Kansas State University Athletics
K-State Athletics Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 1991
- Class:
- 1933
As K-State’s starting fullback, Graham led the ‘Cats to an 18-8-1 mark in his three seasons, including the 1931 team which went 8-2. He was an all Big-Six selection three-consecutive years and was a three-time honorable-mention All-American, including a berth on the NEA News Service second-team squad in 1933. Graham was a member of the winning West team in the East/West All-Star game on New Year’s Day in 1934, and was also invited to play in the Chicago Tribune All-Star game against the pro champion Chicago Bears. However, Graham had already accepted a job as the backfield coach at Indiana and a Big Ten ruling kept him from playing in the all-star game.
Graham was actually a three-sport star at Kansas State. He was a starting forward on the basketball team for three years and a starter on the tennis team for three seasons.
Graham spent eight years as an assistant football coach at Indiana and was the top assistant for the IU basketball team which captured the NCAA title in 1940. In 1942 Graham returned to his native state as head football coach and athletic director at Wichita State University. During World War II he mixed in a tour of duty with the Navy and then returned to Wichita State in 1946 for two more seasons. In 1948, he coached his alma mater and coached the Wildcats for three seasons before retiring from coaching.
