Vaughn Mancha
Vaughn Mancha (born October 7, 1921 in Sugar Valley, Georgia; died January 27, 2011 in Tallahassee, Florida) was an All-American football player and four-year starter for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team.
Mancha's family moved to Birmingham when he was six. He graduated from Ramsay High School, where he was an All-State and All-South selection. He played three years under coach Frank Thomas in Tuscaloosa, then played his senior season for Red Drew. During his four years as a center and middle linebacker, the Crimson Tide went 30-9-2. As a freshman star, he played all sixty minutes of the 1945 Sugar Bowl. During his sophomore season, the 1945 squad went 10-0 and beat Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl.
After graduating in 1948, Mancha was picked fifth overall by the NFL's Boston Yanks. During his rookie season he suffered a knee injury and failed to compile a statistic. Released in 1949, he was hired as head coach at Livingston State University. In 1952 he was hired as an assistant under Tom Nugent at Florida State University, where he earned a master's degree. While there he coached Seminoles stars Burt Reynolds and Lee Corso.
Mancha took leave from Florida State to coach and pursue a doctorate in education at Columbia University in New York. After receiving his diploma, he returned to Tallahassee as director of athletics. Over his twelve-year tenure as AD, he hired assistants Bobby Bowden, Bill Parcells, and Joe Gibbs. He left the athletics department to teach education classes. He retired as a professor emeritus of media education.
Mancha was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1990, and into Alabama Sports Hall of Fame's class of 1991.
Mancha died in hospice care in January 2011. He was survived by his wife, Sibyl, three children and four grandchildren.
References
- Kausler, Don Jr (January 27, 2011) "Alabama football legend Vaughn Mancha passes away at age 89." Birmingham News