Jerry Stovall, a former LSU football coach and an All-America player who earned the nickname “Mr. Everything,” died Monday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the school announced. He was 85.
Stovall's coaching tenure with LSU spanned four seasons, during which he compiled a record of 22-21-2. His 1982 team achieved an 8-3-1 record and earned an appearance in the Orange Bowl.
Collegiate and Professional Career
Born in West Monroe, Louisiana, Stovall excelled as a two-way player for LSU from 1960 to 1962. During his collegiate career, he accumulated 1,081 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, alongside 452 receiving yards and a touchdown reception. He also contributed nearly 700 return yards on special teams and recorded seven interceptions.
In 1962, Stovall was named the Southeastern Conference player of the year and earned All-America honors. He finished as the runner-up in the Heisman Trophy voting that year, with Oregon State quarterback Terry Baker winning the award.
His versatility led to him being selected by the St. Louis Cardinals with the No. 2 pick in the 1963 NFL draft. Stovall played nine seasons in the league as a safety and punter, earning three Pro Bowl selections in 1966, 1967, and 1969. His performance in 1966 also earned him Second Team All-Pro honors. Over his career, he made 18 interceptions, including a career-high four in 14 games in 1967.
Coaching at LSU
Stovall later returned to LSU as an assistant coach under Charles McClendon. He was elevated to head coach in 1980 following the death of Bo Rein in a plane crash. At the time of his promotion, former LSU athletic director Paul Dietzel described Stovall as “young, tough, aggressive, articulate, a great recruiter with superior integrity” and stated that Stovall was his “only choice.” Stovall was the third person and the last former player to hold the head coaching position for the LSU program.