About Jay Lee
Lived 1887 – 1970 (aged 82). Jay Lee was an American head coach and american football player.
Jay L. "Biffy" Lee (September 27, 1887 – April 10, 1970) was an American college football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Penn College—now known as William Penn University—in Oskaloosa, Iowa, in 1915 and again from 1917 to 1920 and at the University of Buffalo—now known as University at Buffalo—from 1929 to 1930, compiling a career college football record of 17–20–4.
Playing career In 1910, Lee attended Albion College, where he played football and baseball. In 1911, he was the quarterback at the University of Notre Dame. He was the college roommate of Knute Rockne.
Coaching career In 1916, Lee was an assistant football coach at Notre Dame. He served as the head football coach at the University of Buffalo from 1929 to 1930, compiling a record of 8–7. He was also on the faculty of the University of Buffalo, lecturing in the School of Marketing.
In 1931, he unexpectedly resigned as the head coach of the Buffalo football program to attend to business duties.
Late life and death Lee work as an executive for the Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Company for 27 years until his retirement in 1952. He died on April 10, 1970, in Traverse City, Michigan.
Head coaching record
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Important facts
People in Jay Lee's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Jay Lee's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Jay Lee?
American football player (1887-1970)
When was Jay Lee born?
Jay Lee was born on 27 September 1887 in Tuscola County.
When did Jay Lee die?
Jay Lee died on 1 March 1970 in Traverse City.
What was Jay Lee's occupation?
Jay Lee was a head coach and american football player.
What nationality was Jay Lee?
Jay Lee was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jay Lee. https://biography.guide/jay-lee-head-coach/
MLA: "Jay Lee." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jay-lee-head-coach/.
Chicago: "Jay Lee." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jay-lee-head-coach/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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