John Pont(November 13, 1927 – July 1, 2008) was anAmerican footballplayer and coach. He served as head football coach atMiami UniversityinOxford, Ohio,from 1956 to 1962,Yale Universityfrom 1963 to 1964,Indiana University Bloomingtonfrom 1965 to 1972,Northwestern Universityfrom 1973 to 1977, andMount St. Joseph UniversityinDelhi, Ohio,from 1990 to 1992, compiling a careercollege footballhead coaching record of 107–141–4.
 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 13, 1927 Canton, Ohio,U.S. |
| Died | July 1, 2008(aged 80) Oxford, Ohio,U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1949–1951 | Miami (OH) |
| 1952 | Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers |
| Position(s) | Halfback |
| Coaching career (HCunless noted) | |
| 1953–1955 | Miami (OH)(assistant) |
| 1956–1962 | Miami (OH) |
| 1963–1964 | Yale |
| 1965–1972 | Indiana |
| 1973–1977 | Northwestern |
| 1984–1989 | Hamilton HS (OH) |
| 1990–1992 | Mount St. Joseph |
| 1990–2004 | ROCBULL(X-League) |
| Administrative career (ADunless noted) | |
| 1975–1980 | Northwestern |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 107–141–4 (college) |
| Bowls | 0–2 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 2MAC(1957–1958) 1Big Ten(1967) | |
| Awards | |
| Imperial Oil Trophy(1952) AFCA Coach of the Year(1967) Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year(1967) Paul "Bear" Bryant Award(1967) Sporting News College Football COY(1967) Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award(1967) Miami RedHawks No. 42retired | |
Early life
editPont was born on November 13, 1927, inCanton, Ohio,to Bautista and Suzannah Pont.[1]He graduated fromTimken High Schoolin Canton. As an undergraduate at Miami University, Pont was an outstandinghalfback,playing for coachesWoody HayesandAra Parseghian,and was a member of theSigma Chifraternity. After a serving a tour as aNavy submariner,Pont played professional football inCanada.He and several of his "Cradle of Coaches" compatriots are the subject of the bookFields of Honor,written by Pont's niece, Sally Pont.
Career
editPlaying
editAfter playing college football atMiami University,Pont went to Canada and played withToronto Balmy Beach Beachersof theOntario Rugby Football Union,where he won theImperial Oil Trophyas league MVP in1952.[2]
Coaching
editHe was the only Indiana University coach to take a team to theRose Bowl.Later in his career, Pont was recruited to start a football program at Cincinnati'sCollege of Mount St. Joseph.He later served as coach and consultant in creating a semi-professional football league inJapan.[3]He was honored asNCAADivision I-Acoach of the year in 1967, the year his Hoosiers appeared in the Rose Bowl. He was a member of theCradle of Coachesand the Miami and Indiana Athletic Halls of Fame as well asMid-American ConferenceHall of Fame and theIndiana Football Hall of Fame.
Despite rumors that he would stay at Indiana, Pont signed a five-year contract to succeedAlex AgaseatNorthwestern Universityon December 23, 1972.[4]He announced on November 14, 1977, that he would remain as athletic director while relinquishing his head coaching duties effective at the end of theseason.[5]Rick Venturisucceeded him seventeen days later on December 1.[6]Both Pont and Venturi were dismissed on November 18, 1980, after theWildcatswent 1–31–1 within a three-year span culminating with a 0–11 campaign and a twenty-game losing streak.[7]Additionally, all but one of theblackplayers on the football team had protested against the unequal treatment of African-Americanstudent athleteswithin the program.[8]
Death
edit
Pont died at his home inOxford, Ohio,on July 1, 2008.
Head coaching record
editCollege
edit| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Redskins(Mid-American Conference)(1956–1962) | |||||||||
| 1956 | Miami | 7–1–1 | 4–0–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1957 | Miami | 6–3 | 5–0 | 1st | |||||
| 1958 | Miami | 6–3 | 5–0 | 1st | |||||
| 1959 | Miami | 5–4 | 3–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 1960 | Miami | 5–5 | 2–3 | 4th | |||||
| 1961 | Miami | 6–4 | 3–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 1962 | Miami | 8–2–1 | 3–1–1 | 3rd | LTangerine | ||||
| Miami: | 43–22–2 | 25–8–2 | |||||||
| Yale Bulldogs(Ivy League)(1963–1964) | |||||||||
| 1963 | Yale | 6–3 | 4–3 | T–4th | |||||
| 1964 | Yale | 6–2–1 | 4–2–1 | 3rd | |||||
| Yale: | 12–5–1 | 8–5–1 | |||||||
| Indiana Hoosiers(Big Ten Conference)(1965–1972) | |||||||||
| 1965 | Indiana | 2–8 | 1–6 | 9th | |||||
| 1966 | Indiana | 1–8–1 | 1–5–1 | 9th | |||||
| 1967 | Indiana | 9–2 | 6–1 | T–1st | LRose | 6 | 4 | ||
| 1968 | Indiana | 6–4 | 4–3 | T–5th | |||||
| 1969 | Indiana | 4–6 | 3–4 | T–5th | |||||
| 1970 | Indiana | 1–9 | 1–6 | T–9th | |||||
| 1971 | Indiana | 3–8 | 2–6 | 9th | |||||
| 1972 | Indiana | 5–6 | 3–5 | T–6th | |||||
| Indiana: | 31–51–1 | 21–36–1 | |||||||
| Northwestern Wildcats(Big Ten Conference)(1973–1977) | |||||||||
| 1973 | Northwestern | 5–6 | 4–4 | T–4th | |||||
| 1974 | Northwestern | 2–8 | 2–6 | T–7th | |||||
| 1975 | Northwestern | 3–8 | 2–6 | 9th | |||||
| 1976 | Northwestern | 1–10 | 1–7 | 10th | |||||
| 1977 | Northwestern | 1–10 | 1–8 | 10th | |||||
| Northwestern: | 12–43 | 10–31 | |||||||
| Mount St. Joseph Lions(NAIA Division II independent)(1990–1992) | |||||||||
| 1990 | Mount St. Joseph | 1–9 | |||||||
| 1991 | Mount St. Joseph | 4–6 | |||||||
| 1992 | Mount St. Joseph | 4–5 | |||||||
| Mount St. Joseph: | 9–20 | ||||||||
| Total: | 107–141–4 | ||||||||
| National championshipConference titleConference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
| |||||||||
References
edit- ^"Legendary Miami Player and Coach John Pont Passes Away".Miami Ohio Official Athletic Site.CBS Interactive.RetrievedJanuary 21,2010.
- ^Imps Place 9 on All Stars, Jack Sullivan,Ottawa Citizen,November 15, 1952
- ^Goldstein, Richard (July 3, 2008)."John Pont, Who Coached Indiana to Rose Bowl, Dies at 80".The New York Times.RetrievedSeptember 11,2010.
- ^"Pont Leaves Indiana Post To Coach at Northwestern,"The New York Times,Sunday, December 24, 1972.Retrieved April 11, 2023.
- ^"Pont Quitting as Northwestern Coach,"The Associated Press(AP), Monday, November 14, 1977.Retrieved April 11, 2023.
- ^"People in Sports...,"The New York Times,Friday, December 2, 1977.Retrieved April 11, 2023.
- ^Rosen, Ron. "Griffith Wallows in Record Red Ink,"The Washington Post,Wednesday, November 19, 1980.Retrieved April 11, 2023.
- ^Monaghan, Shane. "35 years before Missouri, Northwestern athletes pushed for racial equality," Medill Reports Chicago (Northwestern University), Wednesday, November 25, 2015.Retrieved April 11, 2023.
External links
edit- John PontatFind a Grave
- Cradle of Coaches Archive: A Legacy of Excellence - John Pont,Miami University Libraries
- John Pont Collection, Cradle of Coaches Archive,Miami University Libraries