Gene Stallings

Eugene Clifton Stallings Jr. (born March 2, 1935) is a former American football player and coach.

Following Harold Drew, Stallings became only the second Alabama head coach since the renewal of the Iron Bowl in 1948 to defeat Auburn in his first attempt; Dennis Franchione became the third in 2001.

He played college football at Texas A&M University (1954–1956), where he was one of the "Junction Boys", and later served as the head coach at his alma mater from 1965 to 1971.

In 1956, he helped the team finish 9–0–1 and capture its first Southwest Conference championship since 1939.

Stallings received his Bachelor of Physical Education degree from Texas A&M in 1957.

In 1958, Stallings joined Bear Bryant's original staff at the University of Alabama as a defensive assistant.

He was on hand for two of Alabama's national championship seasons, in 1961 and 1964.

Shortly after helping Alabama win the 1964 national title, Stallings was named the head coach of his alma mater, Texas A&M, at the age of 29.

He coached the Aggies for seven seasons compiling a record of 27–45–1.

During his tenure, the Aggies won the Southwest Conference in 1967, Stallings' only winning season at A&M.

At the end of that season Stallings led Texas A&M to a victory over Alabama and mentor Bear Bryant in the Cotton Bowl, a victory where Coach Bryant carried Coach Stallings off the field.

With the university only recently going co-ed, its military focus and the ongoing war in Vietnam, A&M struggled to recruit against its Southwest Conference rivals.

He was fired at A&M following the 1971 season.

In 1972, Stallings joined the staff of the Dallas Cowboys as Tom Landry's secondary coach.

He remained with the Cowboys for 14 seasons, and helped them win Super Bowl XII.

Stallings was also the head coach of the St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL) (1986–1989) and at the University of Alabama (1990–1996).

In 1986, Stallings was named the head coach of the St. Louis Cardinals.

In parts of four seasons, Stallings compiled a 23–34–1 record with the Cardinals and was the head coach during the franchise's move to Arizona.

In 1987, the franchise's final season in St. Louis, the Cardinals rallied from a 28–3 deficit at the start of the fourth quarter to defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 31–28, the largest fourth quarter comeback in NFL history.

The Cardinals used the comeback to springboard themselves into position to clinch a playoff berth on the final Sunday of the season, but fell short with a 21–16 loss at Dallas.

The Cardinals' relocation from St. Louis to Arizona was approved on March 15, 1988.

In 1988, the Cardinals pulled off another miracle comeback, rallying from a 23–0 deficit against the eventual Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers for a 24–23 victory.

Phoenix was 7–4 and in first place in the NFC East but collapsed, losing their final five games, including two to the division champion Philadelphia Eagles.

The 1989 season started with road victories at Detroit and Seattle, but injuries derailed any playoff hopes.

With five games remaining in the 1989 season, Stallings announced that he would resign at the end of the season.

Believing Stallings would be a distraction, general manager Larry Wilson ordered Stallings to leave immediately and named assistant Hank Kuhlmann as interim coach for the rest of the season.

The Cardinals lost all five games under Kuhlmann and finished 5–11, the first of four consecutive seasons in which the team would lose at least 11 games.

Stallings returned to Alabama as head coach in 1990.

His first team finished with a 7–5 record, including a 34–7 loss to Louisville in the 1991 Fiesta Bowl.

Stallings' 1991 squad finished the season with an 11–1 record, including a 30–25 victory over Colorado in the 1991 Blockbuster Bowl.

Stallings' 1992 Alabama team completed a 13–0 season with a win in the Sugar Bowl over Miami and was named the consensus national champion.

Stallings was also a member of the Board of Regents of the Texas A&M University System.

In 1992, Stallings' experienced defensive unit led the team to an undefeated regular season and a berth in the first SEC Championship Game where Alabama defeated Florida, 28–21, giving Alabama its 20th Southeastern Conference (SEC) title, and its first outright conference title since 1979.

Following a 34–13 victory over heavily favored Miami in the 1993 Sugar Bowl to cap a perfect 13–0 season and the first Bowl Coalition national championship—their first national title since 1979.

He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach on July 16, 2011.

Stallings was born in Paris, Texas.

He attended Paris High School, where he played end as a sophomore alongside future National Football League (NFL) star, Raymond Berry.

During his junior and senior year, Stallings was the captain of the football, basketball, and golf teams.

He was recruited to Texas A&M University to play college football by then-head coach Raymond George.

At Texas A&M, Stallings was a member of the famed Junction Boys under head coach Bear Bryant.