James Ralph "Shug" Jordan

Born September 25, 1910, in Selma, Alabama

James Ralph "Shug" Jordan (September 25, 1910 – July 17, 1980) was the winningest football coach at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. The university's Jordan-Hare Stadium is named in his honor. Jordan was named National Coach of the Year in 1957 when Auburn was voted national champions by the Associated Press.

Born in Selma, Alabama, Jordan was nicknamed "Shug" as a child because of his love for sugar cane. A 1932 graduate of Auburn, he lettered in football, baseball and basketball while there and was voted the Most Outstanding Athlete in 1932. After graduation, he became the head basketball coach, and an assistant football coach at Auburn. In 10 seasons (1934–42, 1945–1946) as the head basketball coach, he compiled a record of 95-77. Coach Jordan also compiled 45 wins as head basketball coach at Georgia. In addition to being the winningest football coach in Auburn history, Jordan ranks fifth in wins among Tigers basketball coaches.

Prior to being hired as Auburn's head football coach in 1951, he spent one season as an assistant coach of the Miami Seahawks of the All-America Football Conference, then four years as an assistant at the University of Georgia. In his first season, he coached the Tigers to a 5-5 record improving on the previous five straight losing seasons. Jordan would lead Auburn to its first SEC championship and its first, and only, national championship in 1957. In 1971, Jordan's tutelage led quarterback Pat Sullivan to the Heisman Trophy. However, his Heisman season ended in disappointment with a convincing loss to the Oklahoma Sooners in the Sugar Bowl. The next year, Jordan's Tigers upset heavily favored, arch-rival Alabama in the Iron Bowl- a victory that became known by the nickname Punt Bama Punt. In 1973, the university renamed Cliff Hare Stadium to Jordan-Hare Stadium in his honor, making it the first stadium in the U.S. to be named for an active coach.

When Jordan retired after the 1975 season he had amassed an enviable record of 176-83-6 for a .675 percentage and 22 winning seasons out of the 25 he had coached.