Don Robbins

Don Robbins

Biographical details
Born	October 27, 1933 Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
Died	September 18, 2020(2020-09-18) (aged 86) College Station, Texas
Alma mater	Texas A&M University B.S., M.Ed.[1]
Playing career
1953–1955	Texas A&M
Position(s)	End
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1957	Texas A&M (Freshmen)
1958	Port Arthur HS (TX)
1959–1960	Snyder HS (TX)
1961–1962	Big Spring HS (TX) (assistant)
1963–1965	Big Spring HS (TX)
1966–1967	Texas Western / UTEP (DL)
1968–1969	Idaho (DL)
1970–1973	Idaho
1976–1990	Big Spring HS (TX)
Head coaching record
Overall	20–24 (college)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 Big Sky (1971)

Donald Roy Robbins[1] (October 27, 1933 – September 18, 2020) was an American football coach.[2] He was the head coach at the University of Idaho from 1970 through 1973, compiling a record of 20–24.

Playing career

An identical twin born in Fort Worth, Texas, Robbins grew up primarily in Breckenridge, one of three sons of football coach Cooper Robbins, Sr.[3][4] Along with twin brother Ron, he graduated from Breckenridge High School in 1952, where his father was the head football coach for seven seasons (1945–1951), then became the freshman football coach at Texas A&M in 1952, and son Don played for him that first season.

Following Robbins' sophomore season, Paul "Bear" Bryant was hired as the head coach at A&M and Robbins was a member of the Junction Boys as a junior end in September 1954. He graduated in 1956 and later earned a master's degree in education from A&M.

Coaching career

After coaching in Texas at Big Spring High School, Robbins became a collegiate assistant coach in 1966 at Texas Western (renamed the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in 1967) under head coach Bobby Dobbs.[5] After two seasons in El Paso, he was hired as an assistant at Idaho in April 1968 under first-year head coach Y C McNease.[6][7][8]

When McNease was dismissed after spring drills in May 1970,[9][10][11][12] Robbins was promoted to head coach of the Vandals.[11][12][13][14] His 1971 team had the best record in the history of the school at 8–3, but the next two seasons were less successful and he was dismissed in November 1973.[15][16][17] He was succeeded by Ed Troxel, an assistant under Robbins and his two predecessors (and the head track coach).[18]

Robbins returned to Big Spring High School as head coach and athletic director in 1976.[19] After retirement, he lived in College Station and died in 2020 at age 86.[2]

Head coaching record

College

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs
Idaho Vandals (Big Sky Conference) (1970–1973)
1970	Idaho	4–7	2–2	T–3rd
1971	Idaho	8–3	4–1	1st
1972	Idaho	4–7	2–3	5th
1973	Idaho	4–7	3–2	3rd
Idaho:		20–24	11–8
Total:		20–24
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

1. academics.utep.edu - UTEP 1967-68 academic catalog - p.15
2. "Donald Roy Robbins". Legacy.com. Obituary. September 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
3. Robbins, Darelle (2016). "Cooper Robbins, Jr". Concussion Legacy Foundation. Archived from the original on April 6, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
4. "Cooper Robbins, Jr". Legacy.com. (obituary). Retrieved September 4, 2017.
5. Game day program Archived 2017-09-04 at the Wayback Machine - UTEP at Utah - 1967-11-25 - p.12
6. "Donald Robbins joins Vandals' football staff". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). April 3, 1968. p. 12.
7. "Idaho hires Don Robbins from UTEP". Spokesman Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. April 3, 1968. p. 17.
8. "Don Robbins named to replace Rogers". Idaho Argonaut. (Moscow). (University of Idaho). April 5, 1968. p. 8.
9. "Idaho officials debating possible coaching change". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). May 9, 1970. p. 12.
10. Bacharach, Sam A. (May 16, 1970). "McNease fired from Vandal football coaching job". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 12.
11. "Idaho fires Y C McNease; assistant Robbins boosted". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). May 17, 1970. p. 2, sports.
12. "McNease ousted; Robbins chosen". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). May 16, 1970. p. 13.
13. "Robbins picked to coach Idaho". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). May 17, 1970. p. 12.
14. Robbins to replace McNease at Idaho Tri-City Herald Associated Press - 1970-05-17 - p.38
15. "Board demands Robbins resign or be fired". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). November 30, 1973. p. 19.
16. "Robbins bitter as Idaho prepares for dismissal". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). November 30, 1973. p. 17.
17. "Don unloads...Knecht next?...football out?". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). December 1, 1973. p. 15.
18. "'Trox' changes mind, accepts Vandal grid challenge". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). December 20, 1973. p. 17.
19. .e-yearbook.com - Big Spring High School - El Rodeo yearbook - 1977 - p.177