Thomas “Tommy” Otto Owen was the football coach at Montgomery Bell Academy for all but six seasons from 1953 until 1992, compiling an incredible record of 276 wins, 112 losses and 12 ties in his 34 seasons there, 38 seasons overall.
Coach Owen was a dedicated teacher who believed that academics were of primary importance, but that athletics were also a fundamental part of education. He loved the game of football. He believed that football demanded everything a young man had to give. His coaching was a continuing lesson about discipline, teamwork and commitment to excellence.
Year after year, his teams displayed the highest levels of preparation, attention to detail, poise and sportsmanship. D
ecade after decade, his players came away with a deep understanding of dignity, responsibility, sacrifice, integrity and trust. When asked of his overall philosophy about football and its place in the education system, he stated, “I thought that all athletics were a very fundamental part of one’s education, but academics always came first and athletics came second. I wanted our teams to always play with class and poise, to play by the spirit of the letter of the rule and conduct themselves like gentlemen.”
At his retirement in July of 1993, Coach Owen was the second most winning active coach in the state and fifth most winning of all time. He led his Big Red to 14 TSSAA playoffs and three state titles in 1955, 1967 and 1968. Coach Owen, a native of Pineville, Kentucky, served in the Air Force in World War II as a B-24 navigator, and then went on to play wingback for Coach Red Sanders at Vanderbilt University. He started his coaching career at Amory High School in Mississippi (1948-1952) and then succeeded the late Howard Allen as MBA’s head coach in 1953.
After 18 years in this position, Coach Owen left MBA to join Bill Pace’s staff at Vanderbilt for the 1971 season, returning to the helm for the Big Red in 1977 until retirement in 1993.