John Pont

John Pont (November 13, 1927 – July 1, 2008) was an American football player and coach. He served as head coach at Miami University, Yale University, Northwestern University and Indiana University.

John Pont
Biographical details
Born(1927-11-13)November 13, 1927
Canton, Ohio
DiedJuly 1, 2008(2008-07-01) (aged 80)
Oxford, Ohio
Playing career
1949–1951Miami (OH)
1952Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
Position(s)Halfback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1953–1955Miami (OH) (assistant)
1956–1962Miami (OH)
1963–1964Yale
1965–1972Indiana
1973–1977Northwestern
1984–1989Hamilton HS (OH)
1990–1992Mount St. Joseph
1990–2004ROCBULL (X-League)
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1975–1980Northwestern
Head coaching record
Overall107–141–4 (college)
Bowls0–2
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2 MAC (1957–1958)
1 Big Ten (1967)
Awards
Imperial Oil Trophy (1952)
AFCA Coach of the Year (1967)
Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year (1967)
Paul "Bear" Bryant Award (1967)
Sporting News College Football COY (1967)
Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award (1967)

Early life

Pont was born on November 13, 1927 in Canton, Ohio to Bautista and Suzannah Pont.[1] He graduated from Timken High School in Canton. As an undergraduate at Miami University, Pont was an outstanding halfback, playing for coaches Woody Hayes and Ara Parseghian, and was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. After a serving a tour as a Navy submariner, Pont played professional football in Canada. He and several of his "Cradle of Coaches" compatriots are the subject of the book Fields of Honor, written by Pont's niece, Sally Pont.

Career

Playing

After playing college football at Miami University, Pont went to Canada and played with Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers of the Ontario Rugby Football Union, where he won the Imperial Oil Trophy as league MVP in 1952.[2]

Coaching

He was the only Indiana University coach to take a team to the Rose Bowl. Later in his career, Pont was recruited to start a football program at Cincinnati's College of Mount St. Joseph. He later served as coach and consultant in creating a semi-professional football league in Japan.[3] He was honored as NCAA Division I-A coach of the year in 1967, the year his Hoosiers appeared in the Rose Bowl. He was a member of the Cradle of Coaches and the Miami and Indiana Athletic Halls of Fame as well as Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame and the Indiana Football Hall of Fame.

Death
Pont's number 42 displayed at Yager Stadium. Pont is one of four football players to have his number retired by Miami University.

Pont died at his home in Oxford, Ohio on July 1, 2008.

Head coaching record

College
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Miami Redskins (Mid-American Conference) (1956–1962)
1956 Miami 7–1–14–0–12nd
1957 Miami 6–35–01st
1958 Miami 6–35–01st
1959 Miami 5–43–23rd
1960 Miami 5–52–34th
1961 Miami 6–43–23rd
1962 Miami 8–2–13–1–13rdL Tangerine
Miami: 43–22–225–8–2
Yale Bulldogs (Ivy League) (1963–1964)
1963 Yale 6–34–3T–4th
1964 Yale 6–2–14–2–13rd
Yale: 12–5–18–5–1
Indiana Hoosiers (Big Ten Conference) (1965–1972)
1965 Indiana 2–81–69th
1966 Indiana 1–8–11–5–19th
1967 Indiana 9–26–1T–1stL Rose64
1968 Indiana 6–44–3T–5th
1969 Indiana 4–63–4T–5th
1970 Indiana 1–91–6T–9th
1971 Indiana 3–82–69th
1972 Indiana 5–63–5T–6th
Indiana: 31–51–121–36–1
Northwestern Wildcats (Big Ten Conference) (1973–1977)
1973 Northwestern 5–64–4T–4th
1974 Northwestern 2–82–6T–7th
1975 Northwestern 3–82–69th
1976 Northwestern 1–101–710th
1977 Northwestern 1–101–810th
Northwestern: 12–4310–31
Mount St. Joseph Lions (NAIA Division II independent) (1990–1992)
1990 Mount St. Joseph 1–9
1991 Mount St. Joseph 4–6
1992 Mount St. Joseph 4–5
Mount St. Joseph: 9–20
Total:107–141–4
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References
  1. "Legendary Miami Player and Coach John Pont Passes Away". Miami Ohio Official Athletic Site. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
  2. Imps Place 9 on All Stars, Jack Sullivan, Ottawa Citizen, November 15, 1952
  3. RICHARD GOLDSTEIN (July 3, 2008). "John Pont, Who Coached Indiana to Rose Bowl, Dies at 80". New York Times. Retrieved September 11, 2010.


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