Pablo Burnum

Después de servir como entrenador asistente en la escuela secundaria Denfeld en Duluth, Minnesota en 1922 y como entrenador principal durante dos temporadas en la escuela secundaria Clio en Clio, Alabama , Burnum comenzó su período de cinco años con los Black Bears de la escuela secundaria Tuscaloosa en 1925. ^{[ 3 ]} En la temporada anterior a su llegada, los Black Bears no ganaron ningún partido; sin embargo, de 1925 a 1929, Burnum llevó a Tuscaloosa a un récord general de 42 victorias, cero derrotas y un empate (42-0-1). ^{[ 4 ] [ 5 ] [ 6 ]} Con su única mancha siendo un empate 7-7 contra la escuela secundaria Cullman en el último partido de la temporada de 1925, Burnum llevó a los Black Bears a cuatro temporadas consecutivas invictas. ^{[ 5 ] [ 6 ]} Por sus esfuerzos generales, los cinco equipos de Tuscaloosa entrenados por Burnum fueron reconocidos retroactivamente como campeones estatales por The National Sports News Service . ^{[ 7 ]}

In addition to his undefeated record and later recognition as state champions, both the 1926 and 1929 teams were later selected as the winner of the High School Football National Championship.^[6][8] Burnum also was known for having scheduled a series of intersectional games against other to high school teams of the period. These games included victories over Senn High School of Chicago in 1926, Lakeland High School in 1927, McKinley Technology High School of Washington, D.C. in 1928 and University City High School of University City, Missouri in 1929.^[5] His teams were so dominant that The Saturday Evening Post printed a story that implied Tuscaloosa High was solely a feeder school for players recruited by Alabama, however the story was later retracted.^[5]

After his successful tenure as head coach at Tuscaloosa High School, Burnum was hired to serve as an assistant coach on the Alabama football team in 1930.^[9] He was personally hired by University President George H. Denny and was paid a salary of $4,000 ($77,092 in 2025 dollars^[10]) for an initial contract of five years.^[5] He remained on staff as the freshman coach through 1941, and was promoted to the varsity as a line coach for the 1942 season.^[11] During his tenure, Burnum was known for his recruiting abilities and some of the players he helped bring to Alabama included Bear Bryant, Don Hutson, Dixie Howell and Joe Domnanovich.^[12] Burnum later resigned from his position with the Crimson Tide in February 1944.^[2]