John R. Bender

Who was John R. Bender?

John Reinhold "Chief" Bender was an American football player and coach of football, basketball and baseball. He served as the head football coach at Washington State University, Haskell Indian Nations University, St. Louis University, Kansas State University, and the University of Tennessee, compiling a career record of 65–31–7. He is one of the few college football head coaches to have non-consecutive tenure at the same school. Bender was also the head basketball coach at Washington State and Tennessee, and the head baseball coach at Washington State and Tennessee.