"Weeb Ewbank, the architect of the New York Jets success story, enters his final season as a head coach in 1973. His 20th campaign as an NFL head coach will cap a career that has seen Ewbank win three World Championships, four division crowns, and build two teams into powerhouses.
The 66-year-old Ewbank made his announcement that he would retire from coaching last December 18, citing a need to spend more time with his family. In 1974 Ewbank will turn over the coaching reins to Charley Winner, who has been appointed as the successor.
As head coach and general manager, Ewbank guided the AFL Jets to the professional football championship of the world in 1968 and won NFL titles back-to-back in 1958 and 1959 as coach of the Baltimore Colts, the team the Jets defeated for the crown. His feat with the Jets made him the only coach in history to win world championships in both leagues. His 20 years of service rank second only to Paul Brown among active coaches.
Weeb began his career as an assistant at his alma mater, Miami University of Ohio, and spent 14 seasons there. In 1959 he was presented with an Honorary Doctorate from Miami and in February of 1969, he was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame.
In 1943 he joined Paul Brown at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station as an assistant. At the end of the war, Weeb became backfield coach at Brown University and head basketball coach for the Bruins. After one season there he moved on to Washington University in St. Louis as head grid coach. In two seasons he brought the Maroons their finest record in 30 years, compiling a 14-4 record, including a 9-1 mark in 1948. While there, Weeb also acquired a son-in-law- Charley Winner, one of his players, married his daughter. Winner, formerly head coach of the St. Louis Cardinals, is now an assistant coach for the Jets.
In 1949, Weeb reentered the pros by rejoining Paul Brown and the Cleveland Browns, serving as line coach. During the next four years, the Browns dominated pro football, winning the All-America Conference title, then taking the NFL championship in 1950 and Eastern Division pennants in 1951,'52 and '53.
Ewbank publicly exhibited his brilliant managerial talents when he moved to Baltimore in 1954. He took a team that was beset with disorganization and within six years produced two NFL championships. Among the many stars developed by Ewbank at Baltimore were Johnny Unitas, Alan Ameche, Raymond Berry, Lenny Moore, Gino Marchetti, Art Donovan, Bill Pellington, Jim Parker and Big Daddy Lipscomb.
In 1963 the New York Jets moved to get Ewbank to lead the struggling AFL franchise on the path to success. Moving carefully to reorganize the team, Ewbank led the Jets for four years before producing a winner for the first time in 1967. Then in 1968, the rebuilding plans came to fruition with the Super Bowl championship.
Through the years, players and assistant coaches who have been under Weeb have gone on to greater assignments. Five of these associates have become head coaches in pro football. Don McCafferty, who coached with Ewbank, is presently coaching Detroit. Don Shula, who played under Ewbank at Baltimore, is the head man at Miami, and Chuck Knox, who was on Ewbank's first staff in New York, is the head coach of Los Angeles. Clive Rush, Weeb's aide with the Jets, was the head coach of the Boston Patriots. John Sandusky was head coach at Baltimore last year. Joe Thomas, another ex-Ewbank aide, is vice-president and general manager of Baltimore. Joe Spencer, Lou Rymkus, Art Spinney, Jack Patera, Carl Tasseff, Bobby Boyd, Raymond Berry, Bob Shaw, John Bridgers, Frank Lauterbur, Dick Wood, Billy Baird and Babe Parilli are others who have moved ahead after playing or coaching under Ewbank.
Since coming to New York, Ewbank has developed six All-Pro (combined AFL-NFL) players- Joe Namath, Gerry Philbin, George Sauer, Jim Turner, Matt Snell and Winston Hill. Don Maynard, Larry Grantham, Dainard Paulson, Dave Herman, Sherman Plunkett, Verlon Biggs and John Elliott are others who received All-AFL honors under Ewbank. Hill, Elliott and Richard Caster have been members of the American Conference Pro Bowl squad. A trio of these players- Namath, Philbin and Maynard- were selected to the all-time All-AFL team.
As an undergraduate at Miami, Weeb was a quarterback, captain of the baseball team and a forward on the basketball team. A native of Richmond, Indiana, he married the former Lucy Massey, also of Richmond. They have three married daughters, all with families."
-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos
TIP FROM THE COACH
"'We can continue to get the yardage and the scoring on offense,' says Weeb Ewbank, who is bowing out after bringing a ragtag team to respectability. 'But we've got to upgrade our defense if we're going to think about the playoffs.' "
-Jim Benagh, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football (1973 Edition)
"Ryan joined the Jet staff in 1968 and has molded rushing defenses that have ranked near the top. He has helped develop many players to All-Star status: among them are John Elliott, Verlon Biggs and Gerry Philbin. The '68 Jets were first in the AFL against the rush, second in 1969 and in 1970 his charges led the AFC in rushing defense.
Buddy won four letters as a guard at Oklahoma State from 1952-55. He was defensive line coach at the University of the Pacific in 1967 after being head defensive coach at Vanderbilt in 1966. From 1961-1965 he was defensive line coach at the University of Buffalo.
Ryan saw action in Korea and was a sergeant upon his discharge."
-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos
WIMP HEWGLEY (Offensive Line)
"Hewgley joined the Jets in the spring of 1971 and has helped maintain the tradition of strong offensive lines on Weeb Ewbank-coached teams. He helped keep Winston Hill an All-Pro tackle on the right side after switching him from the left. Left guard Randy Rasmussen won All-AFC second-team honors for his play as well.
Hewgley spent the nine previous years coaching the line at Wyoming and Purdue. He played tackle and end at Wyoming, earning all-conference honors. Wimp entered coaching in 1960 as the frosh coach at Wyoming and spent two seasons at that before becoming offensive line coach. He moved to a similar post at Purdue in 1967, spending four years there."
-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos
ED BILES (Defensive Backs)
"Biles joined the Jets in 1972 after spending a season in the scouting department. He shares defensive duties with Charley Winner and Buddy Ryan. Ed worked for two years (1969-1970) as an assistant coach with New Orleans.
Before going to the Saints, Biles was head coach at Xavier of Ohio for seven years. He graduated from Miami (Ohio) in 1953 with a degree in physical education and got his M.A. in Education from Miami. Ed entered coaching there and spent three years before moving to Xavier in 1956 as freshman coach. He took over the head job in 1962."
-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos
MIKE HOLOVAK (Offensive Backfield)
"Holovak joins the coaching staff this year after spending 1972 as a talent scout for the Jets. He was head coach of the Boston Patriots from 1961-68, earning AFL Coach of the Year honors in 1966. Mike guided the Patriots to the AFL's Eastern Division title in 1963. He was offensive coach of the 49ers in 1969, joined Oakland as a talent scout in 1970 and was Raiders receivers coach in 1971.
He was an All-America fullback at Boston College from 1939-42. Following a tour of duty in the Navy, Holovak played for the L.A. Rams in 1946 and the Bears in 1947-48. He returned to B.C. in 1949 and assumed the head coaching job in 1951."
-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos
CHARLEY WINNER (Linebackers)
"Designated as the next head coach of the Jets, Winner will handle the linebackers this season. He will succeed Weeb Ewbank in 1974.
Charley has been a pro coach for 19 years, starting out as an assistant to his father-in-law Ewbank with Baltimore in 1954. He remained with the Colts until 1966 when he accepted the head coaching position with St. Louis.
Winner compiled the best coaching record of anyone in Cardinal history over his five seasons there. He won 35, lost 30 and tied five games, and had the Cards driving for a playoff spot in 1970. Winner joined the Redskins as defensive backfield coach in 1971 and 1972.
He has handled almost every aspect of coaching since entering the NFL but is chiefly known for his defensive work. Charley was head defensive coordinator for the Colts when they won back-to-back titles in 1958 and 1959.
Winner served in the Air Force in World War II as a radio operator and gunner. He flew 17 missions over Germany before being shot down in 1945 and spent six weeks in a prisoner-of-war camp.
Charley played halfback under Ewbank at Washington University."
-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos
JETS NAME WINNER TO COACH IN '74
"Charley Winner, former head coach of the St. Louis Cardinals and most recently an assistant with the Redskins, will take over the head coaching reins of the Jets starting with the 1974 season.
Winner was named by Jets President Philip H. Iselin, who said that Winner would join the Jets this season as an assistant to the retiring Weeb Ewbank.
'I believe in an orderly transition,' said Iselin. 'I feel that by naming Winner to our staff, he will gain a full year of learning in our organization. If we waited until Weeb retired, we would lose a year.'
Ewbank, the only coach the Jets have ever known, announced on December 18 that he would put aside the coaching chores following the 1973 season. Iselin immediately began a search for a man to succeed one of pro football's most successful men and after much research tabbed Winner.
'I received nothing but favorable reports and comments on Charley,' Iselin noted at the 21 Club press conference on February 1. 'I researched this man and contacted a lot of clubs about him. I think that Charley is a winner and the right man to follow a great coach like Weeb.'
Winner, the son-in-law of Weeb Ewbank, has an association with the NFL that dates back to 1954 when he joined Weeb as an assistant coach at Baltimore. Eventually, he was put in charge of the entire Colts defense, a position he held when the Colts won back-to-back NFL titles in 1958-59.
In 1966 he accepted the head job at St. Louis and guided the Cards to the best five-year mark in the club's history and propelled the team into the playoff race in 1970. He went to George Allen's Redskins the next year where he helped mold their defense for a Super Bowl trip [in 1972].
Players who have been associated with Winner talked highly about the 47-year-old coach.
Mike Bass, defensive back, Washington Redskins: 'I think you will probably find that Charley is probably one of the most knowledgeable guys when it comes to defense. With a veteran group like we have, he is not the type of coach to force himself on you. He is willing to listen to suggestions and understands the problems defensive backs have, which was a help. I think you will find Charley one of the finest men. He does know football. He is very critical but very understanding. The criticism is always based on the good of the team.'
Brig Owens, defensive back, Washington Redskins: 'I think Coach Winner is one of the finest coaches I ever played under. He communicates well with the players and has a great knowledge of the game. As for the racial problem at St. Louis, it must have been blown way out of proportion because I talked to several of the players under him and they say he inherited the problem and he cleared it up. I think he's a good man.
Larry Wilson, former Cardinal All-Pro and now a coach at St. Louis: 'Charley is a fine person and a fine football coach. You people are very fortunate to have Charley as your coach. As far as indecision goes (a Dave Meggyesy charge) I didn't see that here. In fact, while he was here that was the best our team was ever handled. He'd listen to you and give you an opportunity to talk to him and express yourself. Charley Winner's Cardinal record speaks for itself.' (The best won-lost percentage in the 50-year history of the Cards).
Ernie McMillan, tackle, St. Louis Cardinals and a leading spokesman for the black players: 'If I were on the Jets, I wouldn't be concerned about Charley Winner taking over. He inherited the Cardinals' racial situation, he didn't create it. He opened the lines of communication here. He listened, moved and dealt.'"
-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos
KEN SHIPP (Receivers)
"A veteran of five years in the NFL, Shipp joined the Jets this year to take the place of the departed Ken Meyer. He spent the past two seasons as offensive coach for New Orleans. Shipp previously had been hired to his first NFL job under Charley Winner at St. Louis in 1968 and remained with the Cardinals through 1970.
Ken started at Middle Tennessee State and spent two years there. He moved to Trinity University (1953-57), Florida State (1958), Tulsa (1961-62), South Carolina (1963), and Miami (Florida) from 1964-67. He spent two years with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL from 1959 to 1960."
-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos
"A veteran of five years in the NFL, Shipp joined the Jets this year to take the place of the departed Ken Meyer. He spent the past two seasons as offensive coach for New Orleans. Shipp previously had been hired to his first NFL job under Charley Winner at St. Louis in 1968 and remained with the Cardinals through 1970.
Ken started at Middle Tennessee State and spent two years there. He moved to Trinity University (1953-57), Florida State (1958), Tulsa (1961-62), South Carolina (1963), and Miami (Florida) from 1964-67. He spent two years with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL from 1959 to 1960."
-The New York Jets Official 1973 Yearbook, edited by Frank Ramos
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