John Franklin "Smiling Jack" Wiley (April 18, 1920 – March 25, 2013) was an American football player and coach. He played professionally a tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1950. Willey served as the head football coach at his alma mater, Waynesburg College—now known as Waynesburg University—in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, from 1951 to 1954, compiling a record of 22–9–1.
 Wiley on a 1948 Bowman football card | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 18, 1920 Wind Ridge, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | March 25, 2013 (aged 92) Rock Hill, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1938–1940 | Waynesburg |
| 1946–1950 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Position(s) | Tackle |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1951–1954 | Waynesburg |
| 1955–1961 | Pittsburgh (line) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 22–9–1 |
Playing career and miltitary service
editWiley played college football as a tackle at Waynesburg College—now known as Waynesburg University—in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania and appeared in the 1939 Waynesburg vs. Fordham football game, the first televised American football game. His three older brothers—Robert, Asa, and Bill—also played football as Waynesburg. The youngest Wiley brother graduated from Waynesburg in 1941.[1] He served in the United States Army during World War II, attaining the rank of captain.[2]
After World War II, Wiley played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1950, under head coaches Jock Sutherland and John Michelosen.[2]
Coaching career
editWiley was the head football coach at his alma mater, Waynesburg, for four seasons, from 1951 to 1954, compiling a record of 22–9–1.[3][4]
Wiley left Waynesburg to become an assistant at Pitt, where he is credited with recruiting Mike Ditka and Marty Schottenheimer.[2]
Late life and death
editWaynesburg left coaching in 1961 to become a salesman and later regional manager for the L.G. Balfour Jewelry & Taylor Publishing Company. He died on March 25, 2013, in Rock Hill, South Carolina.[2]
Head coaching record
edit| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waynesburg Yellow Jackets (Independent) (1951–1954) | |||||||||
| 1951 | Waynesburg | 6–3 | |||||||
| 1952 | Waynesburg | 7–1 | |||||||
| 1953 | Waynesburg | 4–3 | |||||||
| 1954 | Waynesburg | 5–2–1 | |||||||
| Waynesburg: | 22–9–1 | ||||||||
| Total: | 22–9–1 | ||||||||
References
edit- ^ "Last Of Four Wiley Boys Graduates At Waynesburg". The Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. June 15, 1941. p. 12, section 2. Retrieved March 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com
.
- ^ a b c d DiPaola, Jerry (March 27, 2013). "Ex-Waynesburg coach, Pitt assistant Wiley dies". TribLive.com. Trib Total Media. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
- ^ "Wiley Added To Coaching Staff Of Pitt Panthers". The Daily Item. Sunbury, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. February 15, 1955. p. 13. Retrieved March 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "Waynesberg College Football Media Guide". Sidearm DMG. p. 79. Archived from the original on April 3, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
External links
edit- Career statistics and player information from NFL.com · Pro Football Reference