Remembering Dan Bland: A Lifelong Football Man Who Left His Mark Across Tennessee
Dan Bland, a name etched into the fabric of Tennessee high school football, passed away Sunday in Jackson at the age of 81. His impact on the game spanned decades, communities, and generations of young athletes who learned more than just Xs and Os under his guidance.
Bland’s coaching journey stretched over 21 years, taking him to sidelines across the state and beyond. One of those stops was Columbia Central, where he led the Lions from 1991 to 1993, compiling a 14-16 record during a transitional time for the program. But Bland’s legacy can’t be measured by wins and losses alone-his career was defined by commitment, leadership, and a deep love for the game.
Born in Covington, Tennessee, Bland was a standout athlete in his own right before ever picking up a whistle. That talent took him to Mississippi State, where he played linebacker and served as team captain for the 1965 Bulldogs.
He was part of a historic moment in Starkville football lore-helping MSU snap a 17-game losing streak to Ole Miss in the 1964 Egg Bowl. A year later, he played a key role in the Bulldogs’ upset win over No.
8 Florida, a Gators team led by a young quarterback named Steve Spurrier, who would go on to win the Heisman Trophy.
After college, Bland’s football path continued at the professional level. He was selected in both the NFL and AFL drafts-taken in the third round by the San Francisco 49ers and the eighth by the Houston Oilers.
He ultimately signed with the 49ers, spending one season in San Francisco before brief stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oilers. By 1968, he stepped away from the pro game, but not from football.
His coaching career began in earnest in 1970 as part of the inaugural football staff at Jackson Central-Merry. From there, Bland became a fixture on Tennessee’s high school sidelines.
He led programs at Tullahoma (1975-79), Farragut (1980-86), returned to Jackson Central-Merry as head coach (1987-90), Milan (1994-95), and Humboldt (2008-12). He also took his coaching expertise across state lines to Mississippi, guiding Pascagoula High School from 2001 to 2005.
Everywhere he went, Bland brought the same energy and dedication that defined his playing days. He was the kind of coach who valued discipline and toughness but never lost sight of the bigger picture-developing young men and building community through football.
Bland is survived by his son John, currently an assistant football coach at Catholic High School in Arkansas, and his wife, Candis. He also leaves behind three grandchildren and a large extended family. He was preceded in death by his wife, Martha, his son Michael, and his parents, Williford and Charlotte Bland.
A visitation with family and friends will be held Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Chapel of Arrington Funeral Directors in Jackson. Burial will follow in Brighton, Tennessee, at Clopton First Methodist Church Cemetery.
Dan Bland’s story is one of perseverance, passion, and purpose. He lived football, breathed it, and passed it on to countless others. And while the final whistle may have blown, his legacy will echo on Friday nights across Tennessee for years to come.