University of Kentucky
When University of Kentucky head football coach Bear Bryant left for Texas A&M University after the 1953 season, Collier accepted an offer to succeed him. He stayed at Kentucky for eight years, a span during which the Wildcats football team had a 41–36–3 record, including a 5–2–1 record against arch-rival Tennessee. Notable wins included a 1954 victory at Georgia Tech, then ranked 15th in the AP Poll, and defeats of eighth-ranked Ole Miss in 1955 and 12th-ranked Tennessee in 1957. In 1954, Collier was named the coach of the year in the Southeastern Conference.
Despite a winning record, Collier was fired in January of 1962, when he was making $17,500 per year ($134,455 in 2012 dollars). He was replaced a week later by Charlie Bradshaw, an assistant to Bear Bryant at Alabama. Bryant had led the Wildcats to appearances in three major bowl games, but Collier did not reach one in his time there. His best record was in his first year, when the team finished 7–2.
Kentucky's football program was overshadowed by its successful basketball program during Collier's tenure. Collier was also criticized for his poor recruiting skills, a crucial factor for college coaches. Many fans wrote the university to complain about him and his staff. Still, several future star coaches served as assistants under Collier at Kentucky, including Don Shula, Chuck Knox, Howard Schnellenberger and Bill Arnsparger. Standout players under Collier included All-Americans Lou Michaels and Schnellenberger.
Read more about this topic: Blanton Collier
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