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Ralph Jordan

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"Shug Jordan" redirects here. For the Shug Jordan Parkway, see [[:State Route 267 (Alabama)]].

James Ralph "Shug" Jordan (JURD-an) (September 25, 1910 - July 17, 1980) was the winningest football coach at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. The university's Jordan-Hare Stadium is named in his honor. Jordan was named National Coach of the Year in 1957 when Auburn was voted national champions by the Associated Press.

Born in Selma, Alabama, Jordan was nicknamed "Shug" as a child because of his love for sugar cane. A 1932 graduate of Auburn, he lettered in football, baseball, and basketball while there and was voted the Most Outstanding Athlete in 1932. He was a member of Theta Chi Fraternity. After graduation, he became an assistant football coach at Auburn until World War II where he saw significant action in North Africa and Sicily before being wounded in the invasion of Normandy and receiving a Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. He continued in action in the Pacific theatre after recovering.

Prior to being hired as Auburn's head football coach in 1951, he spent five years as an assistant at the University of Georgia. In his first season, he coached the Tigers to a 5-5 record improving on the previous five straight losing seasons. After six years of Jordan's leadership, Auburn won its first SEC and AP national chamionships in 1957 with an undefeated record.

In 1971, Jordan's tutelage led quarterback Pat Sullivan to the Heisman Trophy. Two years later the university renamed Cliff Hare Stadium to Jordan-Hare Stadium in his honor making it the first stadium in the U.S. to be named for an active coach. When Jordan retired after the 1975 season he had amassed an enviable record of 176-83-6 for a .675 percentage and 22 winning seasons out of the 25 he had coached.

Honors and awards

  • SEC Coach of the Year - 1953, 1957, 1963, 1972
  • National Coach of the Year - 1957
  • Alabama Sports Hall of Fame - 1969
  • Alabama Academy of Honor - 1972
  • National Football Foundation Hall of Fame - 1982
  • Senior Bowl Hall of Fame - 1993
Preceded by Auburn University Head Football Coach
1951–1975 		Succeeded by
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