On this day in Alabama history: Auburn football star Pat Sullivan was born

Published On: 01.18.19 |

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On this day in Alabama history: Auburn football star Pat Sullivan was born

Jan 18 feature

Quarterback Pat Sullivan, left, and Terry Beasley were All-Americans for the Auburn University football program in 1971, a year when coach Ralph "Shug" Jordan led the Tigers to the Sugar Bowl. Sullivan also was Auburn's first Heisman Trophy winner that same year. (From Encyclopedia of Alabama, courtesy of Auburn University Libraries)

January 18, 1950

Born on this day in Birmingham, Patrick Joseph Sullivan attended John Carroll Catholic High School and starred in three sports. His football prowess earned him a scholarship to Auburn University, where he played for legendary coach Ralph “Shug” Jordan. The star quarterback was a two-time SEC Player of the Year and won the Heisman Trophy, college football’s most prestigious award, in 1971. Sullivan played in the NFL for five years and in 1986 began a coaching career at Auburn that included head coaching jobs at Texas Christian University and, most recently, at Samford University.

Read more at Encyclopedia of Alabama.

Quarterback Pat Sullivan, right, and wide receiver Terry Beasley (left) led the Auburn University football program to the top of the Southeastern Conference during the early 1970s. “Sullivan to Beasley” was the popular cry of Auburn fans for the winning passer-receiver duo. (From Encyclopedia of Alabama, courtesy of The Birmingham News)

Auburn University quarterback Pat Sullivan won the Heisman Trophy in 1971, leading the Tigers to a 9-1 record. Sullivan was the first person to receive the award as a player for one of John Heisman’s former teams — the pioneering coach led the Auburn Tigers from 1895 to 1899. (From Encyclopedia of Alabama, courtesy of Auburn University Athletics Media Relations)

Pat Sullivan, left, was a member of the coaching staff for the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) football program from 1999-2005. Watson Brown, right, was UAB’s head coach from 1995-2006. (From Encyclopedia of Alabama, courtesy of The Birmingham News)

Birmingham native Pat Sullivan (1950- ) is a college football coach who began his career as a star quarterback for the Auburn University football team during the early 1970s. His accomplishments on the field place him among SEC record holders in a number of categories. Sullivan became head coach of the Samford University Bulldogs in 2006. (From Encyclopedia of Alabama, courtesy of The Birmingham News)

For more on Alabama’s Bicentennial, visit Alabama 200.