Johnny Majors had a coach for a father, and it showed. Majors was a lightning bolt on the gridiron, exploding for big wins over Alabama, Florida, Vanderbilt, and UNC in 1955. His absence further showed his worth to the team; Johnny missed the ‘55 game against Kentucky and the Wildcats blew Tennessee out 23-0. In 1956, Majors proved his worth again by finishing the regular season with a perfect record, over 1,100 yards from scrimmage, his second straight SEC MVP, a First Team All-American accolade, and second place in the Heisman voting.
After graduation, Johnny followed his father’s path to the sideline. As a Head Coach with three different rebuilds, Johnny solidified himself as a leader and winner. Majors brought success to Iowa State. He then resurrected Pittsburgh, taking the Panthers to a bowl game for the first time in 17 years in his first year with the team, and winning a National Championship in year four. He then left for Tennessee and won a triplicate of SEC Championships. Despite his accolades, because he returned to Pitt after his ouster at UT, Majors’ career win percentage dropped below the mandatory .600, falling to .573. If not for his late career losses, there is a good chance Majors would be a dual entry Hall of Famer alongside Bowden Wyatt and Bobby Dodd.