Grant, Yary provided winning formula

By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published Monday, July 28, 2008

Second-year head coach Bud Grant was optimistic for the Minnesota Vikings in the summer of 1968. Ron Yary had joined the Vikings as the first player chosen in the 1968 AFL-NFL Draft.

Grant, 20 years after playing football with Fergus Falls native Evie Faunce at the University of Minnesota, felt that Yary would be the player to provide a winning formula that was badly needed. In 1967, Grant’s first year as head coach of the Vikings after taking over from the flamboyant Norm Van Brocklin, Minnesota finished with a record of three wins, eight losses and three ties.

Those were the years of 14-game seasons, later changed to 16-game regular-season schedules.

Yary, who was born in Chicago on July 16, 1946, was a two-time consensus All-American at the University of Southern California. The 6-5, 255-pound lineman possessed speed, agility and intelligence.

Grant was known for instilling discipline in his teams. He quickly won the respect of Yary and other Viking players.

During Yary’s tenure, under Grant’s leadership, the Vikings won nine NFC Central champion-ships. During that period, Minnesota played in Super Bowls IV, VIII, IX and XI.

In Grant's 18 years as head coach of the Vikings from 1967 through 1983 and a one-year final stint in 1985, his teams compiled a .620 winning percentage (158-96-5) in regular-season play. His coaching wins, including 10 post-season victories, place him among the all-time greatest coaches.

Both Grant and Yary are now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Yary’s 15-season, 207-game career included 14 years with the Vikings from 1968 to 1981 and a final season with the Los Angeles Rams in 1982.

His strong work ethic rubbed off on his teammates. Yary was named all-pro six times and All-NFC eight straight seasons from 1970 to 1977. He played in seven consecutive Pro Bowls during that period and was a major force in a Minnesota team that was highly successful throughout the 1970s.

Born May 20, 1927, in Superior, Wis., Grant became a nine-letterman athlete at the University of Minnesota. He was a two time All-Big Ten end in football, receiving many passes thrown from halfback Faunce who had previously starred for the Fergus Falls Otters. Grant also was a two-year baseball star and a three-year basketball regular.

Although a first-round draft choice of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1950, Grant postponed his NFL debut to play for the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBA. He played two years with the Lakers, who won the NBA title each year. In 1951, Grant turned to pro football with the Eagles. He played on defense as a rookie and then became the number two pass receiver in the NFL with 56 catches in 1952.

During his 10 seasons as head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, prior to joining the Vikings as head coach, Grant led his team to six Canadian Grey Cup appearances. He won the championship four times in 1958, 1959, 1961 and 1962.

Grant will always be remembered coaching the Vikings to victory, especially on cold days, at the old Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington.

These days Grant, an avid outdoorsman, spends much of his time hunting and fishing. One of his hunting buddies is Milt Aasness of Fergus Falls. Grant’s son, Mike Grant, is a successful high school football coach at Eden Prairie.

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Tom Hintgen’s column runs on Mondays.