By Justin Fedich | The Selma Times-Journal

Jack Crowe has coached numerous top college football programs, and he had plenty of stories to tell Monday at the Selma Quarterback Club.

Crowe, best known in the state of Alabama as Auburn’s offensive coordinator in 1982 with running back Bo Jackson, was a former head coach at Arkansas and Jacksonville State. In front of a big crowd at the Selma Convention Center, Crowe reminisced about stories that ranging from encounters with Yankees’ great Mickey Mantle to Dallas Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones.

Crowe said at the quarterback club meeting that everywhere he’s been, he’s been fortunate to be around great players. It began in Auburn with Jackson when Crowe was offensive coordinator. Crowe took the same position with Clemson and again with Arkansas.

He was hired as Arkansas’ head coach in 1990 and finished his career as head coach for Jacksonville State for 13 years. He said Monday that he is proud he was able to coach when he was 65, and he added that a lot has changed about coaching since he started.

“The two things that changed coaching more than anything else is when they took the players out of the dorms, and this thing came along,” Crowe said as he pulled an iPhone out of his pocket.

Crowe said that technology has become more advanced, coaches have needed to adapt their coaching styles. Still, he said he is confident the best coaches would find a way to be successful in today’s game.

“What would Bear Bryant do today? What would Pat Dye do today? They’d change with the times,” Crowe said. “That’s what they’d do and they’d find a way to be successful because you’ve got to know that you’ve got to change.”

Crowe also spoke about the current state of Alabama and Auburn football. He spoke highly of the culture that head coach Nick Saban has built in Tuscaloosa. With Auburn facing Georgia Saturday, Crowe reminisced about his Auburn days when Jackson squared off against Georgia running back Herschel Walker in 1982.

The next meeting is Nov. 23 for scholarship and father/son-daughter night. Former Alabama linebacker Rich Wingo will be the guest speaker.