Bobby Dobbs
Encyclopedia
Robert Lee “Bobby” Dobbs (born October 13, 1922 – April 2, 1986) was an American football
fullback
and coach
.
in 1941, Bobby entered University of Tulsa
to play football for coach Henry Frnka
. A fullback, Dobbs played in Tulsa's first ever bowl game; the 1943 Sugar Bowl
. With the United States
involved in World War II
, Bobby's patriotism, along with his desire to become a pilot
and play football, led him to West Point
. In early 1943, he joined the United States Army Air Corps
. His athletic ability resulted in letters in football and basketball
. Bobby was the starting fullback on the 1944 Army team. The 1944 Army team
had a 9-0 record, two future Heisman Trophy
winners (Doc Blanchard
& Glenn Davis), and defeated their opponents by a combined score of 504-35 en route to winning the Associated Press
National Championship.
Following graduation, Dobbs took transition training at Enid Air Force Base
and was then assigned to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
. In 1949 Dobbs moved to Carswell Air Force Base
, where he coached the Carswell football team to the Armed Forces Championship. In 1952, Earl "Red" Blaik
brought Dobbs back to West Point to serve as an assistant football coach. Future Green Bay Packers
head coach
Vince Lombardi
was also on the same Army coaching staff.
was given the job instead. Dobbs most significant wins at Tulsa were a 24-16 victory over the undefeated Oklahoma State Cowboys
in 1958 and a 17-6 victory over tenth ranked North Texas State
in 1959. Dobbs compiled a 30–28–2 overall record at Tulsa.
In 1961, Dobbs left Tulsa to become head coach of the Calgary Stampeders
of the Canadian Football League
. He was replaced at Tulsa by his brother Glenn
. After four highly successful years in Canada, Bobby resigned at the end of the 1964 CFL season
. He felt that he had been slighted by Calgary's decision to elevate his former assistant, Rogers Lehew to general manager. With the Stampeders, Dobbs had a 38-23-1 record and made the playoffs every year.
He served as head coach at University of Texas at El Paso
(known as Texas Western until 1967) from 1965-1972. In his first season as the Miners head coach, Dobbs turned a 0-8-2 team into a 8-3 that defeated powerhouse North Texas State 61-15 and beat Texas Christian University
13-12 in the Sun Bowl
. He compiled a 41–35–2 overall, including two Sun Bowl
wins. His 1967 UTEP team led the nation in passing and scoring that season, losing its two games by a total of three points. He resigned as UTEP Miners
coach midway through the 1972 season
, following a 56-7 loss to New Mexico
on October 21, 1972. In April 1966, Dobbs turned down an offer to succeed Paul Dietzel
as Army Black Knights
coach due to his wife, Joanne's illness that required her to stay in the warm climate in El Paso. While at Texas Western, he sent many players into the pro ranks, with quite a few going, including Fred Carr, Billy Stevens
, Ron Jones
, and Leon Harden
to Green Bay to play for Vince Lombardi. At one point Bobby ranked second among college coaches in number of players going in the National Football League
. In 1972, Bobby said that if his 1-5 team didn't beat the University of New Mexico
, he would resign. The team lost and Bobby resigned. He went into the construction business in El Paso until his health started to fail in 1978. Bobby's failing health turned out to be Alzheimer's disease
, and he died on April 2, 1986 in a nursing home in Altus, Oklahoma.
coached the remainder of the season
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
and coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
.
Early years
After graduating from high school in Frederick, OklahomaFrederick, Oklahoma
Frederick is a city in Tillman County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,940 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Tillman County. This is an agriculture based community primarily with wheat, cotton, and cattle....
in 1941, Bobby entered University of Tulsa
University of Tulsa
The University of Tulsa is a private university awarding bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It is currently ranked 75th among doctoral degree granting universities in the nation by US News and World Report and is listed as one of the "Best 366 Colleges" by...
to play football for coach Henry Frnka
Henry Frnka
-External links:*...
. A fullback, Dobbs played in Tulsa's first ever bowl game; the 1943 Sugar Bowl
1943 Sugar Bowl
The 1943 edition to the Sugar Bowl featured the fourth ranked Tulsa Golden Hurricane, and the seventh ranked Tennessee Volunteers.Tulsa took a 7–0 lead on a nine-yard touchdown pass from Glenn Dobbs to Cal Purdin in the second quarter. Tennessee scored on a three-yard run by Gold, but the extra...
. With the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
involved in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Bobby's patriotism, along with his desire to become a pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
and play football, led him to West Point
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
. In early 1943, he joined the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
. His athletic ability resulted in letters in football and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. Bobby was the starting fullback on the 1944 Army team. The 1944 Army team
1944 Army Cadets football team
The 1944 Army Black Knights football team represents the United States Military Academy. Led by head coach Red Blaik, the team finished with a perfect 9-0 season. The Black Knights offense scored 504 points, while the defense allowed 35 points. At the season’s end, the team won the National...
had a 9-0 record, two future Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winners (Doc Blanchard
Doc Blanchard
Felix Anthony "Doc" Blanchard is best known as the college football player who became the first ever junior to win the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and was the first ever football player to win the James E. Sullivan Award, all in 1945. He played football for the United States Military Academy at...
& Glenn Davis), and defeated their opponents by a combined score of 504-35 en route to winning the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
National Championship.
Following graduation, Dobbs took transition training at Enid Air Force Base
Vance Air Force Base
Vance Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located 6 km south of downtown Enid, Oklahoma, and within its city limits, about north northwest of Oklahoma City...
and was then assigned to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
Davis–Monthan Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, and approximately south-southeast of downtown, Tucson, Arizona....
. In 1949 Dobbs moved to Carswell Air Force Base
Carswell Air Force Base
Carswell Air Force Base, was a United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base located about northwest central of Fort Worth, Texas, United States; the air force base is mostly within the Fort Worth city limits and has portions within Westworth and White Settlement...
, where he coached the Carswell football team to the Armed Forces Championship. In 1952, Earl "Red" Blaik
Earl Blaik
Earl Henry "Red" Blaik was an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and United States Army officer. He served as the head football coach at Dartmouth College from 1934 to 1940 and at the United States Military Academy from 1941 to 1958, compiling a career college...
brought Dobbs back to West Point to serve as an assistant football coach. Future Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Vince Lombardi
Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
was also on the same Army coaching staff.
Coaching career
In 1955, Tulsa offered Dobbs the head football coaching job. Bobby accepted and left the Air Force. At Tulsa, he took over a team that had gone 0-11 the previous season. In 1956, Tulsa posted a 7-2-1 record, and in 1958, the team 7-3. These successes prompted Army to consider Bobby as a replacement for Red Blaik, but Dale HallDale Hall
-External links:*...
was given the job instead. Dobbs most significant wins at Tulsa were a 24-16 victory over the undefeated Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State Cowboys are the athletic teams that represent Oklahoma State University. Their mascot is a cowboy named Pistol Pete. Oklahoma State participates in the NCAA's Division I-A and in the Big 12 Conference's South Division. The university's current athletic director is Mike Holder...
in 1958 and a 17-6 victory over tenth ranked North Texas State
North Texas Mean Green football
The North Texas Mean Green football team represents the University of North Texas in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-FBS college football and competes as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. The Mean Green have attained several conference championships, including four...
in 1959. Dobbs compiled a 30–28–2 overall record at Tulsa.
In 1961, Dobbs left Tulsa to become head coach of the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. He was replaced at Tulsa by his brother Glenn
Glenn Dobbs
Glenn Dobbs was an American Football player in the All-America Football Conference. He played college football at the University of Tulsa before playing in the All-America Football Conference's Brooklyn Dodgers in 1946 and 1947, and the Los Angeles Dons from 1948 through 1949...
. After four highly successful years in Canada, Bobby resigned at the end of the 1964 CFL season
1964 CFL season
The 1964 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 11th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 7th Canadian Football League season.-Final regular season standings:...
. He felt that he had been slighted by Calgary's decision to elevate his former assistant, Rogers Lehew to general manager. With the Stampeders, Dobbs had a 38-23-1 record and made the playoffs every year.
He served as head coach at University of Texas at El Paso
University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Texas System. Its campus is located on the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The school was founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy,...
(known as Texas Western until 1967) from 1965-1972. In his first season as the Miners head coach, Dobbs turned a 0-8-2 team into a 8-3 that defeated powerhouse North Texas State 61-15 and beat Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
13-12 in the Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl
The Sun Bowl is an annual U.S. college football bowl game that is usually played at the end of December in El Paso, Texas. The Sun Bowl, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl are the second-oldest bowl games in the country, behind the Rose Bowl...
. He compiled a 41–35–2 overall, including two Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl
The Sun Bowl is an annual U.S. college football bowl game that is usually played at the end of December in El Paso, Texas. The Sun Bowl, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl are the second-oldest bowl games in the country, behind the Rose Bowl...
wins. His 1967 UTEP team led the nation in passing and scoring that season, losing its two games by a total of three points. He resigned as UTEP Miners
UTEP Miners
The UTEP Miners is the name given to the sports teams of the University of Texas at El Paso. Informally, the UTEP Miners have also been referred to as the Miners, UTEP, or Texas-El Paso. UTEP was a member of the Western Athletic Conference from 1967 to 2005, when they joined Rice, Tulsa, and SMU in...
coach midway through the 1972 season
1972 college football season
The 1972 college football season saw the USC Trojans, coached by John McKay, go undefeated and win the national championship as the unanimous choice of the fifty AP panelists...
, following a 56-7 loss to New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
on October 21, 1972. In April 1966, Dobbs turned down an offer to succeed Paul Dietzel
Paul Dietzel
Paul Dietzel is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head coach at Louisiana State University , the United States Military Academy , and the University of South Carolina , compiling a career record of 109–95–5...
as Army Black Knights
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
coach due to his wife, Joanne's illness that required her to stay in the warm climate in El Paso. While at Texas Western, he sent many players into the pro ranks, with quite a few going, including Fred Carr, Billy Stevens
Billy Stevens
Billy Stevens is a former quarterback in the National Football League. Stevens was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 1968 NFL Draft. He played two seasons with the team.-References:...
, Ron Jones
Ron Jones (American football)
Ron Jones is a former tight end in the National Football League.-Career:Jones was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 1969 NFL Draft and played that season with the team. He played at the collegiate level at the University of Texas at El Paso.-References:...
, and Leon Harden
Leon Harden
-Biography:Harden was born Leon Maurice Harden Jr. on August 17, 1947 in Kansas City, Missouri.-Career:Harden was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the eleventh round of the 1969 NFL Draft and played that seasons with the team. He played at the collegiate level at the University of Texas at El...
to Green Bay to play for Vince Lombardi. At one point Bobby ranked second among college coaches in number of players going in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. In 1972, Bobby said that if his 1-5 team didn't beat the University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
, he would resign. The team lost and Bobby resigned. He went into the construction business in El Paso until his health started to fail in 1978. Bobby's failing health turned out to be Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
, and he died on April 2, 1986 in a nursing home in Altus, Oklahoma.
Head coaching record
*HudspethTommy Hudspeth
Tommy Hudspeth was a football coach at both the collegiate and professional levels. He served as head coach at Brigham Young University, the University of Texas-El Paso, the National Football League's Detroit Lions and the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts.-Career:Hudspeth graduated...
coached the remainder of the season