Pat Trammell and Paul W. "Bear" Bryant — Special to BamaCentral

Daily Dose of Crimson Tide: Pat Trammell

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Author:
Christopher Walsh
Publish date:
Mar 16, 2020 12:00 PM EDT

One of the most beloved players in Crimson Tide football history was Pat Trammell, who grew up in Scottsboro, Ala., and was the starting quarterback from 1959-61.

Trammell wasn’t your typical college football player, even though he played during the “one-platoon” era when, before unlimited substitutions, players had to line up on both the offensive and defensive sides.

“Well, they’re not blocking anyone, so I’d thought I’d see if they could play defense,” Trammell once explained to Coach Paul W. “Bear” Bryant on why he quick-kicked on third down.

As a freshman he had a career-best 525 rushing yards. During his sophomore season, Trammell had the distinction of leading the Crimson Tide in both rushing (525 yards, 156 carries), and passing (21 of 49, 293 yards).

As a senior, when he was a second-team All-American as well as an Academic All-American, Trammell became the first Alabama player to pass for more than 1,000 yards in a season, while only having two attempts intercepted.

For his career he ran for 1,119 yards and 15 touchdowns, and passed for 1,631 yards and nine scores.

“He can’t run, he can’t pass, and he can’t kick,” Bryant once said. “All he can do is beat you.”

Trammell’s final year with the Crimson Tide was one of the greatest in Alabama history, when the team simply destroyed the competition by going 11–0 and outscored opponents 297–25. It didn’t reach No. 1 in the rankings until late November, and then topped the year off with a 10–3 victory against Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl to win Bryant’s first national title.

Fittingly, Trammell scored the lone touchdown against the Razorbacks.

During his three years taking snaps for Alabama, the Crimson Tide compiled an impressive 26–3–4 record, and also played in the Liberty (a 7–0 loss to Penn State in the inaugural game, played in frigid conditions) and Bluebonnet (a 3–3 tie with Texas) bowls.

In 1961, Trammell was named the Southeastern Conference’s MVP and finished fifth in voting for the Heisman Trophy. Additionally, he was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1975.

Trammell also helped set a very high bar for Alabama quarterbacks and was followed by the likes of Joe Namath, Steve Sloan, and Kenny Stabler, who all led impressive runs at national championships over the subsequent five years.

Meanwhile Trammell went back to school and earned his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree at Alabama, only to be diagnosed with testicular cancer.

After the 1968 Iron Bowl, a 24–16 victory for the Crimson Tide, players presented Trammell with the game ball. He died a week later, on December 10, at the age of 28.

Bryant called it the saddest day of his life.