Robert Lee Dodd (November 11, 1908 – June 21, 1988) was an American college football player and coach, college baseball coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Georgia Tech from 1945 to 1966, compiling a record of 165–64–8. His teams won consecutive Southeastern Conference (SEC) title in 1951 and 1952, and his 1952 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team won the 1953 Sugar Bowl and was recognized as a national champion by a number of selectors though they finished second behind Michigan State in both major polls. Dodd was also Georgia Tech's head baseball coach from 1932 to 1939, tallying a mark of 43–64–2, and the school's athletic director from 1950 until 1976. All together, Dodd served Georgia Tech 57 years in various capacities.[3]
Dodd starred as quarterback at the University of Tennessee, playing for teams coached by Robert Neyland from 1928 to 1930. He also lettered in baseball, basketball, and track at Tennessee. He was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. Dodd began his coaching career at Georgia Tech, working as an assistant under William Alexander from 1931 until succeeding Alexander as head football coach in 1945. Dodd was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1959 and a coach in 1993. He is one of four individuals to be so honored, along with Amos Alonzo Stagg, Bowden Wyatt, and Steve Spurrier.[4][1]
Early life
Robert Lee "Bobby" Dodd was born in 1908 in Galax, Virginia. He was named after Confederate General Robert E. Lee.[5] Dodd was the youngest of Edwin and Susan Dodd's four children.[5] In the fall of 1921, the Dodd family relocated to Kingsport, Tennessee. When Dodd was twelve and weighed only 100 pounds, he made the seventh-grade team of Kingsport's first organized football program.[6][5][7] During the next three seasons, the Kingsport Indians were very successful, gaining two state titles. They were helped by Dodd, who moved from end to quarterback and kicker.[5] Dodd is in the school's hall of fame.[8]
However, the happiness of Bobby Dodd's early life came to a sad end in 1924 when his father committed suicide due to business failure and financial troubles.[5] The family was forced to move, but was held together by the perseverance of Dodd's mother.[5] In 1926, Bobby Dodd graduated and was admitted to the University of Tennessee with a football scholarship.[5] Dodd wanted to play for Georgia Tech but was not offered a scholarship.[9]
Player at Tennessee
Dodd at the University of Tennessee depicted on a football card
Dodd played college football as a quarterback, tailback, and punter for the Tennessee Volunteers football team from 1928 to 1930, under head coach Robert Neyland.[6] He also won varsity letters in baseball, basketball, and track during his time at Tennessee.[10][n 1] Dodd stood 6'1", weighed 170 pounds, and on the football team wore number 17.[12] In the games that Dodd started at Tennessee, the Vols held a record of 27–1–2.[13] He led Tennessee to back-to-back unbeaten seasons with identical 9–0–1 records his sophomore and junior years, leading the "Hack and Mack" backfield of Buddy Hackman and Gene McEver.[14] Tennessee fans even developed a catch phrase for Dodd during his time there: "In Dodd we trust".[4]
Dodd twice earned All-Southern honors, in his junior and senior years.[15][16] "It is doubtful if any quarterback in the south can match Dodd on all-around ability. He is a fine passer, a punter of ability, and the greatest field general to ever grace southern turf since the days of the one and only Pooley Hubert", according to one newspaper article of this era.[17] In 1959, Dodd was named to the University of Tennessee's Hall of Fame and to the College Football Hall of Fame as a player.[4][18][19] He was elected in the same year as teammate Herman Hickman. He was nominated though not selected for an Associated Press All-Time Southeast 1920–1969 era team.[20]
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