Howard Jones was the opposite of his friend and rival Kunte Rockne. Where Rockne was born in Norway into a working class family, Jones came from the best of Ohio society. He attended fine prep schools and graduated from Yale. Where Rockne coached all his career at Notre Dame, Jones spent time coaching at five colleges before settling down at USC where he earned the nicknames "Headman" and "King of the Rose Bowl." As men Rockne and Jones differed too, with the Headman being reserved and dignified while Rockne was gregarious and smooth.

The fame of Howard Jones has not transcended time to the same degree as Rockne's has, but he was Knute's equal as a coach and molder of men. Eight decades ago he sought out the challenge of facing Rockne's best teams, building a rivalry that remains today an echo of America's Golden Age of Sports.

Click on the portrait image above to learn more about the life of Howard Jones.