Jess Neely

Jess Neely
Neely in 1922
Biographical details
Born(1898-01-04)January 4, 1898
Smyrna, Tennessee, U.S.
DiedApril 9, 1983(1983-04-09) (aged 85)
Weslaco, Texas, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1917Middle Tennessee State
1920–1922Vanderbilt
Position(s)Halfback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1924–1927Southwestern (TN)
1928–1930Alabama (assistant)
1931–1939Clemson
1940–1966Rice
Baseball
1929–1930Alabama
1932–1938Clemson
1945, 1948Rice
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1931–1939Clemson
1940–1967Rice
1967–1971Vanderbilt
1973Vanderbilt (interim AD)
Head coaching record
Overall207–176–19 (football)
109–108–5 (baseball)
Bowls4–3
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
4 SWC (1946, 1949, 1953, 1957)
Awards
Amos Alonzo Stagg Award (1967)
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1971 (profile)

Jesse Claiborne Neely (January 4, 1898 – April 9, 1983) was an American football player, a baseball and football coach. He was head football coach at Southwestern University (now Rhodes College) from 1924 to 1927, at Clemson University from 1931 to 1939 and at Rice University from 1940 to 1966, compiling a career college football record of 207–176–19. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1971.

Neely was also the head baseball coach at the University of Alabama (1929–1930), at Clemson (1932–1938) and at Rice (1945 and 1948), tallying a career college baseball mark of 109–108–5.