Greg_Gaston's Blog

MEMPHIS AND THE ENTIRE MID-SOUTH LOST A LEGENDARY FIGURE WITH THE RECENT PASSING OF JAKE RUDOLPH.

IN HIS 39 YEARS AS THE HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AT MUS, RUDOLPH'S TEAMS WON 295 GAMES, INCLUDING A STATE TITLE IN 1985, AND TWO RUNNER-UP FINISHES. MORE IMPORTANTLY RUDOLPH TAUGHT LIFE LESSONS TO HIS PLAYERS AND HIS STUDENTS.

HE STRESSED DISCIPLINE, LEADERSHIP AND INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY. ALL VIRTUES HE LEARNED FROM THE GREAT BOBBY DODD, WHO COACHED RUDOLPH AT GEORGIA TECH DURING UNDEFEATED SEASONS IN 1951 AND 1952.

RUDOLPH FIRST TOOK THE REIGNS OF THE TEAM, AND THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT, IN 1959, REPLACING GENE THORN. HE REMAINED COACH OF THE OWLS UNTIL 1997 WHEN HE IN TURN HANDED OVER CONTROL OF THE TEAM TO BOBBY ALSTON, HIS LONG TIME ASSISTANT WHO STILL RUNS THE PROGRAM TODAY.

RUDOLPH HAD AMPLE OPPORTUNITES TO MOVE INTO THE COLLEGE COACHING RANKS, BUT IN THE END, THOUGHT HIS GREATEST IMPACT WOULD BE FELT BY YOUNG MEN AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. HE OFTEN WAS ABLE TO GET THE BEST OUT OF HIS PLAYERS, EVEN THOSE WHO MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AS GIFTED ATHLETICALLY AS OTHERS.

THE TEACHINGS OF RUDOLPH CAN STILL BE SEEN IN THE WORK OF ALSTON, WHO IS ALSO REGARDED AS ONE OF THE MID-SOUTHS TOP FOOTBALL MINDS.

JAKE RUDOLPH HAS DEFINATELY LEFT HIS LEGACY AT MUS, AND THE PROGRAM, SCHOOL AND CITY, ARE ALL THE BETTER FOR IT.