Hall of Fame
Jerry Germain, a graduate of McKinley High School in St. Louis, came to the university in 1960. Before he left the campus in 1965, he had earned four football and four basketball letters. He played on football teams that produced a four-year record of 32-6, captured two MIAA championships and the Mineral Water Bowl game. Mr. Germain was a two-way football player, starting four years at tight end and much of the time at defensive end. He says he recalls coaches Wade and Gardner playing him at seven different positions in the course of a game. He led the 1963 team in pass receptions. Mr. Germain also started four years on the basketball court, leading the team in scoring two seasons and collecting All-MIAA honors one year. He was basketball captain two years. Mr. Germain was the recipient of the Stickler Cup in 1964. Since his graduation in 1965, he has taken on three losing high school football programs as head coach. In five years at Chester, Ill., his teams compiled a 25-22-1 record and won a conference title for the only time in school history. In nine years at Dupo, Ill., his teams were 59-27, won five conference championships and advanced to the state playoffs three times. The 59 victories set a school record. Before he arrived at Dupo the school board had considered terminating the program. He then coached at Columbia, Ill., where his teams were 37-12 in his first four years. He and his staff have guided Columbia to a conference title and to four straight trips to the state playoffs. These achievements are new school records, and he has been cited as Southern Illinois Coach of the Year. Mr. Germain has served as a trustee for the Illinois Football Coaches Association. Since 1977 Mr. Germain has also found time to manage his own business, a carnival.
