Frank Dobson (American football)

Frank Mills Dobson (January 10, 1885 – December 1, 1956) was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Georgia (1909, with James Coulter), Clemson University (1910–1912), the University of Richmond (1913–1917, 1919–1933), the University of South Carolina (1918), the University of Maryland (1936–1939), and The Apprentice School (1940–1948), compiling a career record of 137–142–24. Dobson was also the head basketball coach at Clemson (1911–1913) and Richmond (1912–1917, 1919–1933) and the head baseball coach at Clemson (1911–1913) and Richmond (1915–1933).

Frank Dobson
Dobson at Maryland in 1936
Biographical details
Born(1885-01-10)January 10, 1885
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
DiedDecember 1, 1956(1956-12-01) (aged 71)
Carlisle, Indiana
Alma materPrinceton University[1]
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1906Rose Polytechnic (assistant)
1907Georgia Tech (assistant)
1909Georgia
1910–1912Clemson
1913–1917Richmond
1918South Carolina
1919–1933Richmond
1935Maryland (assistant)
1936–1939Maryland
1940–1948Apprentice
Basketball
1911–1913Clemson
1912–1917Richmond
1919–1933Richmond
Baseball
1911–1913Clemson
1915–1933Richmond
Men's track and field
1914–1934Richmond
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1910–1912Clemson
1913–1918Richmond
1918South Carolina
1919–1933Richmond
Head coaching record
Overall137–142–24 (football)
166–113 (basketball)
197–124–2 (baseball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
1 Virginia (1933)
1 SoCon (1937)

Coaching career

Georgia Tech and Georgia

A native of Roanoke, Virginia, Dobson was an assistant under legendary Georgia Tech head coach John Heisman.

In 1909, Dobson moved to Georgia Tech's arch-rival, Georgia. There, the new head coach, James Coulter, had no prior coaching experience. Dobson was hired as a co-coach and added new trick plays in an attempt to energize the offense. Still the team finished with a record of 2–4–2.[2]

Clemson

Dobson moved on to Clemson University for the 1910 season, where he coached not only football, but also basketball and baseball.[3] His overall record with the Clemson football team was 11–12–1.

Richmond and South Carolina

Dobson then moved to the University of Richmond, where he was athletic director and football, baseball, and basketball coach from 1913 to 1933, with one exception: in the abbreviated postwar season of 1918, rather than coaching the Richmond football team, he took over the South Carolina Gamecocks and led them to a record of 2–1–1. Dobson's overall football record at Richmond was 79–78–18, his baseball record was 153–112, and his basketball record was 153–106. Dobson was posthumously elected to the University of Richmond Athletic Hall of Fame in 1978.

Maryland

In 1935, Dobson became an assistant at Maryland under head coach Jack Faber.[4] The following season, he was promoted to head coach and served in that position through 1939. Dobson amassed an 18–21 record at Maryland.

Apprentice

Dobson finished his career as the 11th head football coach at The Apprentice School in Newport News, Virginia and he held that position for nine seasons, from 1940 until 1948. His coaching record at Apprentice was 25–26–2. A highlight at Apprentice was a 7–6 upset of the Virginia in 1943.[5]

Death

Dobson died on December 1, 1956, in Carlisle, Indiana. He was found dead in bed after suffering a coronary occlusion.[6]

Head coaching record

Football
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Georgia Bulldogs (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1909)
1909 Georgia 2–4–21–4–2
Georgia: 2–4–21–4–2
Clemson Tigers (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1910–1912)
1910 Clemson 4–3–1
1911 Clemson 3–5
1912 Clemson 4–4
Clemson: 11–12–1
Richmond Spiders (Independent) (1913–1917)
1913 Richmond 5–3–1
1914 Richmond 5–4
1915 Richmond 4–4–1
1916 Richmond 5–4–2
1917 Richmond 4–2–1
South Carolina Gamecocks (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1918)
1918 South Carolina 2–1–1
South Carolina: 2–1–1
Richmond Spiders (Independent) (1919–1932)
1919 Richmond 5–2–2
1920 Richmond 6–2
1921 Richmond 4–3–1
1922 Richmond 6–2–1
1923 Richmond 3–5
1924 Richmond 2–6–1
1925 Richmond 3–6
1926 Richmond 2–7
1927 Richmond 4–4–1
1928 Richmond 3–4–2
1929 Richmond 3–5–1
1930 Richmond 2–4–2
1931 Richmond 4–5
Richmond Spiders (Virginia Conference) (1932–1933)
1932 Richmond 4–2–2
1933 Richmond 5–4T–1st
Richmond: 79–78–18
Maryland Terrapins (Southern Conference) (1936–1939)
1936 Maryland 6–54–25th
1937 Maryland 8–23–01st
1938 Maryland 2–71–212th
1939 Maryland 2–70–114th
Maryland: 18–218–5
Apprentice Builders (Independent) (1940–1948)
1940 Apprentice 2–5
1941 Apprentice 7–1
1942 Apprentice 3–3–2
1943 Apprentice 5–2
1944 No team—World War II
1945 No team—World War II
1946 Apprentice 2–5
1947 Apprentice 1–6
1948 Apprentice 5–4
Apprentice: 25–26–2
Total:137–142–24
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

See also

References
  2. Official UGA History: Former Head Coaches, GeorgiaDogs.com, retrieved January 15, 2009.
  3. Former Head Coaches, Georgia Dogs website
  4. The Terrapin, p. 144, University of Maryland, 1936.
  5. College Football Data Warehouse University of Virginia 1943 Football results
  6. "Frank M. Dobson, Longtime Southern Grid Coach, Dies". The Star Press. Muncie, Indiana. Associated Press. December 2, 1956. p. 4-C. Retrieved November 28, 2018 – via Newspapers.com .
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