John Pont

John Pont
Sport(s) Football
Biographical details
Born (1927-11-13)November 13, 1927
Canton, Ohio
Died July 1, 2008(2008-07-01) (aged 80)
Oxford, Ohio
Playing career
1949–1951 Miami (OH)
1952 Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
Position(s) Halfback
Coaching career (HC unless 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 (AD unless noted)
1975–1980 Northwestern
Head coaching record
Overall 107–141–4 (college)
Bowls 0–2
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2 MAC (1957–1958)
1 Big 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)

John Pont (November 13, 1927 – July 1, 2008) was an American football player and coach. He served as head coach at Miami University, Yale University, Northwestern University and Indiana University. He was the only Indiana University coach to take a team to the Rose Bowl. Later in his career, Pont was recruited to start a football program at Cincinnati's College of Mount St. Joseph. He later served as coach and consultant in creating a semi-professional football league in Japan.[1] He was honored as NCAA Division I-A coach of the year in 1967, the year his Hoosiers appeared in the Rose Bowl. He was a member of the Cradle of Coaches and the Miami and Indiana Athletic Halls of Fame as well as Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame and the Indiana Football Hall of Fame.

Pont's number 42 displayed at Yager Stadium. Pont is one of four football players to have his number retired by Miami University.

Pont was born on November 13, 1927 in Canton, Ohio to Bautista and Suzannah Pont.[2] He graduated from Timken High School in Canton. As an undergraduate at Miami University, Pont was an outstanding halfback, playing for coaches Woody Hayes and Ara Parseghian, and was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. After a serving a tour as a Navy submariner, Pont played professional football in Canada. He and several of his "Cradle of Coaches" compatriots are the subject of the book Fields of Honor, written by Pont's niece, Sally Pont. Pont died at his home in Oxford, Ohio on July 1, 2008.

Playing career

After playing college football at Miami University, Pont went to Canada and played with Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers of the Ontario Rugby Football Union, where he won the Imperial Oil Trophy as league MVP in 1952.[3]

Head coaching record

College

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 L Tangerine
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 L Rose 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 championship         Conference title         Conference division title
#Rankings from final Coaches Poll.
°Rankings from final AP Poll.

References

  1. ↑ RICHARD GOLDSTEIN (July 3, 2008). "John Pont, Who Coached Indiana to Rose Bowl, Dies at 80". New York Times. Retrieved September 11, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Legendary Miami Player and Coach John Pont Passes Away". Miami Ohio Official Athletic Site. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
  3. ↑ Imps Place 9 on All Stars, Jack Sullivan, Ottawa Citizen, November 15, 1952


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