Robert Erskine (coach)
Encyclopedia
Robert H. "Doc" Erskine was an American college football
and basketball
coach. He served at Loyola University of New Orleans as the head football coach from 1933 to 1934 and as the head basketball coach from 1924 to 1925 and 1933 to 1939.
of infantry
in the United States Army Reserve
. He never played football at any level, but was described by the Associated Press
as a capable analyst of blocking
, running
, passing
, and punt
ing.
From 1926 to 1932, he coached football at Jesuit High School
in New Orleans, where he reputedly led the team to a "brilliant record". In March 1933, Loyola University of New Orleans appointed Erskine as its head football coach, replacing Clark Shaughnessy
. As head football coach at Loyola from 1933 to 1934, Erskine's team amassed an 11–18 record. He resigned on December 19, 1934. In his seven years as Loyola basketball coach in 1924–25 and from 1933 to 1939, Erskine compiled a combined record of 48–61.
In 1935, he was hired as the backfield
assistant at Oklahoma
under Biff Jones
. In 1938, Sooners fans recognized his hard work as a scout, naming him the "travelingest coach". In that role, he logged over 15,000 miles, including a 4,400-mile outing to Seattle (via Chicago
) in preparation for a game against Washington State
. In 1940, Erskine was shifted from freshman coach to once again handle backfield duties.
Erskine followed Tom Stidham to Marquette University
, where he served as backfield coach for the 1941 season. He intended to remain at the school the following year, but he received military orders to report for duty in the United States Army Air Corps
at Lowry Field as a first lieutenant in July. In September 1943, he was serving in the Air Corps Intelligence Division and was promoted to the rank of captain. He returned from the service to Marquette in March 1946, and worked as the ends coach under head coach Frank Murray
. He was shifted to backfield coach for the 1948 season, and by 1952, had been switched again. Erskine also handled scouting duties for the program.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
and basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
coach. He served at Loyola University of New Orleans as the head football coach from 1933 to 1934 and as the head basketball coach from 1924 to 1925 and 1933 to 1939.
Biography
Erskine served as a lieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
of infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
in the United States Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
. He never played football at any level, but was described by 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...
as a capable analyst of blocking
Blocking (American football)
In American football, blocking is a legal move occurring when one player obstructs another player's path with his body. The purpose of blocking is to prevent defensive players tackling the ball carrier, or to protect the quarterback while attempting to pass or hand-off the ball...
, running
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
, passing
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
, and punt
Punt
Punt may refer to:In boats:*Punt , a flat-bottomed boat with a square-cut bow developed on the River Thames*Norfolk Punt, a type of racing dinghy developed in Norfolk*Cable ferry, known as a punt in Australian EnglishIn people:...
ing.
From 1926 to 1932, he coached football at Jesuit High School
Jesuit High School (New Orleans)
Jesuit High School is an all-male Catholic high school in New Orleans, Louisiana. The school was founded in 1847. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans....
in New Orleans, where he reputedly led the team to a "brilliant record". In March 1933, Loyola University of New Orleans appointed Erskine as its head football coach, replacing Clark Shaughnessy
Clark Shaughnessy
Clark Daniel Shaughnessy was an American football coach and innovator. He is sometimes called the "father of the T formation", although that system had previously been used as early as the 1880s. Shaughnessy did, however, modernize the obsolescent T formation to make it once again relevant in the...
. As head football coach at Loyola from 1933 to 1934, Erskine's team amassed an 11–18 record. He resigned on December 19, 1934. In his seven years as Loyola basketball coach in 1924–25 and from 1933 to 1939, Erskine compiled a combined record of 48–61.
In 1935, he was hired as the backfield
Backfield
The backfield is the area of an American football field behind the line of scrimmage. The backfield or offensive backfield can also refer to members of offense who begin plays behind the line, typically including any backs on the field, such as the quarterback, running back, and/or fullback.-Play...
assistant at Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
under Biff Jones
Biff Jones
-External links:...
. In 1938, Sooners fans recognized his hard work as a scout, naming him the "travelingest coach". In that role, he logged over 15,000 miles, including a 4,400-mile outing to Seattle (via Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
) in preparation for a game against Washington State
Washington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
. In 1940, Erskine was shifted from freshman coach to once again handle backfield duties.
Erskine followed Tom Stidham to Marquette University
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
, where he served as backfield coach for the 1941 season. He intended to remain at the school the following year, but he received military orders to report for duty in 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...
at Lowry Field as a first lieutenant in July. In September 1943, he was serving in the Air Corps Intelligence Division and was promoted to the rank of captain. He returned from the service to Marquette in March 1946, and worked as the ends coach under head coach Frank Murray
Frank Murray
Frank J. Murray was an American football and basketball coach. He is one of the few head football coaches to have non-consecutive tenure at the same college or university. Murray was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983.-Marquette:Murray was the 13th head football at the...
. He was shifted to backfield coach for the 1948 season, and by 1952, had been switched again. Erskine also handled scouting duties for the program.