Evening star., 1945-09-05
Former Alabama Ace
And Coach Has Been
In Navy Three Years
BY LEWIS F. ATCHISON

1t. Comdr. Paul (Bear) Bryant,
32-year-old former Alabama star, is
in line for Marylands head football
coaching job. 1t was learned today
from a reliable source.
Former line coach at Alabama and
Vanderbilt, Bryant, who has served
in the Navy for the last three years,
has not obtained his release to in
active duty as yet but it is believed
he will apply for leave to assume his
new duties shortly. He is stationed
at the United States Navy Pre-
Flight School at Chapel Hill, N. c..
where he was to have coached the
Cloudbusters this season. The Pre-
Fighters, however, announced ear
lier this week that they will not field
a team.
DR.. H. c. (Curley) Byrd, president
of the University of Maryland
would neither deny nor confirm
Bryant's selection. He said obliga-
tions to the men he had chosen tc
head the Old Liners new grid setur
prevented him from making any
announcement at this time and that
he probably could not do so for sew
eral days. 1t is known, however
that Bryant was closeted with DR.
Byrd last Saturday and departed
wearing broad smile.
End Star for Alabama.
Bryant starred at end on the Ala
bama elevens of 1888, 1884 and 1885
teaming up with Don Hutson, who
went on to win pro honors with the
Green Bay Packers. With Dixie
Howell throwing passes and Bryant
and HutSon on the receiving end the
Crimson Tide rode to 1918 victory
over Stanford in the 1885 Rose Bow
game.
Howell later played for the Red.
skins, as did Riley Smith. who quar-.
terbacked the Alabama eleven. Bry
ant never did play pro ball, but
turned to a career in college coach.
ing, He served under Frank Thoma.
at Alabama in 1887, 1888 and 1889
In 1910 and 194l he was line coach
at Vanderbilt.
Bryant had planned to employ tn,
Alabama style offense at Chapel Hill
and is expected to install that sys.
tenn with T variations at Maryland
Thomas used variation of the Notr,
Dame offense at Alabama.
Six feet three inches tall ane
weighing 2lo pounds, Bryant was al
all-around athlete at Tuscaloosa
winning three letters in football
two in basket ball and two in base
ball.
He attended the first indoctrina
ton class of Capt. Tom Hamilton
Pre-Flght training program at An.
napolis and served in the African
theater of war with Fleet Air Wins
for more than a year. He also hac
tours OF duty at the Georgia Pre-.
Flight School and at Norfolk.
Among Last Considered.
Bryant was one of the last O.
more than 100 considered for tn,
position. 1t also will be his frs
head Coaching assignment.
Bryant's coming signalizes tn,
beginning of new era in Maryland
football as present plans call for {
new stadium seating around 5000,
and other athletic additions.
Meanwhile, squad of 56 aspirant
for the Old Line team today wen
| int0 its second dav of nreSeaSo,
training under the direction of Bur
Shipley. acting director of athletics
Discharged servicemen and teen
age rockies mingled together yes
terday in a double session devotet
to calisthenics and other light work
Jerry Smith, all-high guard las
year at Central; Johnny Hughes 0
st. Johns, Duke" Charnock. East
ern alumnus. and Bernie Nolan O
Gonzaga were among the Distric
boys reporting for practice.