Eugene Lambert (coach)

For the Irish puppeteer and actor, see Eugene Lambert.

Eugene Wasdon Lambert Sr.^[1] (October 23, 1905 – October 27, 2000) was an American football and basketball coach and college athletics administrator. He served as head basketball coach at North Texas Agricultural (now the University of Texas at Arlington), Kenyon, Arkansas, Memphis State, and Alabama. He served as head tennis coach in 1957 at the University of Alabama, and head football coach at both North Texas Agricultural and Kenyon.

Eugene Lambert

Biographical details
Born	(1905-10-23)October 23, 1905 Searcy, Arkansas, U.S.
Died	October 27, 2000(2000-10-27) (aged 95) Williamson County, Texas, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1927–1928	Arkansas
Basketball
1928–1929	Arkansas
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Basketball
1929–1930	Texarkana HS (TX)
1931–1932	Taylor HS (TX)
1933–1934	North Texas Aggies
1935–1937	Kenyon
1938–1941	Arkansas (assistant)
1942–1949	Arkansas
1951–1956	Memphis State
1956–1960	Alabama
Football
1929–1930	Texarkana HS (TX)
1931–1932	Taylor HS (TX)
1933–1934	North Texas Aggies
1935–1936	Kenyon
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1950	Arkansas A&M
1960–1966	Memphis State
Head coaching record
Overall	6–7–1 (college football) 264–170 (college basketball) 12–4–5 (junior college football)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football 1 CTC (1934)

Coaching career

After he graduated from Arkansas, Lambert coached at both Texarkana and Taylor High Schools before taking his first collegiate coaching position at North Texas Agricultural College in 1933.^[2] At North Texas, he coached both the basketball team and the football team which he led to an overall record of eleven wins, four losses and five ties (11–4–5). From North Texas, Lambert moved to Kenyon College where he again coached both the men's basketball and football teams. During his two-year tenure with the Lords, he led the basketball team to an overall record of 15 wins and 16 losses (15–16) and the football team to an overall record of six wins, seven losses and one tie (6–7–1).^[3]

From Kenyon, Lambert returned to Arkansas as an assistant coach and became the head coach for the 1942 season. While with the Razorbacks, he led Arkansas to an overall record of 113 wins and 60 losses (113–60), two Southwest Conference championships and invitations to three and appearances in two NCAA Tournaments.^[2] After he served for one year as the athletic director at Arkansas A&M, Lambert returned to the coaching ranks as the head coach at Memphis State.^[2] While with the Tigers, he led Memphis State to an overall record of 87 wins and 45 losses (87–45) two appearances in two NCAA Tournaments.^[4] In April 1956, Lambert was hired to serve as head coach at Alabama.^[4] While with the Crimson Tide, he led Alabama to an overall record of 49 wins and 49 losses (49–49).^[5] In 1957 Lambert also served as the head tennis coach for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He then resigned from Alabama in April 1960 to become athletic director at Memphis State.^[5] He remained as the Tigers' athletic director through his resignation in 1966.^[6]

Head coaching record

College football

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs
Kenyon Lords (Ohio Athletic Conference) (1935–1936)
1935	Kenyon	3–3–1	1–1–1	11th
1936	Kenyon	3–4	1–3	T–14th
Kenyon:		6–7–1	2–4–1
Total:		6–7–1

College basketball

Statistics overview

Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
Kenyon Lords (Ohio Athletic Conference) (1935–1937)
1935–36	Kenyon	7–11
1936–37	Kenyon	8–5
Kenyon:		15–16
Arkansas Razorbacks (Southwest Conference) (1942–1949)
1942–43	Arkansas	19–7	8–4	3rd
1943–44	Arkansas	16–8	11–1	T-1st
1944–45	Arkansas	17–9	9–3	2nd	NCAA Final Four
1945–46	Arkansas	16–7	9–3	2nd
1946–47	Arkansas	14–10	8–4	T–2nd
1947–48	Arkansas	16–8	8–4	3rd
1948–49	Arkansas	15–11	9–3	T–1st	NCAA Quarterfinals
Arkansas:		113–60	62–22
Memphis State Tigers (Independent) (1951–1956)
1951–52	Memphis State	25–10
1952–53	Memphis State	10–14
1953–54	Memphis State	15–9
1954–55	Memphis State	17–5			NCAA First Round
1955–56	Memphis State	20–7			NCAA Quarterfinals
Memphis State:		87–45
Alabama Crimson Tide (Southeastern Conference) (1956–1960)
1956–57	Alabama	15–11	7–7	7th
1957–58	Alabama	17–9	9–5
1958–59	Alabama	10–12	6–8	7th
1959–60	Alabama	7–17	4–10	10th
Alabama:		49–49	26–30
Total:		264–170
National champion         Postseason invitational champion         Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion       Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion       Conference tournament champion

Junior college football

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs
North Texas Aggies (Central Texas Conference) (1933–1934)
1933	North Texas Aggies	4–2–4	1–2–2	T–4th
1934	North Texas Aggies	8–2–1	3–0–1	1st
North Texas Aggies:		12–4–5	5–2–3
Total:		12–4–5
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

^[7]

See also

• List of NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Final Four appearances by coach

References

1. "Register of Doctor of Education Reports". 1935.
2. "Lambert will be inducted by the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame February 22". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. LexisNexis. February 3, 1985.
3. "Kenyon Results (1926–1941)". Kenyon College Athletics. Archived from the original on March 24, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2012.
4. "Dr. Gene Lambert new Tide mentor". The Florence Times. April 19, 1956. Retrieved April 22, 2012.
5. Land, Charles (April 22, 1960). "Lambert resigns post for Memphis State". The Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved April 22, 2012.
6. "Memphis State puts Murphy in dual role". The Florence Times. June 10, 1966. Retrieved April 22, 2012.
7. Carter, O. K. (November 26, 1985). "Variety of reasons contributed to UTA football death". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. p. 7D. Retrieved November 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .

External links

• Eugene Lambert at Find a Grave