Frank Dobson (American football)

Frank Dobson
File:Frank Dobson FB coach.jpg Dobson at Maryland in 1936
Sport(s)	Football, basketball, baseball, track and field
Biographical details
Born	(1885-01-10)January 10, 1885 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died	December 1, 1956(1956-12-01) (aged 71) Carlisle, Indiana
Head coaching record
Overall	137–142–24 (football) 166–113 (basketball) 197–124–2 (baseball)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships Football 1 Virginia (1933) 1 SoCon (1937)

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).

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.

Clemson

Dobson moved on to Clemson University for the 1910 season, where he coached not only football, but also basketball and baseball. 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. 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.

Death

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

Head coaching record

Football

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs
Georgia Bulldogs (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1909)
1909	Georgia	2–4–2	1–4–2
Georgia:		2–4–2	1–4–2
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	5–4		T–1st
Richmond:		79–78–18
Maryland Terrapins (Southern Conference) (1936–1939)
1936	Maryland	6–5	4–2	5th
1937	Maryland	8–2	3–0	1st
1938	Maryland	2–7	1–2	12th
1939	Maryland	2–7	0–1	14th
Maryland:		18–21	8–5
Apprentice Builders () (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
†Indicates BCS bowl, Bowl Alliance or Bowl Coalition game.

See also

• List of college football coaches with 100 losses
• List of college football coaches with 20 ties

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Frank Dobson (American football) at Find a Grave