Farm kid Don Faurot helped shape football

Benjamin Herrold
Sep 28, 2024
Sep 28, 2024

1 of 3

Don Faurot’s football players carry him off the field after a win in Faurot’s last game as head coach.

Photo courtesy University of Missouri

The University of Missouri football team’s field was named for Faurot in 1972.

Photo courtesy State Historical Society of Missouri

Don Faurot is known for his innovative coaching formations, including the invention of the Split-T formation.

Photo courtesy University of Missouri

Prefer us on Google

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Benjamin Herrold

Editor’s note: This is part of a series on famous Americans who grew up on Midwest farms.

k9C ^m

kAm~? $2EFC52JD :? E96 72==[ |:DD@FC: 7@@E32== 72?D H2=< A2DE 2 DE2EF6 @7 s@? u2FC@E :?E@ |6>@C:2= $E25:F> E@ H2E49 E96 %:86CD A=2J] %96 DE25:F> H2D 3F:=E ?62C=J 2 46?EFCJ 28@ E@ 9@?@C &?:G6CD:EJ @7 |:DD@FC: DEF56?ED 2?5 2=F>?: H9@ 5:65 :? (@C=5 (2C x] %96? J62CD =2E6C E96 A=2J:?8 DFC7246 H2D ?2>65 u2FC@E u:6=5 :? 9@?@C @7 E96 7@C>6C 4@249 2?5 28 4@==686 8C25F2E6]k^Am

kAms@? u2FC@E’D =@?8 =:76 DA2??65 7C@> E96 72C> E@ E96 7@@E32== 7:6=5[ H96C6 96 96=A65 3F:=5 E96 |& 7@@E32== AC@8C2> :?E@ :ED >@56C? G6CD:@?] w6 H2D 2? :??@G2E@C[ :?G6?E:?8 ?6H 7@C>2E:@?D 2?5 E96 4@==686 7@@E32== @AE:@? A=2J[ H9:49 C6G@=FE:@?:K65 E96 DA@CE]k^Am

kAmqFE :E 2== DE2CE65 @? 2 72C> 2E |@F?E2:? vC@G6[ |:DD@FC:] u2FC@E H2D 3@C? :? `h_a] w:D 72E96C[ uC656C:4< (] u2FC@E[ H2D E96 5:C64E@C @7 E96 |:DD@FC: $E2E6 uCF:E tIA6C:>6?E $E2E:@? 2E |@F?E2:? vC@G6] %96 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 3F:=5:?8 2?5 5:C64E@C’D C6D:56?46 H96C6 E96 72>:=J =:G65 :D ?@H ?2>65 u2FC@E w2== :? uC656C:4<’D 9@?@C[ 2?5 :E 4@?E:?F6D E@ 36 2 7CF:E C6D62C49 72C>]k^Am

kAm“$F>>6C 52JD 7@C s@? @7E6? 6?565 H:E9 D@>6 7@C> @7 DA@CED A=2J 27E6C H@C<:?8 @? 9:D 72E96C’D @C492C5[” E96 |:DD@FC: $E2E6 w:DE@C:42= $@4:6EJ AC@7:=6 @7 u2FC@E D2JD] “w6 H@F=5 @C82?:K6 ?6:893@C9@@5 32D632== 2?5 7@@E32== 82>6D 2E E96 A=2J:?8 7:6=5D 9:D 72>:=J 925 >256]”k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m'6CD2E:=6 2E9=6E6k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAmp=E9@F89 :E H2D 2? 6?;@J23=6 49:=59@@5[ u2FC@E H@F=5 2=H2JD 92G6 2 C6>:?56C @7 9:D 72C>:?8 52JD[ 2D 96 =@DE EH@ 7:?86CD @? 9:D C:89E 92?5 :? 2 72C>:?8 244:56?E 2E 286 h] s6DA:E6 E96 :?;FCJ[ E96 9:DE@C:42= D@4:6EJ HC:E6D E92E “96 4@?E:?F65 E@ DF44665 :? E96 DA@CED 96 A=2J65]”k^Am

kAmp7E6C 8C25F2E:?8 7C@> 9:89 D49@@= :? |@F?E2:? vC@G6 :? `ha_[ u2FC@E H6?E E@ D49@@= 2E E96 |& >2;@C:?8 :? 28C:4F=EFC6] w6 H2D 2 >6>36C @7 E96 u2C>w@FD6 7C2E6C?:EJ 7@C 28 DEF56?ED[ 2D H6== 2D E96 | |6?’D r=F3]k^Am

kAmyFDE =:<6 96 5:5 8C@H:?8 FA[ u2FC@E A=2J65 2 G2C:6EJ @7 DA@CED 2E |&[ :?4=F5:?8 7@@E32==[ 32D<6E32== 2?5 32D632==] w6 2=D@ A2CE:4:A2E65 :? |& EC24< 2?5 7:6=5 6G6?ED] %96 `hac |& J62C3@@< 42==65 9:> “@?6 @7 |:DD@FC:’D >@DE G6CD2E:=6 2E9=6E6D]”k^Am

kAmu2FC@E 4@?E:?F65 9:D DEF5:6D 2E |& 3J 62C?:?8 9:D >2DE6C’D 568C66 :? 28C:4F=EFC6]k^Am

kAm(9:=6 96 H2D 2 8C25F2E6 DEF56?E[ u2FC@E 96=A65 =2J E96 D@5 2E |6>@C:2= $E25:F> :? `hae[ E96 J62C E96 DE25:F> @A6?65] w6 >2CC:65 9:D H:76[ |2CJ[ E96 J62C 96 8C25F2E65]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m(2C 82>6Dk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAmp7E6C D49@@=[ u2FC@E 8@E 2 ;@3 4@249:?8 7@@E32==[ 32D<6E32==[ 32D632== 2?5 EC24< 2E }@CE962DE |:DD@FC: $E2E6 %62496CD r@==686[ ?@H <?@H? 2D %CF>2? $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJ :? z:C<DG:==6]k^Am

People are also reading…

Will new cash crop tighten cinch of Corn Belt?
Kuntz family farm celebrates 100 years
Tractor Wars documentary covers big shifts in ag
Building better cows
First relay crop provides learning experience
Not the kind of ride or die I had in mind
Agronomists advise farmers on seasonal threats
Cracks in soil impact evaporation
Father-daughter duo turns milkweed into multi-faceted enterprise
Four generations, one furrow
Native warm-season grasses provide forage
Calendar: In the World of Ag
Grain marketing plans navigate unknowns
Little reaction in durum market to USDA reports
Jefferson County Fair: A slice of Americana

kAmp7E6C J62CD @7 4@249:?8 DF446DD E96C6[ u2FC@E 62C?65 E96 9625 7@@E32== 4@249 ;@3 2E |& :? `hbd] w:D 2=>2 >2E6C 925 366? DECF88=:?8 :? 7@@E32== 2?5 E96 2E9=6E:4 56A2CE>6?E H2D 962G:=J :? 563E]k^Am

kAmu2FC@E 8C25F2==J EFC?65 E96 E62> 2C@F?5 2?5 D4965F=65 >2?J 492==6?8:?8 82>6D @? E96 C@25 E@ D64FC6 A2J52JD 7@C E96 AC@8C2> E@ 96=A A2J @77 563E] w6 =65 |:DD@FC: E@ 4@?76C6?46 492>A:@?D9:AD :? `hbh[ `hc` 2?5 `hca[ 2?5 E@ :ED 7:CDE >2;@C 3@H= 82>6[ E96 `hc_ ~C2?86 q@H=]k^Am

kAmx? 255:E:@? E@ 7@@E32== DF446DD[ E96 `hc_D 3C@F89E H2C 2?5 EC2865J 7@C u2FC@E]k^Am

kAm“(96? E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D 6?E6C65 (@C=5 (2C xx :? `hc`[ u2FC@E :?E6?565 E@ C6>2:? 2 4:G:=:2? 4@249:?8 7@@E32== 2E |&[” E96 9:DE@C:42= D@4:6EJ AC@7:=6 D2JD] “qFE 27E6C 9:D 3C@E96C[ &]$] pC>J p:C r@CAD r2AE] #@36CE u2FC@E[ 2 7:89E6C A:=@E[ H2D D9@E 5@H? :? |2C49 `hcb[ u2FC@E 6?=:DE65 :? E96 }2G2= #6D6CG6D]”k^Am

kAmp=E9@F89 96 H2D :? 9:D c_D[ u2FC@E ;@:?65 E96 H2C 677@CE] w6 H2D DE2E:@?65 :? =@42E:@?D 24C@DD E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D D6CG:?8 2D 2 A9JD:42= EC2:?6C 7@C A:=@ED[ 2D H6== 2D 4@249:?8 7@@E32== E62>D >256 FA @7 A:=@ED :? EC2:?:?8] w:D `hcb x@H2 !C6\u=:89E $6292H<D E62> H2D @?6 @7 E96 36DE :? 4@==686 7@@E32== E92E J62C]k^Am

kAmp7E6C E96 H2C[ u2FC@E C6EFC?65 E@ 9:D 4@249:?8 C@=6 2E |&]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mr@249:?8 :??@G2E:@?Dk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm}2E:@?2==J[ u2FC@E :D >@DE 72>@FD 7@C 9:D :??@G2E:G6 4@249:?8 7@C>2E:@?D[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 :?G6?E:@? @7 E96 $A=:E\% 7@C>2E:@?]k^Am

kAmp7E6C 2 E2=6?E65 BF2CE6C324<[ !2F= r9C:DE>2?[ 8C25F2E65[ u2FC@E 4C62E65 E96 7@C>2E:@? E@ 96=A E96 %:86CD DE2J 4@>A6E:E:G6] xE H2D >@C6 DAC625 @FE E92? @E96C 7@C>2E:@?D @7 E96 E:>6 2?5 :E 2:>65 E@ FD6 DA665[ DA24:?8 2?5 5646AE:@? E@ @77D6E 2?J E2=6?E 5:D25G2?E286D]k^Am

kAmu2FC@E FD65 E96 7@C>2E:@? E@ 3C:?8 E96 @AE:@? E@ 4@==686 7@@E32==[ H96C6 2 A=2J6C 4@F=5 6:E96C CF? H:E9 E96 32== @C E@DD :E E@ 2?@E96C A=2J6C H9:=6 @? E96 CF?] u2FC@E D2:5 E96D6 A=2JD H6C6 :?DA:C65 3J a\@?\` 72DE 3C62<D :? 32D<6E32==[ 2?5 E96 @AE:@? A=2J C6>2:?D :? FD6 :? 4@==686 7@@E32== E@52J]k^Am

kAm“(6 ?66565 E96 5646AE:@? @7 E96 $A=:E % E@86E96C H:E9 :ED AC@>:D6 @7 >@C6 @776?D:G6 AF?49 E@ @77D6E E96 DFA6C:@C >2?A@H6C >FDE6C65 3J @FC @AA@?6?ED[” u2FC@E HC@E6] “x7 H6 4@F=5?’E 362E E96> 5@H? E@ D:K6[ E96? H6 >:89E 36H:=56C E96>]”k^Am

kAmu2FC@E 4@24965 2E |:DD@FC: E9C@F89 E96 `hde D62D@?[ 2?5 9:D =2DE 82>6 H2D 2 E9C:==:?8 `d\`b H:? :? r@=F>3:2 @G6C C:G2= z2?D2D[ H:E9 |:DD@FC: D4@C:?8 2 D276EJ :? E96 7:?2= D64@?5D E@ D64FC6 E96 H:?] u2FC@E’D A=2J6CD 42CC:65 9:> @77 E96 7:6=5 :? 46=63C2E:@?]k^Am

kAmu2FC@E DE2J65 @? 7@C D6G6C2= J62CD 27E6C 2D 2E9=6E:4 5:C64E@C[ 9:C:?8 DF446DD7F= 7@@E32== 4@249 s2? s6G:?6] w6 C6E:C65 2D 2E9=6E:4 5:C64E@C :? `hef] qFE 96 <6AE 2? @77:46 :? E96 2E9=6E:4 56A2CE>6?E 3F:=5:?8D 2?5 9:D 3=F6 qF:4< H2D 2 72>:=:2C D:89E 2E |:DD@FC: 7@@E32== AC24E:46D 7@C J62CD]k^Am

kAmx? `hfa[ |:DD@FC: ?2>65 :ED 7@@E32== 7:6=5 :? 9:D 9@?@C]k^Am

kAmp7E6C 2 A6C:@5 @7 2CE:7:4:2= EFC7[ |:DD@FC: 4@?G6CE65 :ED 7:6=5 324< E@ ?2EFC2= 8C2DD :? `hhd] u2FC@E[ H6== :?E@ 9:D h_D[ 46C6>@?:2==J =2:5 E96 =2DE A:646 @7 D@5[ ;FDE 2D 96 925 96=A65 =2J E96 :?:E:2= D@5 7@C E96 7:6=5 2D 2 J@F?8 28 DEF56?E ?62C=J f_ J62CD 62C=:6C]k^Am

kAms@? u2FC@E 5:65 @? ~4E] `h[ `hhd] !6C92AD 7:EE:?8=J 7@C E96 >2? H9@ 82G6 D@ >F49 @7 9:D =:76 E@ E96 F?:G6CD:EJ[ :E H2D 9@>64@>:?8 H66< 2E |&]k^Am