Frank James Howard was born in 1909 at Barlow Bend, Alabama about 90 miles north of Mobile. He graduated from Murphy High in 1927 and went to the University of Alabama on academic scholarship. The "Baron of Barlow Bend" earned 3 football letters and 3 in baseball. He was track coach and assistant football coach at Clemson from 1931 through 1939. In 1940 Coach Howard was named head football coach. Before retiring to be Athletic Director in 1971, he compiled a 165-118-12 mark in 30 years as head coach. Deceased January 1996.