J. McAdoo Keaton of Temple was a four-year letterman and All-Texas Conference tackle for Howard Payne. He later coached football and basketball at Howard Payne, winning numerous championships. Keaton was an assistant football coach at Howard Payne for a year before he graduated in 1925 and then served as assistant football coach from 1927-34. He became head coach in 1935, coaching through the 1943 season when football was suspended during World War II. His 53-19-8 record (.683%) is second on the all-time Howard Payne football list. During that time, the Yellow Jackets won five Texas Conference championships, tied for a sixth and finished second once. Keaton also served as the head basketball coach at Howard Payne during the same period, amassing a 95–64 record and winning four Texas Conference titles and two co-championships. He joined the SMU football coaching staff as line coach. Keaton later became SMU’s track coach and developed several outstanding track stars. He coached two U.S. track teams that competed abroad and was on the NCAA’s Track and Field Rules Committee. He was named Howard Payne Man of the Year in 1964. He died in 1968 and was inducted posthumously as part of the HPU Athletics Hall of Fame’s inaugural class.