Legendary Coach McMahan Changed Lives During His 47 Years At Baylor

It’s the only career path Bill McMahan ever envisioned for himself. The moment he graduated from Baylor School in 1967, it became his dream to discover an avenue to return to the place that gave him a sense of purpose.

It’s also telling that the setting where McMahan experienced some of the hardest challenges of his early years is the same place he enjoyed his greatest accomplishments. That dream hatched half a century ago comes to a close next month as McMahan will retire after a 47-year career at Baylor.

“I really didn’t plan to be here that long,” McMahan said. “One of the reasons I’ve lasted this long is the relationship with the kids. I wasn’t trying to see how long I could stay, but I’d remain as long as I felt I was making a positive contribution. If I lost the desire to do the best I could each day, I’d know it was time to leave. It’s time to go now.”

McMahan won nine state championships during his 28 years leading the boys and girls track and field programs before stepping down three years ago, continuing to coach the middle school team until his final competition last week. He also served on the Baylor varsity football staff for 31 seasons, and had stints coaching wrestling and basketball since his return in 1974.

The fact he made it back to his alma mater at all still amazes McMahan. He was in his third year as a physical education teacher and coach at Tyner Junior High when he inquired about getting hired at Baylor.

“In the spring of ’74 I talked to (Baylor administrator) Ray Deering,” McMahan said. “There wasn’t a P.E. program and he told me if I was serious about coming to Baylor, I needed to go back and get some hours in a subject matter and call us later. When I drove out of the old Baylor gate, I decided I wasn’t going back to school. So I resigned myself to the fact that wasn’t going to happen for me to come back.”

But a few months later, Deering reached out to McMahan late one evening just weeks before the new school year to see if he was still interested.

“I told him I hadn’t been back to get any graduate hours, but he said something had come up and he wanted me to meet him and Dr. (Herbert) Barks the next morning,” McMahan said.

What unfolded not only stunned McMahan, but forever impacted the lives of countless students and fellow faculty members for years to come.

“I can remember the conversation like it was yesterday,” McMahan said. “I had never met Dr. Barks, and I walked into his office and he didn’t ask me anything or interview me. He told me ‘You’re going to teach four classes of eighth grade civics. You’ll coach ninth grade football and they haven’t lost a game in seventh or eighth grade, and Coach Red Etter will give you your other coaching responsibilities. Do you have any questions?’ 

“I didn’t know what to say. I about fell out of the chair. That’s how I got hired, just like that. Something came up overnight with a coach that decided to go back to his hometown, so they must have been desperate to call me.”

While he was grateful for the chance to return to Baylor, McMahan quickly discovered that he was outmatched by the eighth graders he was tasked to instruct.

“Listen, I made a ‘D’ in political science at UT,” McMahan said. “In the first class I ever taught in the bottom of Trustee Hall, I’ve got Mark Goldstein who wound up going to Harvard, Frank Hirsch who was a Morehead Scholar at UNC, French Wall who went to Harvard, Bo Watson who is a state senator and Monte Bruell who went to Harvard. I’m sitting there with guys who were so much smarter than I was that when they left the class I knew I was in deep trouble.”

But McMahan rose to the challenge with the same determination he expected of his athletes.

“The very next morning I stopped at the Waffle House for breakfast and bought a paper, threw away everything but the front section, and read it. I did that every morning for a long time. I subscribed to Time and Newsweek and, to be honest, I learned with them,” McMahan said.

McMahan also has vivid memories of a harrowing trip to Atlanta riding with the legendary coach E.B. “Red” Etter that initial year.  Etter was implementing the wishbone offense and wanted McMahan and his fellow coaches to attend a clinic to learn the intricacies of the new system.

“He drove the whole way in second gear,” McMahan said. “It was raining and Coach Etter was drawing plays on the windshield while he was driving. I thought to myself, ‘I’m going to die right here.’”

McMahan’s coaching style in the early years was modeled after the no-nonsense approach of his coaches back when Baylor was a military school. While the military presence had been dropped three years earlier, there was still a high expectation among the all-male student body.

“I wasn’t real bright and had to work my butt off to succeed at Baylor,” McMahan said. “I went here three years and probably 300 Saturday schools just to make it through. So I expected the same effort out of my students. I was young and didn’t know any better and was consumed with winning. I still don’t like to lose, even when I’m playing kickball with my granddaughter. But the older I got, I got a little wiser. It’s all about the relationship with the kids. When I started out, I didn’t think that would matter. I just thought about wins and losses.”

As time progressed, McMahan never wavered on his belief that there were no shortcuts to achievement. But he began to recognize it was the lessons learned and the friendships cultivated each step along the path that mattered most. He began to measure success not by outcomes, but rather with an old-school expectation that perseverance served as the true barometer of character.

“I wanted the kids to learn what a good worth ethic was all about,” McMahan said. “In the end, you’re going to face much tougher things in life than a race or a ballgame. You’re going to have trials in your life that, by going through these workouts and reaching down and making yourself do something when you didn’t think you could, maybe it will help them cope with real life issues like cancer or a divorce. People who have had to push themselves appreciate adversity more than those who’ve had everything given to them.”

The influence of McMahan, who is a member of the Baylor Sports Hall of Fame and the Greater Chattanooga Sports Hall of Game, goes well beyond the athletes he coached. He served as a mentor to many of his fellow coaches, including long-time girls head cross country and track assistant Heather Ott.

“I met Coach McMahan while a young teacher and coach at the start of my 35 years here.  He’s provided an example of what it looks like to educate and mentor young people,” Ott said. “He lives with absolute honesty, generosity and integrity and expects that of the kids.

“He shows up in the lives of these kids while they are at Baylor and in the decades beyond. And he does the same in the lives of colleagues. Many Baylor teachers and coaches love Baylor, but none more than Bill McMahan. I cannot imagine this place without him.”

Long-time former Baylor basketball coach and athletic director Austin Clark has had a special relationship with McMahan over their four decades together. It was Clark who first offered McMahan the chance to oversee Baylor’s track program.

“He is who he is because of what Baylor did for him as a student. He worked hard for everything he ever had,” Clark said. “He is the true example of a coach. He’s coached nearly every sport, and he’s done it with excellence. He has a way of making people believe in themselves so that they become better people. His message was never about winning.  It’s always been about doing their best. He just looks for the best in people.

“I love him like a brother because we’ve experienced life together for so many years. It’s like he’s Gus and I’m Woodrow from the ‘Lonesome Dove’ series. It’s all about loyalty.”

But McMahan has come to truly understand that loyalty can be a two-way street. He’s had a front-row seat to witness that attribute through the support of his family. His wife, Debbie, has steadfastly supported McMahan throughout their 43 years of marriage, and his daughter, Allison LaPorta, and son, Knox, are among his greatest fans.

“I always knew my father supported me and loved me, but it was how he treated others that truly impacted me,” Knox McMahan said. “I saw how he invested into others, and how many former students he touched in a positive way. No matter what award or championships he won, it was never about him. He hates the limelight. It’s always about the team, not individuals. I couldn’t be prouder to have him as my father.”

LaPorta had the opportunity to compete in track under her father’s coaching. She and her husband, Nick, have two children who are now benefiting from their “Pap’s” wisdom.

“I was so proud to run for my dad. If he was involved in something, I wanted to be there,” LaPorta said. “He yelled at me and my friends because we knew he expected more from us.  When he raised his voice in the heat of the moment, it didn’t mean he was mad. It was always about us reaching our potential.

“I’m still the biggest daddy’s girl.  My role has always been his No. 1 fan, and that’s never changed. We have become more alike as we’ve gotten older. I wish my kids knew what a treasure they have in their grandfather. Since I now have children of my own, it’s a humbling experience to recognize the sacrifices my mother made. She was the true hero, and she never missed a beat with me and my brother.”

McMahan has become more appreciative of the role his family played while chasing his dream, the long hours away from home while investing into the lives of others’ children.

“Unless you’ve been married to a coach, you never realize the sacrifices made by the family,” McMahan said. “I’ve learned to love my family more because they always stayed in the shadows to allow me to pursue something I loved. Debbie is the unsung hero of my career and I’m so thankful for the support of my family.”

McMahan is just as competitive as ever, but he now has the advantage of years of wisdom in understanding his role. He’s just trying to honor those men who invested in his life during his years as a Baylor student and hoping to do the same for others.

“There are people that influenced me – Jim Hitt, Jim Worthington, Coach (Luke) Worsham - that made me want to come back to Baylor,” McMahan said. “These were people who weren’t going to let me fail. What they did was go the extra mile to try to make me better. They didn’t know how it would turn out, but they never let me quit.

McMahan’s legacy lives on in the lives of those he coached, and he cherishes the ongoing relationship enjoyed through periodic visits and connection via social media.

“What I’ve always tried to do is to push kids, to make them do things they didn’t think they could do,” McMahan said. “When you see somebody married now with a family, they’re not going to remember how high they jumped in the high jump or how many yards they ran for in a football game.  They’re going to remember the journey – going through practice, making it when you didn’t think you could. That’s the part that means the most to me.  People forget the accomplishments, but they’re never going to forget about being a friend.”

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Paul Payne can be reached by email at paulpayne6249@gmail.com or via Twitter @Paul_A_Payne