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Quotable John McKay
Friends and former players pay tribute to McKay
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Wednesday, June 13, 2001
McKay an innovator
Associated Press
TAMPA, Fla. -- Whether John McKay was winning national
championships at Southern California or weathering the worst
stretch of futility in NFL history at Tampa Bay, his sense of humor
never lost its bite.
The legendary coach, who won four national titles at USC while
popularizing the "I" formation, died June 10 at St. Joseph's
Hospital of kidney failure due to complications from diabetes. He
was 77.
McKay, who would have turned 78 on July 5, was the first and by
far the most colorful coach in Buccaneers history. |  | | John McKay, the first coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led the Bucs to three playoff appearances. |
In addition to a
reputation for being innovative and having an eye for talent, he
will be remembered for spicing up news conferences with quips.
"John McKay never bit his tongue," said former Bucs
quarterback and current Grambling coach Doug Williams. "He said
exactly what he thought all the time."
Once asked about the pressure of coaching at USC, McKay
responded: "I'll never be hung in effigy. Before every season I
send my men out to buy up all the rope in Los Angeles."
Following one of his many losses during Tampa Bay's formulative
years, he delivered one of his most memorable one-liners when a
reporter inquired about his team's execution.
"I think it's a good idea," he said.
The Bucs lost their first 26 games under McKay, an NFL record,
before rebounding to become the first expansion team to make it to
a conference title game within it first four seasons in 1979.
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ESPN Classic Remembers John McKay
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On Thursday, June 14 at 9 p.m. ET, ESPN Classic will pay tribute to former USC coach John McKay by presenting the 1975 Rose Bowl. The Trojans beat Ohio State and claimed its fourth and final national title under McKay.
ESPN's Beano Cook: McKay one of his era's best
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In all, Tampa Bay made three playoff appearances and McKay
compiled a 44-88-1 record before retiring after his ninth season in
1984. He remained the winningest coach in team history until Tony
Dungy -- the only Bucs coach with a winning record -- surpassed him
last season.
"Coach had a lot of confidence in his ability and the system
that he believed in," said Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon, McKay's
first-ever draft pick.
"He endured some criticism, especially in the early years. I
really respected him and admired him during those times, because he
stuck to what he believed in. Over the course of time, not only did
it work for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but I also saw several other
teams adopting some of the philosophies ... many critics said would
not work."
The Bucs lost 9-0 to the Los Angeles Rams in the 1979 NFC
championship game and the team didn't win another postseason game
until the Dungy-led Bucs beat Detroit in a first-round game in
1997. Tampa Bay got back to the conference final under Dungy in
1999, but lost 11-6 to the St. Louis Rams.
McKay's son, Rich, is the general manager of that team and has
overseen the rebuilding process. Another son, J.K. McKay, played in
the NFL and was general manager of the Los Angeles team that won
the only XFL championship this season.
"I'm forever indebted to him for what he instilled in me,"
said USC athletic director Mike Garrett, a Heisman Trophy-winning
tailback for the Trojans under McKay.
"To this day, my whole thinking process involves some of the
things I learned from him. He lives with me daily. ... I became
more resolute in my thinking because of John McKay. He was not an
equivocal man. You could not be an equivocal person playing for
him. I have a sense of direction and an absolute confidence now,
and that's what I got from him."
A native of Everettsville, W.Va., McKay enrolled at Purdue after
serving in the Army Air Corps in World War II. He transferred to
Oregon and teamed with Norm Van Brocklin to helped the Ducks go 9-1
in 1948 and earn a trip to the Cotton Bowl.
He began his coaching career as an assistant at Oregon, turning
down offers to go to work for the FBI or play pro ball for the New
York Yankees of the All-American Football Conference in 1950.
McKay moved to Southern California as an assistant in 1959 and
became head coach when Don Clark retired a year later. The Trojans
went unbeaten and won the first of their national titles under
McKay in the coach's third season.
Southern Cal went 127-40-8, won nine Pac-8 championships and
only lost 17 conference games in 16 years under McKay. He coached
40 All-Americans at the Los Angeles school, including Heisman
winners Garrett and O.J. Simpson, quarterbacks Pat Haden and Bill
Nelsen, fullback Sam Cunningham, offensive linemen Ron Yary and
Marvin Powell and receivers Lynn Swann, Bob Chandler and Earl
McCullouch.
"I think he was the best evaluator of talent that I've ever
seen," Haden said. "He would have some high school kid who was an
All-American linebacker, and the first day he'd watch him practice
and say, 'You're a tight end.' Two years later, that kid was an
All-American tight end."
Haden, best friends in high school with J.K. McKay, lived with
the coach's family during his senior year.
"I was getting recruited by every school in the country and so
was John (J.K.). When colleges recruited me, they would actually
come to the McKays' house ... and it was very awkward for a lot of
these coaches," Haden said.
"When Fresno State or someone like that knocked on the door, he
wasn't home. But he always knew when Notre Dame was coming by, or
Stanford, or Nebraska, or Alabama. For schools like that, he always
answered the door."
USC became known for outstanding tailbacks with Garrett,
Simpson, Clarence Davis, Anthony Davis and Ricky Bell all
flourishing in the I-formation system that McKay perfected in the
1960s.
Besides 1962, Southern Cal won national titles in 1967, 1972 and
1974. The Trojans also won five Rose Bowls and finished first or
second in the Pac-8 13 times.
In addition to his sons, McKay is survived by his wife of 50
years, Corky, two daughters, and 10 grandchildren. The Bucs said a
private memorial service will be held at St. Lawrence Church in
Tampa.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the John McKay Fund at the USC Athletic Department, in care of Don Winston, Senior Associate AD at Heritage Hall (203A), Los Angeles, Calif., 90089-0602.
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