ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi wˈʌn, hiː dɹˈɑːpt ˌaʊɾəv pɹˈoʊ fˈʊtbɔːl tə kˈoʊtʃ hˈaɪ skˈuːl fˈʊtbɔːl æt fˈɔːɹdaɪs, ˈɑːɹkənsˌɔː bˌʌt ɹᵻtˈɜːnd tə ðə ɹˈæmz ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi tˈuː.
In 1941, he dropped out of pro football to coach high school football at Fordyce, Arkansas but returned to the Rams in 1942.