Billy Kinard
Encyclopedia
William Russell Kinard (born December 16, 1933) is a former American football
player and coach. He played as a defensive back
for the NFL
's Cleveland Browns
and Green Bay Packers
, and for the American Football League
's Buffalo Bills
. Kinard played college football at the University of Mississippi
before being drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 1956 NFL Draft
. He played professionally for four seasons and retired in 1960. Kinard later served as the head football coach at Mississippi from 1971 to 1973 and at Gardner–Webb University in 1978, compiling a career coaching record of 20–14–1.
, became the athletic director at Ole Miss. He hired the younger Kinard to be the new Ole Miss Rebels football
coach. After the third contest of the 1973 season, Johnny Vaught
replaced Kinard, returning for his second stint as Ole Miss' athletic director and head football coach.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach. He played as a defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
for the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
, and for the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
's Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Kinard played college football at the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
before being drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 1956 NFL Draft
1956 NFL Draft
The 1956 National Football League Draft was held on November 29, 1955.-Player selections:-Round one:* HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:...
. He played professionally for four seasons and retired in 1960. Kinard later served as the head football coach at Mississippi from 1971 to 1973 and at Gardner–Webb University in 1978, compiling a career coaching record of 20–14–1.
Coaching
In 1970, Kinard's older brother, a former Ole Miss and NFL star, Frank "Bruiser" KinardFrank Kinard
Frank Manning "Bruiser" Kinard Sr. was a professional American football player for the Brooklyn Dodgers/Tigers of the National Football League and the New York Yankees of the All-America Football Conference. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971...
, became the athletic director at Ole Miss. He hired the younger Kinard to be the new Ole Miss Rebels football
Ole Miss Rebels football
The football history of the University of Mississippi , includes the formation of the first football team in the state and is 26th on the list of college football's all-time winning programs...
coach. After the third contest of the 1973 season, Johnny Vaught
Johnny Vaught
John Howard Vaught was an American college football coach at the University of Mississippi from 1947 to 1970 and again in 1973....
replaced Kinard, returning for his second stint as Ole Miss' athletic director and head football coach.