Ray Graves
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Graves in 1965 Seminole yearbook
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| Sport(s) | Football |
|---|---|
| Biographical details | |
| Born |
December 31, 1918 Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Died | April 10, 2015 (aged 96) Clearwater, Florida |
| Playing career | |
| 1940–1941 | Tennessee |
| 1942 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1943 | Phil./Pitt. Steagles |
| 1946 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| Position(s) | Center |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1944–1945 | Tennessee (OL) |
| 1951–1959 | Georgia Tech (DC) |
| 1960–1969 | Florida |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1960–1979 | Florida |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 70–31–4 |
| Bowls | 4–1 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Awards | |
|
University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame Florida–Georgia Hall of Fame |
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College Football Hall of Fame Inducted in 1990 (profile) |
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Samuel Ray Graves (December 31, 1918 – April 10, 2015) was an American college and professional football player and college football coach. He was a native of Tennessee and a graduate of the University of Tennessee, where he played college football. Graves was best known as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team of the University of Florida, and served twenty years as the athletic director of the university.
Graves was born in Knoxville, Tennessee on December 31, 1918. He was the son of a Methodist minister, and he realized that his best (and perhaps only) opportunity to attend college would be to earn an athletic scholarship.Tennessee Wesleyan College, a small Methodist-affiliated college located in Athens, Tennessee, recognized his athletic talent and offered him a full scholarship. Coach Robert Neyland of the University of Tennessee recognized his stand-out play and arranged for Graves to transfer to Tennessee. After he graduated from Tennessee in 1942, he attempted to volunteer for the U.S. Navy following the United States' entry into World War II, but he was rejected when he failed his physical because he was deaf in one ear. He would have been accepted only in a grave emergency.
Graves married Opal Richardson on November 3, 1942, and they had three daughters together.
Graves played college football for one year at Tennessee Wesleyan College, then two years at the University of Tennessee, where he was the team captain during his senior year in 1941. He replaced Norbert Ackerman as the starting center in 1941. During his time as a Volunteer, he played in the Sugar Bowl following his junior season, and he earned third-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) honors following his senior season. The All-SEC Bob Gude played across from Graves at rival Vanderbilt.
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