Legendary Pitt Football Coach Johnny Majors Reminisces on his Hall of Fame Career
9/11/2019 5:00:00 PM | General
Every morning, Johnny Majors wakes up in his Tennessee home with an extra weight on his left hand.
"It's got 'National Champions '76' on one side and the Pitt script on the other side," said Majors. "I wear it every day and I go to sleep with it at night. It's a ring that I will never take off as long
as I live."
Born in 1935, Majors followed football since he could first walk. He grew up in Lynchburg, Tennessee, a small town, most known for their whiskey, a couple hundred miles south of Nashville. His father, Shirley Majors, was an outstanding football coach in the area and is still, to this day, one of the winningest coaches in Tennessee high school football history.
"I was taught carefully and greatly by my father," said Majors. "We are called the 'Football Family of Tennessee.'"
Just as Majors was beginning to fall in love with the game of football, the University of Pittsburgh football program was finishing their most dominant era in school history. The Panthers won six national championships in eight seasons between 1931 and 1938. Little did Majors know, this dominant program wouldn't return to the peak of college football until he took over the reign.
In the meantime, Majors was becoming quite the football player himself. Coached by his father, his Huntland High School team won the state championship in 1951. His success earned him a scholarship to play running back at the University of Tennessee.
As a member of the Volunteers, Majors became an All-American and Heisman Trophy runner-up in 1956. His former coach, Bowden Wyatt, is in the Tennessee Hall of Fame as a player and a coach.
"I happened to play for two of the greatest coaches in history," said Majors. "My dad, Shirley Majors, and Bowden Wyatt."
Fast-forward 17 years, after one season as a player in Canada and 16 seasons as a coach at Tennessee, Mississippi State, Arkansas and Iowa State, Majors flew to Pittsburgh to accept the head coaching position for the Panthers. Majors made sure to express his mantra during his introductory press conference.
"My theme was always this, 'We will play with pride and enthusiasm and we will never learn to lose," said Majors. "We will never give up.'"
Immediately after giving a passion-filled speech, Majors remembers walking to his office with his staff and asking one question that would change his life forever.
"I said, 'Who is the most outstanding prospect in this area?'," said Majors. "They said 'Tony Dorsett.'"
Dorsett only played running back for his final two seasons at Hopewell High School, but finished with over 2,200 yards. He was also a two-time all-state selection.
"He lived down by the Allegheny River," said Majors. "I said, 'Okay, let's go'. We called his high school coach Butch Ross, and said 'Can we see Tony?' So I hit the road and started recruiting right away. And that was the first time I met Tony."
Dorsett would go on to lead Pitt to an undefeated 1976 season and national championship to go along with his Heisman Trophy. The season was highlighted by dominating wins over Notre Dame, Navy, Penn State and finally undefeated Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, 27-3, to claim the national championship.
It was the return to glory for a program that needed guidance. Side by side, Coach Majors and Tony Dorsett put Pitt back on top.
"He was very intelligent and very sharp minded," said Majors. "He was a great listener. Joe Paterno was the head coach of Penn State of course and it's interesting how few times we recruited the same people. Tony Dorsett was one of those people."
Majors would go on to coach his alma mater, Tennessee before returning to Pittsburgh to end his career. As he is inducted into the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame, Majors thanks everyone who's influenced him along the way.
"I'm extremely honored because the University of Pittsburgh has been one of the most outstanding things that's ever happened to me in my 84 years," said Majors.
Majors then began to sing the Pitt fight song, remembering every word.
"The people there were so good to me, I have some of the greatest friends I'll ever have in the city of Pittsburgh," said Majors. "I've never had better times in my life than I did in Pittsburgh. It was thrilling. Hail to Pitt, Hail to Pitt. Forever, Hail to Pitt."
"It's got 'National Champions '76' on one side and the Pitt script on the other side," said Majors. "I wear it every day and I go to sleep with it at night. It's a ring that I will never take off as long
as I live."
Born in 1935, Majors followed football since he could first walk. He grew up in Lynchburg, Tennessee, a small town, most known for their whiskey, a couple hundred miles south of Nashville. His father, Shirley Majors, was an outstanding football coach in the area and is still, to this day, one of the winningest coaches in Tennessee high school football history.
"I was taught carefully and greatly by my father," said Majors. "We are called the 'Football Family of Tennessee.'"
Just as Majors was beginning to fall in love with the game of football, the University of Pittsburgh football program was finishing their most dominant era in school history. The Panthers won six national championships in eight seasons between 1931 and 1938. Little did Majors know, this dominant program wouldn't return to the peak of college football until he took over the reign.
In the meantime, Majors was becoming quite the football player himself. Coached by his father, his Huntland High School team won the state championship in 1951. His success earned him a scholarship to play running back at the University of Tennessee.
As a member of the Volunteers, Majors became an All-American and Heisman Trophy runner-up in 1956. His former coach, Bowden Wyatt, is in the Tennessee Hall of Fame as a player and a coach.
"I happened to play for two of the greatest coaches in history," said Majors. "My dad, Shirley Majors, and Bowden Wyatt."
Fast-forward 17 years, after one season as a player in Canada and 16 seasons as a coach at Tennessee, Mississippi State, Arkansas and Iowa State, Majors flew to Pittsburgh to accept the head coaching position for the Panthers. Majors made sure to express his mantra during his introductory press conference.
"My theme was always this, 'We will play with pride and enthusiasm and we will never learn to lose," said Majors. "We will never give up.'"
Immediately after giving a passion-filled speech, Majors remembers walking to his office with his staff and asking one question that would change his life forever.
"I said, 'Who is the most outstanding prospect in this area?'," said Majors. "They said 'Tony Dorsett.'"
Dorsett only played running back for his final two seasons at Hopewell High School, but finished with over 2,200 yards. He was also a two-time all-state selection.
"He lived down by the Allegheny River," said Majors. "I said, 'Okay, let's go'. We called his high school coach Butch Ross, and said 'Can we see Tony?' So I hit the road and started recruiting right away. And that was the first time I met Tony."
Dorsett would go on to lead Pitt to an undefeated 1976 season and national championship to go along with his Heisman Trophy. The season was highlighted by dominating wins over Notre Dame, Navy, Penn State and finally undefeated Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, 27-3, to claim the national championship.
It was the return to glory for a program that needed guidance. Side by side, Coach Majors and Tony Dorsett put Pitt back on top.
"He was very intelligent and very sharp minded," said Majors. "He was a great listener. Joe Paterno was the head coach of Penn State of course and it's interesting how few times we recruited the same people. Tony Dorsett was one of those people."
Majors would go on to coach his alma mater, Tennessee before returning to Pittsburgh to end his career. As he is inducted into the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame, Majors thanks everyone who's influenced him along the way.
"I'm extremely honored because the University of Pittsburgh has been one of the most outstanding things that's ever happened to me in my 84 years," said Majors.
Majors then began to sing the Pitt fight song, remembering every word.
"The people there were so good to me, I have some of the greatest friends I'll ever have in the city of Pittsburgh," said Majors. "I've never had better times in my life than I did in Pittsburgh. It was thrilling. Hail to Pitt, Hail to Pitt. Forever, Hail to Pitt."
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