Junior Jackson (Jerry Lewis) is the nerdy son of former all-American football hero, Sharp Jack Jackson (Eddie Mayehoff). His mother (Ruth Hussey) is another former star athlete, being a champion Olympic swimmer. Junior is something of a disappointment to his father, who finds it hard to understand how two athletes could produce such a weakling.
Junior is more interested in animal husbandry than sports, but his father has other plans. In exchange for free College tuition, bill Baker (Dean Martin) makes a deal with Edgy Jack to turn his son into a football star.