Jim Donnan
Encyclopedia
Jim Donnan is a former American football
player and coach and now a television analyst for college football
and a motivational speaker
. He served as the head football coach at Marshall University
(1990–1995) and the University of Georgia
(1996–2000), compiling a career record of 104–40–1. His 1992 Marshall team
won an NCAA Division I-AA national title. Donnan was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
as a coach in 2009.
at North Carolina State University
, Donnan defeated his future team, Georgia
, 14–7, in the 1967 Liberty Bowl
. He was the ACC
Player of the Year in 1967.
, University of Missouri
, Florida State University
, and the University of Oklahoma
. Donnan was the offensive coordinator
at Oklahoma from 1985–1989. From 1985–1988, he coached under Barry Switzer
, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame
and a Super Bowl
winning coach. Donnan coached the legendary Oklahoma Sooner wishbone offense
that helped the Sooners to three consecutive 11–1 seasons from 1985–1987, and a national championship
in 1985. In 1986, the Sooners scored 508 points, which at the time was the second highest point total in the school's storied history, trailing only the Sooners 1971 NCAA record setting rushing offense that scored 534 points.
Donnan was head football coach at Marshall University
, where he led the Thundering Herd to a 64–21 record from 1990 to 1995, including five consecutive 11-plus win seasons and the 1992 NCAA Division I-AA national football championship. He was named the Division I-AA Coach of the Year twice.
Donnan was then the head football coach at the University of Georgia
from 1996 to 2000. He compiled a 40–19 record during his tenure. He was the first football coach in school history to lead Bulldog
teams to four consecutive bowl
victories. Under Donnan, the Bulldogs won the 1998 Outback Bowl
, the 1998 Peach Bowl
, the 2000 Outback Bowl
, and the 2000 Oahu Bowl
. Before the 1997 game against Mississippi State
, Donnan drove a steamroller
into practice and told his players they "were either going to be the steamroller or the pavement"; Georgia won the game, 47–0.
Donnan was fired by University President Michael F. Adams
, against the wishes of athletic director Vince Dooley
, in 2000 after the Bulldogs struggled to two consecutive eight-win seasons, and three consecutive losses against Georgia Tech
. Donnan's inability to return the program to the national prominence of Dooley's era and to compete with longtime SEC
Eastern Division rivals such as Tennessee
and Florida
, combined with certain off-the-field problems for players, are believed to be the reasons for his dismissal.
In May 2009, Donnan was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame
for his coaching success at Marshall.
.
In June 2011, Donnan and his wife, Mary filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the middle district of Georgia. The financial disclosures indicate the Donnans owed $8.25 million to GLC Limited, the same company that also filed for bankruptcy in the spring.
In July 2011, Donnan was accused in court documents of making millions of dollars from a Ponzi scheme involving GLC Limited.The federal documents filed in bankruptcy court in Ohio contend that Jim Donnan and his wife, Mary, attracted investments for GLC Limited. The documents claimed the Donnans made commissions for new investments. It claimed Donnan invested more than $5.4 million in the company and that his family ultimately made more than $14.5 million.
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 and now a television analyst for college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
and a motivational speaker
Motivational speaking
A motivational speaker or inspirational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. In a business context, they are employed to communicate company strategy with clarity and help employees to see the future in a positive light and inspire workers to pull...
. He served as the head football coach at Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
(1990–1995) and the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
(1996–2000), compiling a career record of 104–40–1. His 1992 Marshall team
1992 Marshall Thundering Herd football team
The 1992 Marshall Thundering Herd football team represented Marshall University in its first national championship win in school history.-Schedule:-Team Players drafted in the NFL:...
won an NCAA Division I-AA national title. Donnan was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
as a coach in 2009.
Playing career
During his playing days as a quarterbackQuarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
at North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
, Donnan defeated his future team, Georgia
Georgia Bulldogs football
The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54...
, 14–7, in the 1967 Liberty Bowl
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual U.S. American college football bowl game played in December of each year from 1959 to 2007 and in January in 2009 and 2010. The Liberty Bowl was sponsored by AXA Financial and was known as the AXA Liberty Bowl from 1997 to 2003...
. He was the ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
Player of the Year in 1967.
Coaching career
Prior to working as a head coach, Donnan served as an assistant coach at several schools, including Kansas State UniversityKansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
, University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
, Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, and the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
. Donnan was the offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at Oklahoma from 1985–1989. From 1985–1988, he coached under Barry Switzer
Barry Switzer
Barry Switzer is a former football coach, active in the college and professional ranks between 1962 and 1997. He has one of the highest winning percentages of any college football coach in history, and is one of only two head coaches to win both a college football national championship and a...
, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
and a Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
winning coach. Donnan coached the legendary Oklahoma Sooner wishbone offense
Wishbone formation
The wishbone formation, also known simply as the ’bone, is an offensive formation in American football. The style of attack to which it gives rise is known as the wishbone offense...
that helped the Sooners to three consecutive 11–1 seasons from 1985–1987, and a national championship
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
in 1985. In 1986, the Sooners scored 508 points, which at the time was the second highest point total in the school's storied history, trailing only the Sooners 1971 NCAA record setting rushing offense that scored 534 points.
Donnan was head football coach at Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
, where he led the Thundering Herd to a 64–21 record from 1990 to 1995, including five consecutive 11-plus win seasons and the 1992 NCAA Division I-AA national football championship. He was named the Division I-AA Coach of the Year twice.
Donnan was then the head football coach at the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
from 1996 to 2000. He compiled a 40–19 record during his tenure. He was the first football coach in school history to lead Bulldog
Georgia Bulldogs football
The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54...
teams to four consecutive bowl
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
victories. Under Donnan, the Bulldogs won the 1998 Outback Bowl
1998 Outback Bowl
The 1998 edition to the Outback Bowl featured the Georgia Bulldogs, and the Wisconsin Badgers.Georgia scored first on a 2 yard touchdown run from running back Robert Edwards, giving Georgia an early 6-0 lead...
, the 1998 Peach Bowl
1998 Peach Bowl (December)
The 1998 season edition to the Peach Bowl featured the Georgia Bulldogs and the .After a scoreless first quarter, Virginia scored first on a 2 yard Anthony Southern touchdown run, making the score 7-0. Aaron Brooks threw a 43 yard touchdown pass to Terrence Wilkins making the score 14-0. Brooks...
, the 2000 Outback Bowl
2000 Outback Bowl
The 2000 edition to the Outback Bowl featured the Georgia Bulldogs and the Purdue Boilermakers.Purdue quarterback Drew Brees threw touchdown passes of 3 and 11 yards to wide receiver Chris Daniels as Purdue opened up a 13-0 lead. Brees fired a 21 yard touchdown pass to Vinny Sutherland as Purdue...
, and the 2000 Oahu Bowl
2000 Oahu Bowl
The 2000 Jeep Oahu Bowl was a college football bowl game, played as part of the 2000-01 bowl game schedule of the 2000 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the 3rd and final game named Oahu Bowl, and became the Seattle Bowl for the 2001 contest. The game was played on December 24, 2000, at...
. Before the 1997 game against Mississippi State
Mississippi State Bulldogs football
The Mississippi State Bulldogs football program represents Mississippi State University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing as a member of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State has produced 38 All-Americans, 171 All-SEC selections, and 124...
, Donnan drove a steamroller
Steamroller
A steamroller is a form of road roller – a type of heavy construction machinery used for levelling surfaces, such as roads or airfields – that is powered by a steam engine...
into practice and told his players they "were either going to be the steamroller or the pavement"; Georgia won the game, 47–0.
Donnan was fired by University President Michael F. Adams
Michael F. Adams
Michael F. Adams is the president of the University of Georgia in the U.S. state of Georgia.Adams began his career in education as faculty at Ohio State University 1973-1975. He later served as vice president for university affairs at Pepperdine University 1982-1988...
, against the wishes of athletic director Vince Dooley
Vince Dooley
Vincent Joseph Dooley was the head football coach and athletic director at the University of Georgia. During his 25 year coaching career at UGA, Dooley compiled a 201–77–10 record. His teams won six Southeastern Conference titles and the 1980 national championship...
, in 2000 after the Bulldogs struggled to two consecutive eight-win seasons, and three consecutive losses against Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
. Donnan's inability to return the program to the national prominence of Dooley's era and to compete with longtime SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
Eastern Division rivals such as Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
and Florida
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
, combined with certain off-the-field problems for players, are believed to be the reasons for his dismissal.
In May 2009, Donnan was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
for his coaching success at Marshall.
Post-coaching career
After coaching, Donnan worked as a college football analyst for ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
.
In June 2011, Donnan and his wife, Mary filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the middle district of Georgia. The financial disclosures indicate the Donnans owed $8.25 million to GLC Limited, the same company that also filed for bankruptcy in the spring.
In July 2011, Donnan was accused in court documents of making millions of dollars from a Ponzi scheme involving GLC Limited.The federal documents filed in bankruptcy court in Ohio contend that Jim Donnan and his wife, Mary, attracted investments for GLC Limited. The documents claimed the Donnans made commissions for new investments. It claimed Donnan invested more than $5.4 million in the company and that his family ultimately made more than $14.5 million.