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Pioneering college football coach dies
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Former Baylor football coach John Bridgers died November 24 from congestive heart failure. He was 84.
After spending two years as an assistant with the Baltimore Colts, Bridgers arrived at Baylor in 1959 and brought the pro-style offense to the Southwest at a time when almost all offenses were ground-oriented. While using the pro-style offense, Bridgers led the Bears to bowl games in three of his first five seasons.
In Baylor’s 1966 season opener against Syracuse, Bridgers played sophomore John Hill Westbrook, making the running back the first black student-athlete to play for a Southwest Conference school.
The Bears struggled in Bridgers’ last five years at the helm and he was removed from his post after the 1968 season. After some time back in the NFL, Bridgers landed as athletics director at Florida State, hiring Bobby Bowden as head football coach. He also was the athletics director at New Mexico.
After spending two years as an assistant with the Baltimore Colts, Bridgers arrived at Baylor in 1959 and brought the pro-style offense to the Southwest at a time when almost all offenses were ground-oriented. While using the pro-style offense, Bridgers led the Bears to bowl games in three of his first five seasons.
In Baylor’s 1966 season opener against Syracuse, Bridgers played sophomore John Hill Westbrook, making the running back the first black student-athlete to play for a Southwest Conference school.
The Bears struggled in Bridgers’ last five years at the helm and he was removed from his post after the 1968 season. After some time back in the NFL, Bridgers landed as athletics director at Florida State, hiring Bobby Bowden as head football coach. He also was the athletics director at New Mexico.
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