The Early Years & Football Playing Career

Born on June 4, 1892 in Des Moines, Iowa, William Hamilton Britton was a college football and basketball coach, and played football during his time in the United States Army.

Britton went to Culver Military Academy in Indiana where he played basketball, baseball and ran track. His family disallowed him to play football, so it wasn’t until several years later he would have first chance.

Unlike many other college football coaches, Britton did not attend college himself, instead enrolling at the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point in 1912.

He didn’t see much play at all initially, as he was the team’s scrub in 1913. In relation to this, he was quoted as saying “The first football game I ever played in was the famous game with Notre Dame when Gus Dorais threw all those passes to Knute Rockne.” Britton once recalled “I think they knew I was a greenhorn. They ran three plays right at me. Coach Dal left me in there about 15 minutes.”

Britton excelled in baseball, basketball and on the track teams ad West Point, setting the broad jump record. One of his proudest achievements would likely have been receiving the Saber in 1916, a trophy that is awarded to the best athlete.

After his time at USMA, he was stationed in Hawaii, where he began his career as a Head Coach.

Coaching History & Timeline

In 1916, he started his term at the University of Hawaii as the Head Coach, going 3-2-1 in what was his first and last season.

After leaving the University of Hawaii after just one season, it wasn’t until several years later that he found himself in a college coaching position.

Having left the military Britton entered the real estate industry in Florida and it was in 1926 that then Head Coach General Robert Neyland offered Britton the position of assistant coach.

Britton gladly accepted and along with Paul Parker, helped General Neyland build a winning team.

He served as ends coach at the University of Tennessee between 1926 and 1934, before being asked to fill in for Neyland who was called to active duty.

As Head Coach for the Volunteers, Britton had a losing season going 4-5 in 1935.

After a season opener winning 20-0 against Southwestern University, a pattern emerged as the Volunteers lost one match and won the next until losing the final two games of the season to Vanderbilt and the University of Kentucky.

Whilst not a successful season, it couldn’t have been easy as he was suddenly thrust into position of Head Coach in what was a very difficult time.

He returned to his position as an ends coach for a further ten years, taking his time at the University of Tennessee to eighteen years.

Life After Coaching

Britton embarked on a completely different career path becoming the recreation director for the Atomic Energy Commission at Oak Ridge.

He spent twelve years here before taking up a position at the Southeastern Civil Defense Headquarters in Thomasville, Georgia.

Football was an obvious passion of Brittons, and passion rarely fades away. As a result, many University of Tennessee Head Coaches received letters from Britton with his observations and advice as he continued to follow the Volunteers’ games years after he had left Tennessee in a coaching capacity.

Britton passed away at the age of 90 in Brooks, Georgia, on November 29, 1982.