R.C. Slocum, the winningest coach in Texas A&M football history, has been named winner of the 2011 Neyland Trophy presented by the Knoxville Quarterback Club.
First awarded in 1967, the Trophy is named in honor of Hall of Fame and legendary head coach Gen. Robert R. Neyland, who led the Vols from 1926-52. The presentation will be made at The East Tennessee Chapter of the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame banquet, set for Saturday, April 16, at 10 a.m. at The Foundry in Knoxville. Slocum will also be honored on the field in pregame ceremonies before Tennessee’s annual Orange and White Game.
Slocum, who recorded 123 wins as the Aggies head coach, had more than 50 Texas A&M players drafted into the NFL during his career.
Raised in Orange, Texas, Slocum attended McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and was later honored by the school as a Distinguished Alumnus in 2001. He began his coaching career in 1968 at a Lake Charles high school. Two years later, in 1970, Slocum became a graduate assistant at Kansas State under head coach Vince Gibson. In 1971, he was named head freshman coach.
In 1972, Slocum was hired as a receivers coach under Emory Bellard at Texas A&M. He coached several position with the Aggies from 1972-80, including offensive line, defensive ends and defensive coordinator. He moved to Southern California in 1981 as defensive coordinator.
Slocum returned to A&M in 1982 and became defensive coordinator under head coach Jackie Sherrill. In 1985, Slocum was elevated to assistant head coach. Slocum substituted for Sherrill and served as acting head coach for A&M’s 18–0 victory over TCU during the 1988 season.
In December 1988, Slocum was named head coach at Texas A&M. During his 14 years as head coach, Slocum led the Aggies to a record of 123–47–2. During his career, Slocum never had a losing season and won four conference championships, including the Big 12 title in 1998. Additionally, he led the Aggies to become the first school history to post three consecutive perfect conference seasons.
Slocum reached 100 wins faster than any other coach active at that time. He had the best winning percentage in SWC history, one spot ahead of the legendary coach Darrell Royal. Slocum helped make A&M’s Kyle Field one of the hardest places for opponents to play, losing only 12 games there in 14 years.
Slocum was named SWC Coach of the Year three times.
He is currently a special advisor to the Texas A&M University president and works for the Texas A&M Foundation. A member of the Texas A&M Hall of Fame, Slocum was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2006. Presently, he also serves as President of the American Football Coaches Foundation.
Gen. Robert R. Neyland Trophy
The Trophy is awarded annually by the Knoxville Quarterback Club to an outstanding man who has contributed greatly to intercollegiate athletics. The first presentation in 1967 included the man who hired Gen. Neyland in 1926 and his first All-America lineman, who later became head coach at Yale. The permanent trophy is displayed in the Tennessee Hall of Fame Exhibit in the Neyland-Thompson Sports Center on the University of Tennessee campus.
1967 – Nathan W. Dougherty, Tennessee
1967 – Herman Hickman, Yale
1968 – Wallace Wade, Alabama
1969 – Bobby Dodd, Georgia Tech
1970 – John Barnhill, Arkansas
1971 – Jess Neely, Rice
1972 – John Vaught, Mississippi
1973 – Bud Wilkinson, Oklahoma
1974 – Fritz Crisler, Michigan
1975 – Lynn “Pappy” Waldorf, California
1976 – John McKay, Southern California
1977 – Darrell Royal, Texas
1978 – Ralph “Shug” Jordan, Auburn
1979 – Frank Broyles, Arkansas
1980 – Bob Devaney, Nebraska
1981 – Ara Parseghian, Notre Dame
1982 – Bill Murray, Duke
1983 – Paul “Bear” Bryant, Alabama
1984 – Woody Hayes, Ohio State
1985 – Duffy Daugherty, Michigan State
1986 – Bob Woodruff, Tennessee
1987 – Charles McClendon, LSU
1988 – LaVell Edwards, Brigham Young
1989 – Vince Dooley, Georgia
1990 – Bo Schembechler, Michigan
1991 – Murray Warmath, Minnesota
1992 – Bobby Bowden, Florida State
1993 – Grant Teaff, Baylor
1994 – Jerry Claiborne, Kentucky
1995 – Dan Devine, Notre Dame
1996 – Hayden Fry, Iowa
1997 – Terry Donahue, UCLA
1998 – Lou Holtz, Notre Dame
1999 – Eddie Robinson, Grambling
2000 – Tom Osborne, Nebraska
2001 – Doug Dickey, Tennessee
2002 – Gene Stallings, Alabama
2003 – Johnny Majors, Pittsburgh
2004 – John Gaglidardi, St. John’s (Minn.)
2005 – Barry Switzer, Oklahoma
2006 – John Cooper, Ohio State
2007 – John Robinson, UNLV
2008 – Lloyd Carr, Michigan
2009 – Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee
2010 – Ken Sparks, Carson-Newman
2011 – -R.C. Slocum, Texas A&M