Rudy Hubbard
Encyclopedia
Rudy Hubbard was the former head football
coach at Florida A&M University
(FAMU) in Tallahassee, Florida
, from 1974 to 1985.
Hubbard was born in Hubbard, Ohio
, a small steel mill town near Youngstown, Ohio. He attended Ohio State University
, where he was a running back from 1964 to 1968. After graduation, Hubbard was hired by then Head Coach Woody Hayes
as an assistant coach in 1968, making Hubbard the first African-American on the coaching staff of the Ohio State Buckeyes
football team. He stayed on the coaching staff for six seasons before moving on to take the head coach position at Florida A&M University
in 1974. Hubbard received the chance to coach the Rattlers, out of situational circumstance, as the football program at the time was losing ever since the end of the 1969 season, when legendary coach Jake Gaither
retired. The FAMU athletics department was looking for someone to turn the FAMU program around, and took the chance on someone, even thought he wasn't an HBCU alumnus, who came from a known coaching pedigree.
After a 6-5-0 mark in Hubbard's first year in 1974, the Rattlers went 9-2-0 in 1975, 6-3-2 in 1976, then began a stretch from the 1977 to 1979 seasons, where they went 30-5-0. The Rattlers went unbeaten 11-0-0 in 1977 and in 1978, the Rattlers went 12-1 and wrapped up the season winning the inaugural NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship held in Wichita Falls, Texas
on December 16, 1978, defeating the University of Massachusetts
by the score 35-28, making Florida A&M the first and only HBCU today to have accomplished this feat. In 1979, the Rattlers went 7-4-0 but made an exclamation mark in the season with a 16-13 defeat of the Division I University of Miami Hurricanes. Hubbard spent 12 seasons with the Rattlers, and posted an 83-48-3 (.631) overall record, the third most wins in school history behind fellow FAMU head coaches Jake Gaither
(203) and Billy Joe (86). The Rattlers also won 2 Black college football national championship
s in 1976 (shared with South Carolina State University
) and in 1978. The successes achieved by Hubbard during his tenure enabled FAMU football to transition from the Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
(SIAC) to Division 1-AA independent status, and in 1980 the Rattlers joined the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
(MEAC).
The players under Hubbard who went on to play in the National Football League
were
Frank Marion
(linebacker), Ralph Hill (offensive lineman), Tony Samuels (tight end), Clarence Hawkins (running back), Greg Coleman
(punter), Gene Atkins
(defensive back), and Nate Newton
(Pro Bowl offensive lineman).
Vince Coleman
(Greg Coleman's cousin), was a kicker at FAMU under Hubbard, and a standout player on the FAMU baseball team, went on to a career in Major League Baseball
.
Hubbard was relieved of his head coaching duties after the 1985 season. He then took a long hiatus away from the coaching scene, working as an independent financial advisor. In 1990, he was inducted into the Florida A&M University Athletics Hall of Fame. In 2008, Hubbard reemerged on the coaching scene, when he was hired at Head Football Coach at James S. Rickards High School
in Tallahassee, Florida
, where he currently resides.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach at Florida A&M University
Florida A&M University
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, commonly known as Florida A&M or FAMU, is a historically black university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States, the state capital, and is one of eleven member institutions of the State University System of Florida...
(FAMU) in Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
, from 1974 to 1985.
Hubbard was born in Hubbard, Ohio
Hubbard, Ohio
Hubbard is a city in Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. It is formed from part of Hubbard Township, which was formed from the Connecticut Western Reserve. The population was 8,284 at the 2000 census...
, a small steel mill town near Youngstown, Ohio. He attended Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, where he was a running back from 1964 to 1968. After graduation, Hubbard was hired by then Head Coach Woody Hayes
Woody Hayes
Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Denison University , Miami University , and Ohio State University , compiling a career college football record of 238–72–10.During his 28 seasons as the head coach of the Ohio...
as an assistant coach in 1968, making Hubbard the first African-American on the coaching staff of the Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of The Ohio State University, named after the state tree, the Buckeye. The Buckeyes participate in the NCAA's Division I in all sports and the Big Ten Conference in most sports...
football team. He stayed on the coaching staff for six seasons before moving on to take the head coach position at Florida A&M University
Florida A&M University
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, commonly known as Florida A&M or FAMU, is a historically black university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States, the state capital, and is one of eleven member institutions of the State University System of Florida...
in 1974. Hubbard received the chance to coach the Rattlers, out of situational circumstance, as the football program at the time was losing ever since the end of the 1969 season, when legendary coach Jake Gaither
Jake Gaither
Alonzo Smith "Jake" Gaither was the head football coach at Florida A&M University for 25 years, and amassed one of the best winning records of any college football coach....
retired. The FAMU athletics department was looking for someone to turn the FAMU program around, and took the chance on someone, even thought he wasn't an HBCU alumnus, who came from a known coaching pedigree.
After a 6-5-0 mark in Hubbard's first year in 1974, the Rattlers went 9-2-0 in 1975, 6-3-2 in 1976, then began a stretch from the 1977 to 1979 seasons, where they went 30-5-0. The Rattlers went unbeaten 11-0-0 in 1977 and in 1978, the Rattlers went 12-1 and wrapped up the season winning the inaugural NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship held in Wichita Falls, Texas
Wichita Falls, Texas
Wichita Falls is a city in and the county seat of Wichita County, Texas, United States, United States. Wichita Falls is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay and Wichita counties. According to the U.S. Census estimate of 2010,...
on December 16, 1978, defeating the University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
by the score 35-28, making Florida A&M the first and only HBCU today to have accomplished this feat. In 1979, the Rattlers went 7-4-0 but made an exclamation mark in the season with a 16-13 defeat of the Division I University of Miami Hurricanes. Hubbard spent 12 seasons with the Rattlers, and posted an 83-48-3 (.631) overall record, the third most wins in school history behind fellow FAMU head coaches Jake Gaither
Jake Gaither
Alonzo Smith "Jake" Gaither was the head football coach at Florida A&M University for 25 years, and amassed one of the best winning records of any college football coach....
(203) and Billy Joe (86). The Rattlers also won 2 Black college football national championship
Black college football national championship
The black college football national championship is a mythical national championship won by the best black college football team in the United States of America. There has been some criticism of this title on the grounds that the schools in the various polls compete in different levels of...
s in 1976 (shared with South Carolina State University
South Carolina State University
South Carolina State University is a historically black university located in Orangeburg, South Carolina, United States. It is the only state funded, historically black land-grant institution in South Carolina and is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- Colleges, departments,...
) and in 1978. The successes achieved by Hubbard during his tenure enabled FAMU football to transition from the Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...
(SIAC) to Division 1-AA independent status, and in 1980 the Rattlers joined the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is a collegiate athletic conference of historically black colleges and universities in the Southeastern United States...
(MEAC).
The players under Hubbard who went on to play in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
were
Frank Marion
Frank Marion (American football)
Frank Marion was a professional American football player who played linebacker for seven seasons for the New York Giants.-References:...
(linebacker), Ralph Hill (offensive lineman), Tony Samuels (tight end), Clarence Hawkins (running back), Greg Coleman
Greg Coleman
Gregory Jerome Coleman is a retired American football punter who had a 12-year career in the National Football League playing for the Cleveland Browns, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Washington Redskins. He attended Florida A&M University...
(punter), Gene Atkins
Gene Atkins
Gene Reynard Atkins is a former American football safety in the National Football League who played for the New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins from 1987 to 1996. He is the father of Geno Atkins, American football defensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals...
(defensive back), and Nate Newton
Nate Newton
Nathaniel Newton is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League who played for the Dallas Cowboys and the Carolina Panthers . He also played for the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League, in 1984 and 1985...
(Pro Bowl offensive lineman).
Vince Coleman
Vince Coleman
Vincent Maurice Coleman is an American former Major League Baseball player, best known for his years with the St. Louis Cardinals. Primarily a left fielder, Coleman played from to and set a number of stolen base records. He was a switch-hitter and threw right-handed.-Biography:Coleman attended...
(Greg Coleman's cousin), was a kicker at FAMU under Hubbard, and a standout player on the FAMU baseball team, went on to a career in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
Hubbard was relieved of his head coaching duties after the 1985 season. He then took a long hiatus away from the coaching scene, working as an independent financial advisor. In 1990, he was inducted into the Florida A&M University Athletics Hall of Fame. In 2008, Hubbard reemerged on the coaching scene, when he was hired at Head Football Coach at James S. Rickards High School
James S. Rickards High School
James S. Rickards High School is a public high school in Tallahassee, Florida. Rickards was ranked 49th in Newsweek's list of 1,000 top high schools in 2009, due to the high number of AP and IB exams taken by its students...
in Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
, where he currently resides.