John Malcolm Laney was born 1910 in Ragland, Alabama. After a year of football at Birmingham Southern, he transferred to the University of Alabama to play basketball from 1930 to 1932 and was the floor leader of Alabama's only unbeaten team, the 1930 Southern Champions. Gained coaching prominence as Woodlawn High School football coach where his team won seven city and five state championships in 11 years with 76-14 record. In 1944 he joined the Alabama Athletic staff until 1958 when he moved to the Alumni office. Coach Laney died March 24, 1985.