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Lon Herzbrun
Head Coach Fulton High Falcons 1963-1968
1967 KFL Coach of the Year |
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More than a coach, he was a player
Lon Herzbrun
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"It is the size of the heart that is the measure of the man." --
Coach Lon Herzbrun
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Lon Herzbrun was
the Fulton High School Head Coach from 1963 to 1968 compiling an
overall
 record
of 44-16-5. Coach Herzbrun was named KFL coach of the year two
times, once in 1965 and again in 1967 for his undefeated Falcon "mighty
mites."
Herzbrun was tough
and his players knew it. Butch Sprain, All-East Tennessee middle
guard said that one thing that gave him the confidence to play tough
and hit hard was that he knew Fulton's coaches "could whip the coaches
for any team [they] played."
 If
you played for him you had to be in shape and have the desire to
win. He require that his
players give it their all on every play whether in practice
or a game. It was always full
speed with all you got. But, he
asked no more of others than he gave himself.
Herzbrun was a standout
player the University of Tennessee from 1955 to
1957. In 1955 he played fullback and defensive back and led the
team in interceptions. In 1956 and 1957 Herzbrun played offensive guard
and defensive tackle. In 1957 Herzbrun was the first lineman to
play 60 minutes throughout the season. Herzbrun played on the Johnny
Majors team that won the SEC Championship in 1956. Herzbrun also played in
the 1956 Sugar Bowl and the 1957 Gator Bowl.
Herzbrun was a
Special Forces Ranger with the 101st Air Borne and played for Fort Campbell and Fort Eustis. In 1961 Herzbrun
won the Timmy Award as the "Outstanding Player of the World." In
addition, he was named the best player in the world by the Army
Times, selected to the All-Army squad, named as team captain and
honored as the MVP.
Herzbrun also played for the Washington
Redskins pre-season and he played for the Knoxville Bears in 1964,
1965 and 1966 . He was the captain all three years. Herzbrun was named the MVP
for the Knoxville Bears in 1966.
After the 1968
Fulton High football season Herzbrun coached linebackers at the
University of Tennessee and coached Fulton's own Jackie Walker
who became a first team All-American linebacker at UT. At the
time Herzbrun coached at UT he had coached more All-American
linebackers than any coach in NCAA history. In addition to
Jackie Walker, Herzbrun coached Steve Kiner and Jack "Hacksaw"
Reynolds, Jamie Rotella, Ray Nettles, and Art Reynolds.
In 1973 Herzbrun
wrote the book "The Making of an All American Linebacker."
On August 31st,
2007 Herzbrun was proclaimed Colonel Aid de Comp by
Governor Bredesen on behalf of the State of Tennessee.. In
addition, Knoxville Mayor Haslam gave Herzbrun a special
proclamation for his contribution to high school football.
Finally on August 31st, Herzbrun received the Salute America "Inspiration
Award" for his contribution to making the players he coached
better men.
Herzbrun was
inducted into Jocks Hall of Fame for Washington, D.C. Area for
High School Sports in 1994, the Greater Washington D.C.
Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1999 and
the Greater Knoxville
Sports Hall of Fame in 2003
Herzbrun now runs
the Olympic Athletic Club in Maryville, Tennessee and lives on a house boat on London Lake.
Fulton High School
Coaching Record
1963
3-6-1 Lon
Herzbrun
1964
8-2-1 Lon
Herzbrun Burley Tobacco
Bowl
1965
8-3 Lon
Herzbrun KFL
Champs/Optimist Bowl
1966
8-3 Lon
Herzbrun Rockwood
Jaycee Bowl
1967
10-0-1 Lon
Herzbrun KFL
Champs/Optimist Bowl
1968
7-2-2 Lon
Herzbrun Strawberry
Bowl
Pictures
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