 Sloan, circa 1982 | |||||||||
| No. 14, 12 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Quarterback | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | (1944-08-19)August 19, 1944 Austin, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died | April 14, 2024(2024-04-14) (aged 79) Orlando, Florida, U.S. | ||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Bradley (Cleveland, Tennessee) | ||||||||
| College | Alabama (1962–1965) | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1966: 11th round, 156th overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
Playing | |||||||||
Coaching | |||||||||
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Operations | |||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Head coaching record | |||||||||
| Postseason | Bowl: 0–2–1 (.167) | ||||||||
| Career | 68–86–3 (.443) | ||||||||
Stephen Charles Sloan (August 19, 1944 – April 14, 2024) was an American professionalfootball player who became acollege football coach and athletics administrator. He played in college as aquarterback at theUniversity of Alabama from 1962 to 1965 and then spent two seasons in theNational Football League (NFL) with theAtlanta Falcons (1966–1967). Sloan then returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach (1968–1970), and then served one year each as an offensive coordinator atFlorida State (1971) andGeorgia Tech (1972). At Florida State he was on the staff with linebackers coachBill Parcells. Sloan then got his first head coaching job atVanderbilt University (1973–1974), where he brought Parcells with him, and at his next job atTexas Tech University (1975–1977), he made Parcells the defensive coordinator. Sloan then went on to theUniversity of Mississippi (1978–1982), andDuke University (1983–1986), compiling a career record of 68–86–3. He returned to Vanderbilt to serve as offensive coordinator for one year (1990) before retiring from coaching. He also served as theathletic director at the University of Alabama (1987–1989), theUniversity of North Texas (1991–1993),University of Central Florida (1993–2002), and theUniversity of Tennessee at Chattanooga (2002–2006), before his retirement in 2006.[1] In 2000, Sloan was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.[2] He died on April 14, 2024, at the age of 79.[3]
Steve Sloan was born inAustin, Texas, on August 19, 1944, to C.L. "Preacher" and Virginia Byrd Sloan.[4] His father served in theU.S. Air Force, and the family moved regularly before settling inCleveland, Tennessee, in 1953.[4] Sloan attendedBradley Central High School where he was the quarterback on the football team, and also played baseball, basketball, and golf.[5] He graduated in 1962 with academic honors.[4] That year his school won state championships in football, basketball, and track.[5] While at Bradley, Sloan earned all-state honors in football and basketball and was named one of the top prep golfers in the state.[6]
Sloan playedcollege football at theUniversity of Alabama under legendary coachPaul "Bear" Bryant between 1962 and 1965. He arrived inTuscaloosa in 1962, though was not eligible to play with thevarsity team due toNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules at the time.[5] In his sophomore season with theCrimson Tide, Sloan was a backup toquarterbackJoe Namath, but played in most games atdefensive back. Sloan quarterbacked the Tide's final regular season game andthe Sugar Bowl when Bryant benched Namath for disciplinary reasons.[2] The1963 Crimson Tide went 9–2 with a 12–7 victory overOle Miss in the Sugar Bowl.
Sloan was the primary quarterback in his junior season in 1964 while Namath was injured. The1964 team finished 10–1, won theSoutheastern Conference title, and was named the consensusnational champion. However, in the1965 Orange Bowl versusTexas, Sloan was forced out of the game with injury. Namath came off the bench to winmost valuable player honors despite Alabama losing, 21–17.[7]
Following the departure of Namath to theAmerican Football League, Sloan became Alabama's full-time starter for the1965 season,[2][8] in which Alabama repeated as SEC and national champions. The team finished 9–1–1 with a 39–28 victory overNebraska in the1966 Orange Bowl.
After college, Sloan was selected by theNFL'sAtlanta Falcons in the 11th round of the1966 NFL draft. He played sparingly as a back-up over the course of two seasons. In his brief NFL career, he only appeared in eight games, and only one as a starter. During those eight games, he completed 10 of 31 passes, for no touchdowns and four interceptions.[9]
In 1971, Sloan received his first coaching job as anoffensive coordinator for theFlorida State Seminoles.[10] The following year, he moved to theGeorgia Tech Yellow Jackets for the same position.[10]
In 1973, Sloan took his first job as a head coach of theVanderbilt Commodores.[11] In his first season, Vanderbilt finished at 5–6, including a 1–5 record in conference play. During his second season, however, Vanderbilt finished at 7–3–1 and qualified for a post-seasonbowl game. The team was placed in thePeach Bowl against theTexas Tech Red Raiders.[12] The two teams played to a 6–6 tie in the game.[13] It was Vanderbilt's first bowl game since 1955 and second in school history.
TheTexas Tech University athletic department offered Sloan head football coaching position in January 1975. Though Sloan originally declined,[14][15] he took the job on January 2, 1975.[16] Texas Tech was believed to have offered him a US$30,000 per year contract, as well as $11,000 from television show income.[15] He took five of his assistant coaches with him to the Red Raiders program, includingdefensive coordinatorBill Parcells.[17] In his three seasons with Texas Tech, Sloan compiled a 23–12 record.
In late 1977, Sloan took his third head coaching job with theOle Miss Rebels football program.[18] Sloan was head coach for five seasons at Ole Miss, winning 20 games, losing 34, and tying one. His best season came in 1978 when the Rebels finished at 5–6.
In December 1982, Sloan decided to leave Ole Miss to become the head football coach for theDuke Blue Devils football program.[19] In his first season at Duke, Sloan led the Blue Devils to a 3–8 record, despite beginning the season 0–7.[20] In his remaining three seasons, he compiled a 10–23 record before resigning.Steve Spurrier was named as his successor.[21]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt Commodores(Southeastern Conference)(1973–1974) | |||||||||
| 1973 | Vanderbilt | 5–6 | 1–5 | 10th | |||||
| 1974 | Vanderbilt | 7–3–2 | 2–3–1 | T–7th | TPeach | ||||
| Vanderbilt: | 12–9–2 | 3–8–1 | |||||||
| Texas Tech Red Raiders(Southwest Conference)(1975–1977) | |||||||||
| 1975 | Texas Tech | 6–5 | 4–3 | 4th | |||||
| 1976 | Texas Tech | 10–2 | 7–1 | T–1st | LAstro-Bluebonnet | 13 | 13 | ||
| 1977 | Texas Tech | 7–5 | 4–4 | T–4th | LTangerine | ||||
| Texas Tech: | 23–12 | 15–8 | |||||||
| Ole Miss Rebels(Southeastern Conference)(1978–1982) | |||||||||
| 1978 | Ole Miss | 5–6 | 2–4 | T–7th | |||||
| 1979 | Ole Miss | 4–7 | 3–3 | T–5th | |||||
| 1980 | Ole Miss | 3–8 | 2–4 | 7th | |||||
| 1981 | Ole Miss | 4–6–1 | 1–5–1 | 9th | |||||
| 1982 | Ole Miss | 4–7 | 0–6 | T–9th | |||||
| Ole Miss: | 20–34–1 | 8–22–1 | |||||||
| Duke Blue Devils(Atlantic Coast Conference)(1983–1986) | |||||||||
| 1983 | Duke | 3–8 | 3–4 | T–5th | |||||
| 1984 | Duke | 2–9 | 1–6 | T–7th | |||||
| 1985 | Duke | 4–7 | 2–5 | T–6th | |||||
| 1986 | Duke | 4–7 | 2–5 | T–6th | |||||
| Duke: | 13–31 | 8–20 | |||||||
| Total: | 68–86–3 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
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