling a career college football record of 170–58–6...
, recruited Burton to Miami. Parseghian recalled, "He had tremendous speed and we were anxious to have him. He could break the line. That's what every coach looks for." Burton became a two-sport star at Miami, lettering three years each in both football and track from 1953 to 1955. As a halfback on Parseghian's football teams, Burton helped lead Miami to Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
championships in both 1954 and 1955. The 1955 team compiled a perfect 9-0 record, and Burton led the team in rushing (722 yards in 82 carries), scoring (84 points), pass interceptions (4), kickoff returns (3 for 68 yards) and punt returns (14 for 216 yards). Burton's 84 points in 1955 (14 touchdowns in nine games) broke the school's single-season scoring record. At the conclusion of the 1955 season, Burton received more votes than any other player on the All-Mid-American Conference team. He was also selected by Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
for its second-team All-Midwestern team behind first-team selection Howard "Hopalong" Cassidy.
Despite its undefeated, untied record, the 1955 Miami football team was not invited to a post-season bowl game, leading the university's president, John D. Millott, to state publicly that he believed "Southern 'social customs'" may have blocked a post-season football bowl bid. An anonymous university of official stated, "That's a roundabout way of saying we weren't chosen because we have colored boys on our squad."
Burton's career rushing total at Miami was 1,298 yards on 157 carries for an average of 8.3 yards per carry. His career scoring total at Miami was 151 points.
In track, Burton won Mid-American Conference championships in the low hurdles three consecutive years and also placed in the high jump and 100-yard dash. As a senior, he placed second in the low hurdles at the national AAU
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
meet and third at the national NCAA meet.
Ottawa Rough Riders
After graduating from Miami in 1956, Burton played one year of professional football for the Ottawa Rough RidersOttawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. After a November 1956 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
, the Ottawa Citizen described Burton as one of Ottawa's stars: "Burton, one of Ottawa's stars, played a leading role in the 95-yard drive which brought the Riders their game-winning field goal. He took a long, 40-yard pass from Ledyard at center field and scurried like a scared rabbit to the Hamilton 27 before being nailed." In his one season of professional football, Burton led the league with eight interceptions. He scored four touchdowns (three rushing, one receiving), and had 155 rushing yards (29 carries for 5.34 yards per carry), 319 receiving yards (14 receptions for 22.79 yards per reception), and 175 kickoff return yards (11 returns for 15.91 yards per return).
Coaching career
After retiring as a player, Burton returned to Miami where he studied physical education and received a master's degree in education in 1962. Burton also worked for nine years as a coach and teacher in the public schools of Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. He was the head coach of a Cincinnati high school football team for two years. Burton credited his college coach for inspiring him to be a coach: "Ara Parseghian was a great coach, ahead of his time as a teacher of all aspects of football. Because of him, I wanted to be a coach."
Burton began a long career as a college football coach in 1968, accepting a position as an assistant football coach at the historically black
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Historically black colleges and universities are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community....
Central State University
Central State University
Central State University, commonly referred to as "C-State", is a historically black university located in Wilberforce, Ohio, United States. It is the only public HBCU in Ohio.-History:...
in Wilberforce, Ohio
Wilberforce, Ohio
Wilberforce is a census-designated place in Greene County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,579 at the 2000 census. The community was named for the English statesman William Wilberforce, who worked for abolition of slavery and achieved the end of the slave trade in the United Kingdom and...
.
In 1969, Burton's former Miami University teammate, Bill Mallory
Bill Mallory
William G. "Bill" Mallory is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Miami University , the University of Colorado at Boulder , Northern Illinois University , and Indiana University , compiling a career college football record of...
, was hired as the head football coach at Miami, replacing Bo Schembechler
Bo Schembechler
Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler, Jr. was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1989, compiling a career record of 234–65–8...
who had accepted the head coaching job at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. Mallory asked Burton to join his coaching staff at Miami, and Burton agreed. Mallory later recalled: "I'd known him back when we were students. I always had great respect for him. He was a darn good coach. I knew he'd be the kind of person I would want on my staff. I knew he would be a good teacher of the game." Burton became the first African-American coach in any capacity at Miami.
After one season at Miami, Bo Schembechler offered Burton an assistant coaching position at Michigan, and Burton accepted. Despite his strong ties to Miami, Burton recalled that he could not pass on the opportunity to coach at Michigan: "I left Miami to coach at Michigan because of the challenge and an upward move in the profession." Burton began a long career at the University of Michigan as the coach of the 1970 freshman football team and took over responsibility for the offensive ends in 1972. Burton coached Jim Smith to All-American honors in 1976 and remained an assistant football coach at Michigan for 22 years from 1970 to 1991. Burton reported that coaching under Schembechler had been a huge honor: "Bo Schembechler was a great coach. He was from the same mold as Ara [Parseghian] ... Bo was demanding of his coaches and his players. I learned most of what I know about football from Bo."
Later years and honors
After retiring as a coach, Burton remained employed by the University of Michigan as an assistant director of licensing for the athletic department. In 1994, Burton was teamed with Tom HemingwayTom Hemingway
Tom Hemingway is an English professional rugby league player with Blackpool Panthers.He started out with Super League side Huddersfield Giants before going on loan to the Batley Bulldogs....
, who had been announcing University of Michigan football games since 1963, as the radio announcers for Michigan Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
games on WUOM radio.
Burton was inducted into the Miami University Hall of Fame in 1974.