Thad Vann

Thad "Pie" Vann (September 22, 1907 – September 7, 1982) was an American football and baseball coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Southern Mississippi—known as Mississippi Southern College prior to 1962—from 1949 to 1968. During his tenure, he compiled a 139–59–2 record and helped transform Mississippi Southern into one of the nation's elite programs. His only losing season came in 1968, after 19 consecutive winning seasons. His 1953 team went 9–2, including a major upset against Alabama. His 1954 team went 6–4 and upset Alabama once again. He was also the head baseball coach at Mississippi Southern from 1948 to 1949, tallying a mark of 21–21. Van died on September 7, 1982, at Veterans Administration Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi, following long illness. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1987.

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Column 1
(1907-09-22)September 22, 1907Magnolia, Mississippi, U.S.
September 7, 1982(1982-09-07) (aged 74)Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.
Ole Miss
Tackle
Mississippi Southern (assistant)
Mississippi Southern / Southern Miss
Mississippi Southern
139–59–2 (football)21–21 (baseball)
0–4
Football2 UPI small college (1958, 1962)2 Gulf States (1950–1951)
Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame (1971)Ole Miss Sports Hall of Fame (1987)
College Football Hall of FameInducted in 1987 (profile)

Thad "Pie"Vann (September 22, 1907 – September 7, 1982) was an American football and baseball coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Southern Mississippi—known as Mississippi Southern College prior to 1962—from 1949 to 1968. During his tenure, he compiled a 139–59–2 record and helped transform Mississippi Southern into one of the nation's elite programs. His only losing season came in 1968, after 19 consecutive winning seasons. His 1953 team went 9–2, including a major upset against Alabama. His 1954 team went 6–4 and upset Alabama once again. He was also the head baseball coach at Mississippi Southern from 1948 to 1949, tallying a mark of 21–21. Van died on September 7, 1982, at Veterans Administration Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi, following long illness. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1987.

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs
Mississippi Southern Southerners (Gulf States Conference) (1949–1951)
1949Mississippi Southern7–32–12nd
1950Mississippi Southern5–53–11st
1951Mississippi Southern6–54–01st
Mississippi Southern / Southern Miss Southerners (NCAA College Division independent) (1952–1959)
1952Mississippi Southern10–2L Sun
1953Mississippi Southern9–2L Sun
1954Mississippi Southern6–4
1955Mississippi Southern9–1
1956Mississippi Southern7–2–1L Tangerine
1957Mississippi Southern8–3L Tangerine
1958Mississippi Southern9–0
1959Mississippi Southern6–4
1960Mississippi Southern6–4
1961Mississippi Southern8–2
1962Southern Miss9–1
Southern Miss Southerners (NCAA University Division independent) (1963–1968)
1963Southern Miss5–3–1
1964Southern Miss6–3
1965Southern Miss7–2
1966Southern Miss6–4
1967Southern Miss6–3
1968Southern Miss4–6
Southern Miss:139–59–29–2
Total:139–59–2
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

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  • Thad Vann at the College Football Hall of Fame
  • Thad Vann at Find a Grave

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