Bobby Ross
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Robert Joseph Ross (December 23, 1936, Richmond, Virginia) is a retired football coach. His career as a head coach included stints at The Citadel, the University of Maryland and Georgia Tech, in the National Football League with the San Diego Chargers and Detroit Lions, and at Army.
Highlights of his coaching career include winning a share of the National Championship at Georgia Tech in 1990, and guiding the San Diego Chargers to an appearance in Super Bowl XXIX. He owns a career record of 96-85-2 throughout 16 seasons as a collegiate head coach, and a 77-68 record as a head coach in the NFL. The lowlight of his career was him quitting as coach of the Detroit Lions during the 2000 season.
After graduating from Benedictine High School in 1955, he enrolled at the Virginia Military Institute, where he started at quarterback and defensive back for two seasons and served as captain of the football team as a senior. Ross graduated from VMI in 1959 with a bachelor of arts degree in English and History.
Coaching
Following a tour of duty in the U.S. Army as a first lieutenant (1960-62) and four seasons of coaching at Colonial Heights H.S. and Benedictine, both near Richmond, VA, Ross began his collegiate coaching career at his alma mater in 1965. He went on to serve assistant coaching stints at William & Mary, Rice and Maryland before accepting his first head coaching job at The Citadel in 1973. He spent four years as an assistant coach with the Kansas City Chiefs (1978-81) before returning to the collegiate ranks as head coach at Maryland. He won three ACC championships while at Maryland. After four years, he left for Georgia Tech, where he won a national championship and the [[Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award]]. He then left for the San Diego Chargers, whom he won an AFC championship with. In 1996, he left for the Detroit Lions, where he coached until 2000. He did not coach between 2000 and the beginning of his stint at Army.
As head coach at Army, Ross reportedly received $600,000 in annual salary, which was seen as evidence of Army's eagerness to right program after the team's 0-13 record in 2003.[1] Sean Sutton of Ypsilanti, Mich. writes, "Regarding coaches' pay, I find it interesting that when hired to be the football coach of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Bobby Ross became the highest-paid federal governmental employee."[2]
Family Life
Ross and his wife, Alice, have three sons: Chris, Kevin and Robbie; two daughters: Mary and Teresa; and 15 grandchildren. Chris (1984) and Kevin (1988) graduated from the United States Air Force Academy and Naval Academy, respectively. Kevin currently serves as Army's offensive coordinator and running backs coach.
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