The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Robert Dobbs

Followed Warren Harper. Robert Dobbs raised UTEP from Regional Program IV to National Program II.

The builder
71–63
1955–1972 · 2 stints
TulsaUTEP
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Career arc

His real stature score, season by season, across every program he’s coached — so a stretch that stays in one tier the whole way can still climb or sink on the line, not just flatten out. Node color marks the tier reached. Which program a stretch belongs to is carried by the shaded lane behind it.

Stature score reached, by season of his head-coaching careerTULSAUTEPNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelTulsa, 1955: 2-7, National Program III1955Tulsa, 1956: 7-2, National Program III1956Tulsa, 1957: 4-6, National Program III1957Tulsa, 1958: 7-3, National Program III1958Tulsa, 1959: 5-5, National Program III1959Tulsa, 1960: 5-5, National Program III1960-5.6UTEP, 1965: 8-3, Regional Program III1965UTEP, 1966: 6-4, Regional Program II1966UTEP, 1967: 7-2, National Program II1967UTEP, 1968: 4-5, National Program II1968UTEP, 1969: 4-6, National Program II1969UTEP, 1970: 6-4, National Program II1970UTEP, 1971: 5-6, National Program III1971UTEP, 1972: 1-5, Regional Program I1972+20.2One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached National Program in his 1st career season — faster than 41% of the 675 FBS coaches who have ever reached National Program (rank #1 of 675 by seasons-to-arrival).

Tulsa, 6 seasons
−5.6
National Program III → National Program III.
UTEP, 8 seasons
+20.2
Regional Program III → Regional Program I.

The big-game ledger

How he does in the games that matter most — rivalry record, performance broken out by real opponent tier, one-score games, and his toughest historical matchup.

Just 1–5 against Bill Meek.

One-score games
26–17–3
56.5% · margin ≤8
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Bill Meek1–5
6 meetings, 1955–1972
’55 W’56 L’69 L’70 L’71 L’72 L
Performance by opponent class
Power Program
2–14 12.5%
National Program
18–20 47.4%
Regional Program
31–20 60.8%

Coaching career

1965–1972
UTEPbuilderborderline
Regional Program IV → National Program II
Robert Dobbs raised UTEP from Regional Program IV to National Program II.

1st-best UTEP tenure of 20 by the numbers.

Followed Warren Harper (1963–1964) · succeeded by Tommy Hudspeth (1973–1973).

17 NFL Draft picks: Chuck Hughes (1967), Bill Wilkerson (1967), Fred Carr (1968), George Daney (1968), Charles West (1968), Robert Wallace (1968), Billy Stevens (1968), Thurman Randle (1968) + 9 more

41–35
1955–1960
Tulsacaretaker
National Program II → National Program III
Robert Dobbs slid Tulsa from National Program II to National Program III in 6 seasons.

10th-best Tulsa tenure of 22 by the numbers.

Followed Bernie Witucki (1953–1954) · succeeded by Glenn Dobbs (1961–1968).

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