Joe Williams, who coached tiny Jacksonville University to 1970 NCAA title game against UCLA, dead at 88

Joe Williams, who coached tiny Jacksonville College’s males’s basketball staff to its best glory — the 1970 NCAA championship sport towards John Wood’s UCLA dynasty — died Saturday. He was 88.

Williams died in Enterprise, Mississippi, whereas in hospice care following a prolonged battle with most cancers, his son Joe Williams Jr. mentioned. 

Williams was greatest recognized and shall be eternally remembered because the chief of some of the memorable Cinderella tales in NCAA event historical past. His 1970 JU Dolphins squad, led by Artis Gilmore, made a shocking run to the NCAA finals, dropping to UCLA and coach Wood within the championship sport, 80-69.

“Joe had this dream, in my view, to make us pretty much as good as we might be,” mentioned Tom Wasdin, who succeeded Williams as head coach following the 1970 season, in line with the Florida Occasions-Union. “We had been making an attempt to outcoach all people and came upon expertise was extra vital than teaching. We didn’t have guys ok to play towards the large faculties.”

Williams was an assistant coach at Furman earlier than arriving at JU in 1964. The Dolphins competed within the NAIA for another season earlier than transferring as much as Division I. 

In Williams’ sixth and ultimate season with the staff, it made its spectacular run, beating Western Kentucky, Iowa, Kentucky and St. Bonaventure earlier than dropping to UCLA. The victory gave UCLA its fourth consecutive nationwide championship and sixth in seven years.

UCLA coach John Wood on the sidelines yelling alongside assistant Denny Crum throughout a sport towards Jacksonville in Faculty Park, Md. March 21, 1970.
(Wealthy Clarkson /Sports activities Illustrated by way of Getty Photographs)

Gilmore and Rex Morgan had been each All-American gamers for the staff, which began the season unranked. Gilmore performed his first two seasons in junior school earlier than signing with Williams and Jacksonville.

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“So we went out and received some very positive gents in [Pembrook] Burrows, Gilmore, Morgan, Chip Dublin, and the remainder is historical past. He turned JU from an NAIA faculty right into a Division I energy. Joe by no means received the credit score for being pretty much as good a coach as he was. He received each place he went,” Wasdin added. 

Artis Gilmore (53) of the Jacksonville College Dolphins grabs a rebound throughout the finals of an NCAA event towards UCLA. 
(Getty Photographs)

Over 22 seasons, Williams compiled an total file of 336-231 as head coach at JU (1964-1970), Furman and Florida State College. Williams left Jacksonville after the title sport look to return to Furman, the place he coached till 1978 earlier than heading to Florida State.

What made Williams completely different was his willingness to recruit Black gamers to Southern faculties at a time when many coaches nonetheless refused to take action, his son mentioned. 

“He was one of many first coaches within the South to do this. When Dad would journey with the staff, if there was a restaurant that would not let the entire staff eat collectively, Dad simply packed the entire staff up, they usually went to a restaurant the place they may,” Joe Williams Jr. mentioned.

“Dad was by no means one to get on a cleaning soap field and discuss stuff like that. It was extra that he simply at all times did the precise factor. … He went by so much. He received loss of life threats within the mail. However he simply realized all his gamers had been equal and wished to deal with them equally. It was about instructing his gamers tips on how to be a very good human being,” his son added. 

Williams received into teaching by chance, his son mentioned. Williams was a highschool English trainer in Jacksonville till somebody realized he performed basketball in school and requested if he wished to assist coach.

“He realized that was his ardour and that is what he wished to do,” Joe Williams Jr. mentioned.

The Related Press contributed to this report