Frank Broyles
John Franklin "Frank" Broyles (born
December 26,
1924 in
Decatur, Georgia) is a former
NCAA football player, coach, and broadcaster, and the influential athletic director for the
University of Arkansas Razorbacks.
Broyles graduated from
Georgia Tech with a degree in Industrial Management. He led the Georgia Tech football team to four bowl appearances as
quarterback. He was named
Southeastern Conference Player of the Year in
1944. Until
Michigan quarterback
Tom Brady broke his record in 2000, Broyles held the
Orange Bowl record for most passing yards in a game and is a member of the
Orange Bowl,
Gator Bowl, and
Cotton Bowl Halls of Fame and the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame.
Broyles entered coaching in
1947 as an assistant coach at
Baylor University. In
1950 Broyles left Baylor and returned to Georgia Tech as an offensive coordinator under Coach
Bobby Dodd. Broyles left Georgia Tech in
1957 when he was offered the position of head coach at the
University of Missouri-Columbia. Broyles stayed at Missouri only one season when he was offered the position he had dreamed of having at Arkansas. During his many decades he has been offered other major coaching at leadership positions but has remained at Arkansas.
During his tenure at
Arkansas Broyles coached the Razorbacks to seven
Southwest Conference championships and two
Cotton Bowl wins. He is currently the winningest head coach in Arkansas football history. During the
1960s and
1970s one of college football's most intense rivalries was between Broyles' Razorbacks and the
University of Texas Longhorns under legendary coach
Darrell Royal.
In
1974 Broyles was appointed Athletic Director of the University of Arkansas. Broyles continued as head football coach for three years. Since stepping down as head coach the University of Arkansas athletic programs, under his leadership, have won 34 national championships. The University of Arkansas has won 57
Southwest Conference championships and 27
Southeastern Conference championships while he has been athletic director.
Legacy
Over thirty of his former players have also become college or professional football coaches. Broyles is known for producing high quality coaches and the prestigious
Broyles Award, the annual award for best assistant coach, is named after him.
Barry Switzer,
Johnny Majors,
Joe Gibbs and
Jimmy Johnson all served under Broyles and have combined to win five national championships and five
Super Bowl championships. Broyles' assistants have won more than 40 conference titles.
Broyles worked for nine years with the
ABC network, where he served as their top
color commentator for college football telecasts.
Broyles' tenure as athletic director has seen the construction of world class facilities for basketball, football, track and field, and baseball at Arkansas. Broyles was selected as the 20th century's most influential Arkansas sports figure.
Broyles is known as a fierce competitor both as a head coach and athletic director. Broyles led Arkansas out of the Southwest Conference and into the Southeastern Conference.
In
1983 Broyles was inducted into the
College Football Hall of Fame.
