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Don Lear
Lear in 1955
Biographical details
Born(1935-03-01)March 1, 1935
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedDecember 14, 2018(2018-12-14) (aged 83)
Cordova, Tennessee, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1957)
Eastern Kentucky University
Playing career
Football
1953–1956North Carolina
Position(s)Fullback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1957North Carolina (assistant)
1958Eastern Kentucky (assistant)
1959Eastern Kentucky (ends)
1960 (spring)Eastern Kentucky (assistant backfield)
1960Columbia Military Academy (TN) (assistant)
1961–1963Middle Tennessee (OB/DB)
1964Middle Tennessee (C/ends/LB)
1965–1968Middle Tennessee (OB)
1969 (spring)Southwestern (TN) (line)
1969–1975Southwestern (TN)
1976–1987Memphis Catholic HS (TN)
1988–1997Saint Benedict HS (TN)
Wrestling
1960–1961Columbia Military Academy (TN)
1969–?Southwestern (TN)
1976–?Memphis Catholic HS (TN) (assistant)
Track and field
1958–1960Eastern Kentucky (assistant)
1969–?Southwestern (TN)
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
?–1988Memphis Catholic HS (TN)
Head coaching record
Overall30–23–5 (college football)
132–95 (high school football)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
3 CAC (1970–1971, 1973)

Don Lear Sr. (March 1, 1935 – December 14, 2018) was an American college football coach. He was the head football coach for Southwestern at Memphis—now known as Rhodes College—from 1969 to 1975, Memphis Catholic High School from 1976 to 1987, and Saint Benedict at Auburndale High School from 1988 to 1997.

Playing career

[edit]

Lear was born on March 1, 1935 in Philadelphia. He played high school football for Hatboro High School as a fullback.[1] He also participated in basketball, baseball, and track and field; earning 14 total letters in all four sports combined.[2]

In 1953, Lear enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, beginning his college football career as a fullback for the school's freshmen team.[3] In his sophomore season, he did not start but regularly played in a reserve capacity, even scoring two touchdowns against Wake Forest.[4] He briefly moved to guard during spring practices in 1956,[5] but ultimately remained as a fullback.

Coaching career

[edit]

Lear began his coaching career as North Carolina upon graduating as an assistant. After one season, he was named as a part-time assistant for Eastern Kentucky while he pursued his master's degree.[6] He also assisted with the school's track and field team.[2] In 1959, he was named as a full-time assistant as the football team's ends coach.[7] He spent the spring of 1960 as an assistant backfield coach for Eastern Kentucky.[2]

Lear spent the 1960 season as an assistant for Columbia Military Academy before becoming the defensive backs coach for Middle Tennessee.[8] He spent the 1964 season as the team's centers, ends, and linebackers coach then transitioned to offensive backs coach in 1965.[9]

In 1969, Lear joined Southwestern at Memphis—now known as Rhodes College—as the school's head wrestling and track and field coach while also assisting with the football team.[10][11] In June 1969, a month after joining the football team, Lear was promoted to head football coach after Jesse Johnson resigned to enter private business.[12][13] Lear was the head football coach for seven seasons and amassed an overall record of 30–23–3 and won conference championships in 1970, 1971, and 1973. He resigned after the 1975 season.

In 1976, Lear was hired as the head football coach for Memphis Catholic High School.[14] In 1988, he moved to Saint Benedict at Auburndale High School. He retired from coaching after the 1997 season having amassed an overall high school coaching record of 132–95.[15]

Personal life

[edit]

Lear died on December 14, 2018 in Cordova, Tennessee.[16]

Head coaching record

[edit]

College football

[edit]
Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Southwestern Lynx (College Athletic Conference) (1969–1975)
1969 Southwestern 3–6 2–2 T–2nd
1970 Southwestern 7–1 3–1 T–1st
1971 Southwestern 5–2 3–1 T–1st
1972 Southwestern 4–4 1–3 T–3rd
1973 Southwestern 4–3–2 2–0 1st
1974 Southwestern 3–3–3 2–1–1 2nd
1975 Southwestern 4–4 2–2 T–3rd
Southwestern: 30–23–5 15–10–1
Total: 30–23–5
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

[17]

High school football

[edit]
Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Memphis Catholic Chargers () (1976–1987)
1976 Memphis Catholic 4–6 4–6 23rd
1977 Memphis Catholic 7–3 3–3 T–3rd
1978 Memphis Catholic 6–4 2–4 T–6th
1979 Memphis Catholic 5–4 1–4 6th
1980 Memphis Catholic 2–5 1–4 6th
1981 Memphis Catholic 9–2 8–1 2nd
1982 Memphis Catholic 13–0 8–0 1st
1983 Memphis Catholic 7–4 2–3 T–3rd
1984 Memphis Catholic 5–4 2–3 T–3rd
1985 Memphis Catholic 4–6 2–3 T–3rd
1986 Memphis Catholic 5–5 4–1 2nd
1987 Memphis Catholic 5–5 2–4 T–4th
Memphis Catholic: 73–48 39–36
Saint Benedict Eagles () (1988–1997)
1988 Saint Benedict 1–8 0–5 6th
1989 Saint Benedict 0–9 0–5 6th
1990 Saint Benedict 1–8 1–4 5th
1991 Saint Benedict 6–3 4–1 T–1st
1992 Saint Benedict 8–3 3–1 2nd
1993 Saint Benedict 11–1 6–0 1st
1994 Saint Benedict 6–5 4–2 3rd
1995 Saint Benedict 9–2 5–1 2nd
1996 Saint Benedict 12–2 5–1 T–1st
1997 Saint Benedict 5–6 3–1 2nd
Saint Benedict: 59–47 31–21
Total: 132–95
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

[18]

References

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  1. ^ Goodman, Jim (August 22, 1952). "Hatboro, With Veteran Team, Looms As Bux-Mont Contender". The Reporter. p. 10. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "Eastern's Track, Field Squad To Compete In Chattanooga". Lexington Herald-Leader. March 17, 1960. p. 14. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  3. ^ "Carolina Frosh Win 13-0 Game". News and Record. November 13, 1953. p. 37. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  4. ^ "Don Lear; No. 2 Fullback". The Daily Tar Heel. October 30, 1954. p. 3. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  5. ^ McGuire, Earl (September 16, 1956). "Big Jim's Talking Defense--Again; No Defense Set". The News and Observer. p. 26. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  6. ^ "Don Lear Is Named Eastern Assistant". The Paducah Sun. July 26, 1958. p. 12. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  7. ^ "Lanham, Brinegar Are QBs For Eastern's Spring Game". Lexington Herald-Leader. March 26, 1959. p. 13. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  8. ^ "Over 100 Expected At MTSC Practice". The Daily News-Herald. August 30, 1961. p. 4. Retrieved June 11, 2025. Don Lear, new addition from North Carolina, will assume his duties as defensive backfield coach.
  9. ^ "MTSC Gridders Hitting .800 Weatherwise". The Tennessean. March 1, 1964. p. 164. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  10. ^ Ervin, Bobby (April 18, 1969). "Lear Joins Lynx As Football Aide". The Commercial Appeal. p. 30. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  11. ^ "Lear Takes Coaching Job At Southwestern". The Daily News-Journal. April 21, 1969. p. 4. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  12. ^ "Quick Promotion for Don Lear". The Journal Times. June 6, 1969. p. 29. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  13. ^ Ervin, Bobby (June 6, 1969). "Lear Makes Quick Climb Up Southwestern Ladder". The Commercial Appeal. p. 28. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  14. ^ Provost, Richard (September 17, 1976). "For Catholic Coach Don Lear Victory Has New Twist". The Memphis Press-Scimitar. p. 19. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  15. ^ Gorman, Kevin (March 26, 1998). "Lear, Riker retiring from coach ranks". The Commercial Appeal. p. 37. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  16. ^ Varlas, John (December 17, 2018). "Don Lear, legendary area football coach, dies". Daily Memphian. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  17. ^ "NCAA Statistics; Coach; Don Lear". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  18. ^ "THSFHS Records; Coach; Don Lear". Georgia High School Football Historians Association. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
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