Bobby Martinez – Sports Writer
NEW HAVEN — With a record of 108-40-6, Jess Dow has been inducted into the college football hall of fame after coaching Southern’s football team after 17 years.
Dow will forever be known for creating Southern’s football teams that dominated opponents such as Connecticut University, Northwestern and Temple to name a few. During Southern Connecticut’s loss against University of New Haven football team 40-21, Dow’s daughter Jane Dow-Burt said her father will forever be a memory to her.
“My dad was an amazing man,” Dow said. “He did so many things behind the scenes to help people. He didn’t have any scholarships to give out, but the kids still wanted to play for him.”
Dow was born in Tona, Texas where he played full-back for Littlefield High School from 1930-1933. Dow was then named as an All-American at West Texas State in 1937. Dow managed to secure a roster spot for the Philadelphia Eagles in where he was a part of for three seasons.
Dow left the Eagles to join the U.S. military but was discharged. He left to be a part of World War II and was named Lieutenant Commander during his time in the military. Dow went on to receive his Master’s degree in education. Dow’s first season as a head coach didn’t go well resulting into a 3-4-1 record. Dow’s way of coaching was like no other. He was always open to play tougher teams that would help his team become a better team and also build a strong program. Dow managed to coach one undefeated season in in 1956 and also had seven teams over a span of 10 years that lost one game during their season.
Not only was Dow a coach for football, but he was also coach of basketball, baseball, track, and golf. Dow was a member of numerous programs which helped build his name as one of college football’s best coaches and person overall.
Dow was a part of the American Association of University Professors, Race Brook Country Club, the Pine Orchard Yacht and Country Club and the New Haven Rotary Club, American Football Coaches Association, the American College Golf Coaches Association. Dow passed away in 2003.
Other coaches who were inducted were Frank Cignotti who coached West Virginia and Indiana University of Pennsylvania from 1986-2005. Cignotti was IUP’s all-time most winning coach winning two conference titles and leading his team to a Division II title game.
Other notable inductees consist of running back Otis Armstrong who played for Purdue University rushing for 3,315 yards in his career and rushed for 1,361 yards his senior year. Another notable candidate is former Washington Huskies linebacker Shelby Jordan who played for the Huskies from 1969-1972.
Jordan was the team’s leader in tackles for three years and went on to the NFL playing for the New England Patriots. Jordan won a Super Bowl championship with the Oakland Raiders as an offensive tackle.
Quarterback Joe Micchia from Westminster College lead his team to two NAIA Division II championships from 1987-1989. As a starter, Micchia went undefeated with 68 touchdown passes and is currently practicing in the physician field.
The 2013 college hall of fame ceremony was held Aug. 28 in at the Omni Hotel at the CNN Genter in Atlanta, Ga. For this year’s inductees, there were 934 former college athletes and 205 coaches out of the 4.99 million athletes and coaches who were a part of the game.
