The term Indiana football hero is kind of like jumbo shrimp; oxymoron doesn’t begin to explain it. But former IU coach John Pont is definitely a legend. He died today at the age of 80.

Pont is the only IU coach to reach the Rose Bowl (yes, the ONLY one). His 1967 Hoosier squad went 9-2, tied for the Big Ten title, was ranked as high as #4 by the Associated Press, and made it to Pasadena, losing 14-3 to an OJ Simpson-led USC squad. Winning at football in Bloomington is damn tough, and the nation recognized that: He was named national coach of the year that season.

His 8-season record at IU isn’t sparkling - just 31-51-1 - but anyone that’s watched Indiana football knows what he did in ‘67 is nothing short of spectacular (and because of it Pont is a member of the IU hall of fame).

Before he coached Indiana, his work at Miami of Ohio placed him in what’s known as “The Cradle of Coaches”, joining leaders who succeeded in Oxford like Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler, Paul Brown, Sid Gillman, Bill Arnsparger, Bill Mallory, Jim Tressel, Terry Hoeppner, Sean Payton and John Harbaugh.

Pont will be buried Monday, July 7th. No reason has been given for his death.