Once upon a time in college football history (specifically in 1986), head coach, Bill Yeoman’s of the University of Houston, time had come to an end. His once powerful veer offense had just finished dead last in the NCAA, last in scoring, had degenerated to last in college football program facilities, last in home field fan support, on top of the NCAA promising that they were investigating Yeoman’s program, once again, for severe rules violations; rules violations that would constitute a near future crippling probation. There was serious talk among University officials about the possibility of simply dropping the sport of football. Coach Yeoman’s resignation after this 1986 1 win & 10 loss season brought an end to his three decades of brilliant service to the once proud Houston Cougars Football program, as well as their once impressive marks in NCAA history books.
Enter an enthusiastic, outgoing group of pro football coaches who were full of optimism, not caring about the massive current deficiencies at the University of Houston and not believing the disbelief among critics about the future of Houston Cougars Football. Innovative high-octane offensive guru, John Jenkins (ex-Pampa Harvesters all-around athlete) would quickly reveal his quick-fix magic as a new incoming coach, prior to the 1987 season.
Fast forward, seven years later, as head Coach of the Houston Cougars, Coach John Jenkins’ program would have produced, arguably, the most remarkable turnaround in major college football history, to that date. In addition to producing two of the nations’ longest winning streaks, his nearly winning the national championship while there, his Houston Cougars offense became the most powerful in all of NCAA history; over 300 All-Time college football records that Coach John Jenkins established (and re-established) during this time (many of which has never been broken, now 35 years later), producing the most All-American players, Heisman winners, All-Time NCAA record holding statistical champions, brutally pounding the Texas Longhorns repeatedly each season with 60 point plus scoring outrages, bringing the Houston Astrodome off of the life support machine in bringing it back to its “eighth wonder of the world” status, due to what an overflow of Astrodome fans would quickly start hanging banners all around the Astrodome referring to this remarkable Jenkins program as “College Footballs’ Greatest Show”.
Coach John Jenkins had one of the greatest home records in his world famous Astrodome when he coached the Houston Cougars . He personally engineered and orchestrated an eye-popping , startling pre-game show featuring sideline pass guests consisting of well known movie stars, politicians, beautiful scantly-clad high heeled models, nationally known standout stars from the Houston pro teams (Oilers , Astros , Rockets , etc) and most important, an intimidating threat to opposing teams, who were forced to watch endless pre-game highlights and related music of Jenkins’ Quarterbacks throwing repeated touchdowns passes on their huge diamond vision screen. This “ subliminal “ message was a massive psychological threat that Coach John Jenkins would send to every opponent that would come into the world famous Astrodome to play his Houston Cougars . Consequently , those opponents coming into the Astrodome to play Coach John Jenkins’ Houston Cougars knew that “ something bad “ would likely happen to them. Often it did as the blowout defeats mounted up against these opponents.
After a revolving door of six different University of Houston Presidents as well as five different Athletic Directors during his six and a half years there Coach Jenkins’ eventual voluntary resignation and return to pro football in 1993 would bring a crashing end to the “College Football’s Greatest Show” of the ongoing exceptional record-breaking performances and all of the power-packed Houston Cougars victories.
As the years would pass the stories and memories would remain vibrant and remain alive, lingering proudly among all of the great Houston Cougars players from Coach John Jenkins’ Run and Shoot Houston era. In recent years it would become apparent to these once great record-breaking players, the media from this period, all of the surviving University of Houston alumni and officials that these All-Time superlatives, records, accomplishments, etc from the late 1980’s and early 1990’s would still remain standing and unbroken to this day, 2023 and counting. These accomplishments of Coach John Jenkins during this era would become more unbelievable and amazing as the years would quickly pass by, realizing that most of these All-Time accolades would never be broken, particularly now, with the newly 2023 implemented NCAA rule of having the clock to now run continuously to shorten the college games. Current defensive minded coaches, such as back to back national champion, Georgia’s, Kirby Smart, as well as Alabama’s , Nick Saban, have been highly influential in converting the college game into a future of low scoring contests.
Over the numerous years, pleas and cries from many of Jenkins’ former players would ring out to organize and produce a unique football banquet to show honor to Coach John Jenkins , his rare “out of the box” groundbreaking and innovative offensive productions, his teams and players from this record-setting era. This enthusiasm and interest began to grow as these players went to the source himself, Coach John Jenkins, for his approval and assistance in organizing this project. He graciously complied to attend and to naturally help them develop this event, so long as all of his roster players were invited, claiming that many of his fondest memories were of those “Scout Teamers”, who were always getting his record-breaking stars throughout practices during the week in getting them ready to play again on Saturdays.
So after a number of recent years of detailed planning and meticulous organizing, the “College Football’s Greatest Show” Awards Ceremony became a reality on April 22nd of this year. Coach Jenkins naturally agreed to become their headline speaker. Bill Hazen of College Sports Weekly would also be a major speaker, Bo Carter of the old Southwest Conference office would also be on the program. Kevin Long, a long-time sports television personality out of Amarillo, Texas (another long - time friend of Jenkins) during that era would be on hand. Tai Kreidler, of the State of Texas Sports Collection Archives was on the program. Long-time friend and current University of Houston Alumni office Director, Mike Pede, became highly instrumental. Gene Duffy, beat writer of the Houston Cougars during the Jenkins era from his Houston Post newspaper days would open the program, flooded with other national and local media in attendance on the night.
Not to be left out of this Star-Studded class on the evening was Pampa, Texas’ own Caleb Dorn, of The Pampa News. He and his lovely companion were on hand and recognized on the night. Jenkins would remark during the ceremony what a treat it was to have young Caleb Dorn with The Pampa News, of his home town, there for the awards presentations, mentioning his great professional relationship with Caleb, along with Caleb’s associate, there at the news in Pampa , ReDonn Woods.
In his introduction of Ken Hebert, Coach Jenkins opened the ceremony and talked briefly and fondly about his great childhood in Pampa, Texas. Growing up as a youth in Pampa, watching Ken Hebert star for the Pampa Harvesters, enabling he and and an abundance of his friends and other youths develop a true love for Pampa Harvester football. Following the great success of Ken Hebert in his home town of Pampa had Jenkins often coordinating and organizing the highly attended tough - brutal sandlot tackle football games on the weekends behind Harvester stadium, where the Harvester Football Complex now sits. Jenkins remarked that many a time these rough sandlot tackle games would consist of 30 players on each side, going at it against each other, often having to drag the injured guys off to the side and then quickly continue their games.
Coach Jenkins professed to the crowd of 200 plus in attendance that during his time coaching the Houston Cougars in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s he had occasionally asked about the whereabouts of former Pampa Harvester - Houston Cougar All - American, Ken Hebert . Kenny during that time, was working in Florida, traveling back to Houston, Texas on business frequently, but he and John Jenkins had never met. Coach Jenkins stated to the large crowd of highly accomplished ex-players of his that in addition to have all of his guys there in attendance for this special rare event, one of his primary goals was to find his childhood Pampa hero, Kenny Hebert, and invite him to this extraordinary event and to naturally finally meet him after all of these years that had elapsed since the early 1960’s, when Kenny had once been a state of Texas high school standout for the Pampa Harvesters.
Coach Jenkins then brought Ken Hebert up to the stage to present him with a special gift of appreciation. They had many photos taken together and while on the stage Jenkins had Hebert autograph a large photo of Kenny, one that was identical that once hung in Pampa’s Football main meeting room, back from when Jenkins played for the Pampa Harvesters during his high school days. Coach Jenks, as his players would refer to him, would go on to say to these ex great players of his that had it not been for the “mystique” and “air” of greatness of Ken Hebert throughout the region of Pampa, Borger, Amarillo and all throughout the entire high plains, as well as all of west Texas back in the early 1960’s, there may not have ever been a John Jenkins and others in Pampa, loving Pampa Harvester football so much that he, one day, would become a famous major college head coach of the Houston Cougars. Therefore, there never would have been a Houston Cougars family consisting of the interconnections of a John Jenkins, David Klingler, Gary McGuire, Andre Ware, Kimble Anders, Jason Phillips, Manny Hazard, Chuck Weatherspoon, Glenn Montgomery, and all of the other great Houston Cougars who Jenkins played a huge part in producing their life - changing experiences, had it not been for the great positive impression that Ken Hebert had on all of the young, aspiring young athletes in Pampa, Texas.
Since the night of the “College Footballs’ Greatest Show” Awards Ceremony John Jenkins and Ken Hebert have called and texted each other often and Coach Jenkins recently invited Ken Hebert out to assist him with a ‘pro-football players’ tryout camp that Jenkins was executing in Houston, Texas on June 4th, 2023.
The COACH JOHN JENKINS FOUNDATION will be back in Pampa for another “Back to School Fun- Fest” on August 15th, for the incoming 5th grade students, which will be held again at the Pampa city park. Ribbons, prizes, refreshments will again be part of the event for the upcoming 5th graders. Coach Jenkins will again make a generous donation to the Pampa grade school, consisting of new recreation equipment for the 5 th graders. Ken Hebert has stated that he plans to make the long trip from Houston to volunteer for this great youth event. Ken Hebert told John Jenkins that he hasn’t been back to Pampa in many years and he is highly excited to come back again.
