When Paul "Bear" Bryant retired in 1982, The New York Times identified "one man who ha[d] worked with Bryant longer than any other." He was a former assistant coach who'd risen to associate athletic director at the University of Alabama. He'd been on Bryant's staff for 27 of the college football legend's 38 head coaching seasons, including all six of his national championship campaigns. The man's name was Sam Bailey, and he was a Ouachita alum.

Listing Magnolia as his hometown, Bailey grew up in Sandy Land, Arkansas, near Smackover. A World War II veteran, he spent two years at Magnolia A&M (now Southern Arkansas) after being recruited by Elmer Smith, the college's head football coach. The Muleriders' website noted that Smith made Bailey his starting quarterback in 1946, even though Bailey "had never seen a football game" before. The coach's faith was soon validated, as Bailey led his team to nine victories – then a school record – in 1947. He moved to Ouachita in 1948 to complete a bachelor's degree. 

As a junior newcomer, Bailey rallied the Tigers to a 9-3 record, highlighted by an eight-game win streak capped off with a 7-0 triumph over Southeastern State (Southeastern Oklahoma State) in the Texoma Bowl. He received All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference honors.

The following year, Bailey returned to Magnolia A&M as an opponent. The Muleriders were reigning AIC co-champions and celebrating the inaugural season of their current home, Wilkens Stadium at Rip Powell Field. Bailey made a statement on the first play from scrimmage by connecting with Paul Kirkpatrick for a 66-yard passing score. The quarterback finished the contest with multiple touchdowns, lifting Ouachita to a 27-7 victory.

A few weeks later, Bailey's senior campaign ended abruptly when, as the Ouachitonian reported, he "cut wide to his right on a bootleg play and was injured for the season under a swarm of Hendrix tacklers." His teammates, led by fellow senior quarterbacks Jim Warnock and Bobby Newman, honored him by completing a 13-0 win over the Warriors before claiming two of their three remaining games.

Bailey graduated from Ouachita in 1950 with a Bachelor of Arts in physical education. He then returned to Magnolia A&M (which became Southern State in 1951) for six years, contributing to two AIC football championships as an assistant coach and guiding the Mulerider baseball program to its first three conference crowns as head coach.

In 1956, Bailey reunited with Elmer Smith (who'd left Magnolia two years earlier) on Bear Bryant's coaching staff at Texas A&M. When Bryant became head coach at Alabama in 1958, Bailey followed. The rest, as they say, is history.

Bailey retired from Alabama in 1987 and died in 1990. In addition to being the namesake of the Crimson Tide's track & field facility and a member of both the SAU Athletics Hall of Fame (2008) and the Union County Sports Hall of Fame (2015), he remains a key example among Ouachita football alumni who went on to have influential careers in coaching and administration.

EXTRA TIDBIT: On top of his gridiron duties, Bailey was an outfielder for Ouachita's baseball team.