Harvey Robinson

Harvey Leigh Robinson (March 23, 1908 – April 25, 1979) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Tennessee for two seasons, 1953 and 1954, compiling a career record of 10–10–1. Robinson replaced General Robert Neyland, who retired as head coach due to health reasons. Robinson then served as an assistant coach at Florida under Bob Woodruff and then returned to Knoxville to serve on the staff of Bowden Wyatt. Robinson later became a scout for the NFL team the Dallas Cowboys. In a 1979 memorial article written by sports editor John Bibb, TSU coach John Merritt had this to say about Harvey:"Harvey was something special to us over at Tennessee State University." "He bridged a gap in football that is unique to our times. He was a professional scout during the emergence of the black athlete on the pro scene." "It was a time when pro scouts didn't know much about the black players at the predominantly black schools." According to Bibb, the Cowboys considered Robinson as their finest "total evaluator." Contemporaries have stated that Harvey almost single-handedly integrated the NFL.