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What if, after Rein's tragic death, LSU hired Eddie Robinson?
Posted on 10/12/20 at 8:43 pm
Posted on 10/12/20 at 8:43 pm
I know it would have been a radical thing to do at the time, but what if LSU had turned to Robinson to take over after Bo Rein died in January of 1980? Would he have taken the job?
At that point, Robinson had won 9 of the previous 10 SWAC titles at Grambling, which produced over 200 NFL players and 4 NFL Hall of Famers in Robinson's career.
Even by 1980 he was already 60, so it would have been probably a 7-10 year run at the most. How would he have done? Hard to imagine he wouldn't have recruited well.
At that point, Robinson had won 9 of the previous 10 SWAC titles at Grambling, which produced over 200 NFL players and 4 NFL Hall of Famers in Robinson's career.
Even by 1980 he was already 60, so it would have been probably a 7-10 year run at the most. How would he have done? Hard to imagine he wouldn't have recruited well.
This post was edited on 10/12/20 at 8:45 pm
12
Posted on 10/12/20 at 8:46 pm to Draconian Sanctions
quote:
what if LSU had turned to Robinson to take over after Bo Rein died in January of 1980?
Georgia would’ve lost that title year, too.
Posted on 10/12/20 at 8:52 pm to Draconian Sanctions
I don't think he would have received the institutional support needed to be successful.
We were also pretty good for much of that 7-10 year window, anyway.
We were also pretty good for much of that 7-10 year window, anyway.
Posted on 10/12/20 at 8:54 pm to Gravitiger
quote:
I don't think he would have received the institutional support needed to be successful.
Yeah, pretty sad that we had a wildly successful college football coach grow up right in our back yard but he never won a game for LSU because he was black
Posted on 10/12/20 at 9:01 pm to Draconian Sanctions
How many SWAC coaches have moved up and been successful?
Posted on 10/12/20 at 9:05 pm to prplhze2000
Well considering the caliber of player Grambling produced under ER, would he not have most likely been the one to do so? 
Posted on 10/12/20 at 9:10 pm to Draconian Sanctions
LSU and La was not ready for that. No way it happens.
Posted on 10/12/20 at 9:20 pm to ShermanTxTiger
Would have been wonderful but as racist as society is now, it was worse then! Would have taken guts, brains and integrity. Guess all were in short supply.
Posted on 10/12/20 at 9:23 pm to Draconian Sanctions
It's an interesting question. Willie Jeffries is in the HOF, and he left an HBCU to coach at Wichita State around the same time. WSU obviously wasn't LSU as a program, but Jeffries still took a lot of abuse from the fans, and was pretty mediocre.
I'm not sure our fanbase would've been patient enough with Robinson to see his best.
I'm not sure our fanbase would've been patient enough with Robinson to see his best.
Posted on 10/12/20 at 10:59 pm to Draconian Sanctions
LSU would have never hired a black HC back then
Posted on 10/12/20 at 11:17 pm to Draconian Sanctions
Not sure Coach Rob would have taken the job. He was always very aware of the opportunities he was providing to a lot of black kids who may have fallen between the cracks without him. Grambling allowed him to do so.
Posted on 10/12/20 at 11:24 pm to Draconian Sanctions
quote:
Registered on: 10/16/2008
You know the answers you’ll get.
Current upvotes to downvotes for you is nearly 50/50. With hindsight considered.
Posted on 10/12/20 at 11:25 pm to Draconian Sanctions
Had nothing to do with color. We had a coach in place for 23 years. McClendon. SWAC is not the SEC. The Hallman, DiNardo years hurt us.
Posted on 10/12/20 at 11:54 pm to SOCAL TIGER
quote:
Had nothing to do with color. We had a coach in place for 23 years. McClendon. SWAC is not the SEC. The Hallman, DiNardo years hurt us.
It’s a hypothetical question that has nothing to do with McClendon or his successors. You need to put Archer in there too.
I think the OP was asking how Robinson would have fared at LSU given a chance. Did Archer, Hallman, or Dinardo have a better coaching resume? At any level?
But as you pointed out, he did coach in the SWAC so there’s no need to acknowledge all the players he coached to the nfl as well as being absolutely dominant in the league he competed in. Right?
He would have been successful anywhere. Much more so than any of those between Arnsparger and Saban.
Posted on 10/12/20 at 11:59 pm to Tuco Pacifico
If we made thar hire at the time then its arguable that we have any of our current national titles. We may not have gotten saban or burrow, the key cogs in our 3 nattys
Posted on 10/13/20 at 12:29 am to Draconian Sanctions
How old was he?
Posted on 10/13/20 at 12:50 am to Draconian Sanctions
quote:back then the talent at HBCUs were far more superior
Well considering the caliber of player Grambling produced under ER, would he not have most likely been the one to do so?
Posted on 10/13/20 at 6:29 am to Draconian Sanctions
I think Coach Robinson would have done about as well as if we put the two best white guys at cornerback.
Posted on 10/13/20 at 6:50 am to prplhze2000
quote:
How many SWAC coaches have moved up and been successful?
How many have had the opportunity?
The real question is what if elite athletes opted to play for HBCUs? It would only take a group of wealthy black athletes to fund a couple of HBCU programs to upgrade their facilities.
Posted on 10/13/20 at 6:53 am to Draconian Sanctions
Coach Rob was not a great X’s and O’s coach, and the quality of SWAC football was not great. But I’ve never seen a coach more loved by his players and how he made friends easily from the likes of Steinbrenner and Cosell to the neighborhood barber is remarkable.
He was asked one time about why his Tigers never tried to schedule LATech despite just being 4 miles down the road and he said he just felt it wouldn’t be good for the community, too devisive..
Awesome man who had a rough ending to his career at Grambling.
He was asked one time about why his Tigers never tried to schedule LATech despite just being 4 miles down the road and he said he just felt it wouldn’t be good for the community, too devisive..
Awesome man who had a rough ending to his career at Grambling.
This post was edited on 10/13/20 at 6:55 am
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