Synopsis
Chalmers “Bump” Elliott had a remarkable career in college sports. He is the only man to participate in the Rose Bowl in five different capacities: player, assistant coach, head coach, assistant athletic director, and athletic director.
Bump Elliott left an indelible mark on three Big Ten schools. As a football player, he won a conference championship at Purdue University in 1943 and a national championship at the University of Michigan in 1947. He later served as Michigan’s head football coach for ten seasons, leading them to victory in the 1965 Rose Bowl.
Bump was the athletic director at the University of Iowa from 1970-91, where his teams captured 30 Big Ten titles and 12 NCAA championships. As Iowa’s athletic director, he hired some of the biggest names in Hawkeye sports history, including Hayden Fry, Lute Olson, Tom Davis, and Dan Gable.
But beyond all the accolades and success, Bump Elliott was one of the most likable and respected gentlemen the Big Ten has ever known. He always treated people with dignity and respect, representing the best of college athletics.