Portal:American football/Selected biography/December, 2007

Jerry Claiborne (August 2, 1928, in Hopkinsville, Kentucky – September 24, 2000, in Nashville, Tennessee) was a college football coach, most notable as the head coach at Virginia Tech, Maryland, and his alma mater of Kentucky. Claiborne was famous for being a winner, taking over historically underachieving teams and turning them into winners, as well as teaching his players to become excellent students. He retired with an overall record of 179–122–8.

Claiborne attended the University of Kentucky and was named the College of Education’s Outstanding Senior. Claiborne played halfback under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant at the University of Kentucky. Claiborne became Bryant’s assistant coach at Texas A&M and Alabama before he moved up to become a head coach.

Claiborne was head coach for Virginia Tech from 1961 to 1970 with an overall record of 69–32–2. The Hokies would not be as successful in football again until current coach Frank Beamer, who played for Claiborne at Virginia Tech, built the program into a powerhouse in the mid-1990s.

(more)