Ralph Jones

Regular Season Playoffs
Year W L T PCT W L
1930 9 4 1 .643 0 0
1931 8 5 0 .615 0 0
1932 7 1 6 .500 0 0
Totals 24 10 7 .585 0 0

Born: 1880 in (near) Indianapolis, IN
Died: July of 1951 in Boulder, CO

Ralph Jones became the Chicago Bears 2nd head coach. Promising George Halas a championship, this “T” formation proponent did just that in 1932. Jones delivered the Bears their first ever league championship. Jones installed a revolutionary offensive philosophy called the “T” formation. It differed from the prevailing offensive scheme of the day: power running and occasional passes. Interestingly, the “T” formation had been around since the 1880s and was considered outdated.

During that time, a forward pass was considered a change of pace or act of desperation. Deception was considered unsporting because the emphasis was to out muscle your opponent at the point of attack.

Fortunately, Jones was intrigued by this philosophy and started working with it while the Head Coach at Lake Forest (IL) Academy. When he arrived as the Bears Head Coach he re-introduced it as a sleeker, multi-dimensional, offense. The “T” formation would attack a defense by making them spread out. Jones’ “T” increased the splits between offensive linemen and he was precise about how each back lined up prior to the snap. “Deception” was introduced by putting the Quarterback under Center to conceal his ball handling. The finishing touch of Jones’ “T” was the man-in-motion strategy.

Man-in-Motion, at the time, was a little used and known rule. The rule stated that one man could be in motion at the snap of the ball. In the single and double wings, backs could shift, but then had to be set for at least one second before the snap. Jones use of man-in-motion strategy broke open the passing game and forced defenses to develop methods to counter. The “T” formation was installed when Red Grange was the NFL star. Imagine the fear of a defender when he saw Grange go in motion and wondered if the play was a run, pass, or throw off the run?

For example, Carl Brumbaugh, the Bears quarterback who ran the “T”, described one series: "Their fullback followed Red [Grange] out the first time. That left no backer-up, and Bronko Nagurski went through the line for a good gain. The next time the halfback covered Red, so I threw a pass to [Luke] Johnsos in the territory the halfback should have been defending. The third time, nobody followed Red out, and I threw him a pass for a touchdown."

Jones doesn’t get enough credit for how he revitalized professional football. Finally, Jones is the Bears coach that delivered the first Bears title in the famous “indoor” game, which was played on an 80-yard field in Chicago Stadium. Chicago defeated Portsmouth.

Coaching Career

Jones lettered in football, basketball, track, and baseball at Shortridge High School in Indiana. A tremendous athlete who was fortunate enough to learn what his passion was early in life: coaching. As an 18 year old senior, Jones began his coaching career by handling coaching duties for all sports. Upon graduation he coached at the local YMCA and at one point as coach of Shortridge High, the YMCA, and Butler University.

Jones was primarily a football and basketball coach and at several university stops in his coaching career handled both duties.

However, while he was at Lake Forest Academy, Jones started to develop his innovative “T” formation and man-in-motion schemes on the football field. This innovation, of course, was made famous by the Chicago Bears.

Hired by George Halas in 1930 to be head coach, Jones had promised a championship in three years. He implemented the “T” formation and the man-in-motion to professional football. With Red Grange as the center piece of this innovation, Jones led the Bears to their first championship in 1932. Having delivered on his promise to Halas, Jones returned to college athletics at Lake Forest College from which he retired in 1949.

•1930-1932—Chicago Bears Head Coach
•1921-1929—Lake Forest Academy Prep School (Lake Forest, Illinois) Head Coach (football) and Athletic Director
•1913-1920—University of Illinois Assistant Athletic Director, Assistant Football Coach, and Head Basketball Coach (Later took over the Baseball team too.)
•1909-1912— Purdue University Head Basketball Coach
•1904-1908—Wasbash College Head Coach Freshman Football and over the final two years coached all sports. In addition, Jones coached the Crawford High School basketball Team.
•1903—Indiana University Basketball Coach
•1898-1902--Shortridge High School Coach of Football, Basketball, Track, and Baseball. Also, Franklin College, Butler College,and local YMCA team.

Playing Career

•1894-1897—Shortridge High School, lettered in football, basketball, track, and baseball.