Bobby Dodd - Coach

Coach

Bobby Dodd compiled a 165–64–8 record as head coach at Georgia Tech. He led Georgia Tech to two Southeastern Conference (SEC) championships (1951 and 1952) and one national championship in 1952. Under Dodd's leadership, Tech played in 13 major bowls, winning 9, including six in a row from 1952 to 1956, and had a 31-game winning streak from 1951 to 1953.

Dodd took over the Georgia Tech football program following Coach Alexander's retirement in 1944. Dodd's coaching philosophy revolved around player treatment and character development. He did not believe in intense physical practices but rather precise and well executed practices. Dodd's philosophy translated to winning; he set the record for career wins at Tech at 165 career coaching wins, including a 31-game winning streak from 1951–1953. He also managed to capture two Southeastern Conference Titles and the 1952 National Title, which concluded a perfect 12–0 season and Sugar Bowl conquest of Ole Miss.

Football was Dodd's lifelong passion, but at Tech he was just as obsessed with the notion that his players should get an education as he was with teaching them how to play football. Other coaches and sportswriters of his era were united in their puzzlement that anyone could coach with such a light hand and still win so many games. However, Coach Dodd knew that his "Books First" reputation caused parents to favor Georgia Tech over his competition. Georgia Tech often played teams that were physically superior but Bobby Dodd would still find a way win. The experts called it "Dodd's luck," but his success actually came from an understanding of motivational psychology, football strategy, and innovative game-planning.

Georgia Tech football was Atlanta's one major sports franchise during this time frame. To hold a ticket to watch the Yellow Jackets play was highly valued and was difficult to obtain. During the games, Bobby Dodd sat in a folding chair at a card table on the side line, rarely standing or showing interest in the game. Dodd took his seat and left the pacing to his assistants. When a crisis arose, Dodd would decide which plays to be run and the designated players to run them. Dodd sometimes made unusual substitutions, as on a Saturday in Athens when Georgia Tech was about to be upset. Dodd sent in a small halfback who had been frequently injured during his career, who then broke to the right faking a run, stopped, threw a pass for a touchdown and returned to the bench. What Dodd brought to Grant Field was a kind of unbruising football other coaches couldn't understand: runty halfbacks; lightweight linemen; rarely a classic quarterback. Once free substitution became possible, no one made more use of it than Dodd.

Georgia Tech had an intense rivalry with University of Alabama which ended during Bobby Dodd's tenure as head football coach. Until that time, the matchup between the Crimson Tide and the Yellow Jackets was a fall football classic. The two teams have met on the gridiron a total of 52 times with Georgia Tech coming away victorious in 21 of those matchups with 3 additional tied games. Bobby Dodd's football teams won 7 out of 17 games played against the University of Alabama. The contests were annual events until Georgia Tech withdrew from the SEC.

Dodd also understood the deep-seated rivalry with the University of Georgia. His teams won 8 games in a row over the Bulldogs from 1946–1954 outscoring the Bulldogs 176–39 during the winning streak. This 8–game winning streak is still the longest winning streak for either side in the series. Dodd would finish his career with a 12–9 record against the Bulldogs.

In 1967, Dodd passed the head coach position to his favorite coordinator, Bud Carson. Dodd simply retained his athletic director position, which he had acquired in 1950 from William Alexander. He stepped down as athletic director in 1976 and was followed in the position by Doug Weaver. In 1983, he expressed interest in running a United States Football League team if Atlanta were awarded one, but the league folded before Atlanta received a team.