Jerry Stovall, the LSU legend who starred as an All-America player before later leading the Tigers from the sideline, died Monday at 85, the school announced.
LSU said Stovall died in Baton Rouge. A cause of death was not disclosed.
Nicknamed “Mr. Everything” for his versatility, Stovall became one of the most recognizable figures in LSU football history.
The West Monroe native starred on both sides of the ball for the Tigers from 1960-62, finishing his college career with 1,081 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns.
He also recorded 452 receiving yards and one touchdown catch, nearly 700 return yards on special teams and seven interceptions.
Stovall earned All-America honors and was named Southeastern Conference player of the year in 1962.
He also finished second in Heisman Trophy voting that season behind Oregon State quarterback Terry Baker.
His do-it-all ability made him one of the top prospects in the country, and the St. Louis Cardinals selected him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1963 NFL draft.
Stovall went on to spend nine seasons in the NFL as a safety and punter.
He appeared in 97 games, starting 90 of them, and earned Pro Bowl honors in 1966, 1967 and 1969.
His 1966 season also earned him Second Team All-Pro honors.
RIP Jerry Stovall 🕯️
“Mr. Everything”
• 1962 Unanimous All-American, SEC Player of the Year, and Heisman Trophy runner-up halfback for #LSU — #21 retired
• #StLouis Cardinals 1963 first-round pick — nine-year strong safety, punter, and return man
• Three Pro Bowls, 1966… pic.twitter.com/kC7vAEK65n— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) September 1, 2026
Stovall finished his NFL career with 18 interceptions, including a career-high four in 14 games during the 1967 season.
After his playing days ended, Stovall returned to Baton Rouge and joined the LSU coaching staff as an assistant under Charles McClendon.
He was later elevated to head coach after Bo Rein, who had been hired to replace McClendon, died in a plane crash in 1980.
Stovall coached LSU for four seasons, posting a 22-21-2 record.
His best season came in 1982, when the Tigers went 8-3-1 and earned a trip to the Orange Bowl.
Former LSU athletic director Paul Dietzel praised Stovall at the time of his promotion.
“He’s young, tough, aggressive, articulate, a great recruiter with superior integrity,” former LSU athletic director Paul Dietzel said at the time, according to LSUsports.net.
“Under the circumstances, he was my only choice. Jerry Stovall is LSU through-and-through.”
Stovall was the last former LSU player to later serve as the program’s head coach and only the third to do so, according to the school.
His career stretched across nearly every level of the game, from college star to NFL standout to head coach, cementing his place as one of the defining figures in LSU football history.
