Jack graduated and played football for Cherokee Vocational High School. After high school he entered the service and played both football and baseball in the military. He played in the outfield for Barksdale S.A.C., the World Champion in Service Baseball. He also played football for Bartwood Air Force Base, the European Football Champion. Upon completion of his tour in the Air Force he returned home to play for the Florence State Lions and was selected to the UNA All-Decade Team from 1949-58 and is a member of the UNA Athletic Hall of Fame. Jack was an Associated Press Little All-American in 1957 with 1,478 yards of total offense which was second in all of college football that year.