{{Short description|American football player and coach}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox college coach | name = Don Robbins | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = October 27, 1933 | birth_place = Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2020|9|18|1933|10|27}} | death_place = College Station, Texas, U.S. | alma_mater = Texas A&M University<br>B.S., M.Ed.<ref name=utepcat67/> | player_years1 = 1953–1955 | player_team1 = Texas A&M | player_positions = End | coach_years1 = 1957 | coach_team1 = Texas A&M (Freshmen) | coach_years2 = 1958 | coach_team2 = Port Arthur HS (TX) | coach_years3 = 1959–1960 | coach_team3 = Snyder HS (TX) | coach_years4 = 1961–1962 | coach_team4 = Big Spring HS (TX) (assistant) | coach_years5 = 1963–1965 | coach_team5 = Big Spring HS (TX) | coach_years6 = 1966–1967 | coach_team6 = Texas Western / UTEP (DL) | coach_years7 = 1968–1969 | coach_team7 = Idaho (DL) | coach_years8 = 1970–1973 | coach_team8 = Idaho | coach_years9 = 1976–1990 | coach_team9 = Big Spring HS (TX) | overall_record = 20–24 (college) | bowl_record = | tournament_record = | championships = 1 Big Sky (1971) | awards = | coaching_records = }} '''Donald Roy Robbins'''<ref name=utepcat67>[http://academics.utep.edu/Portals/1795/UTEPCombined/THE%20UNIVERSITY%20OF%20TEXAS%20AT%20EL%20PASO%201967-1968.pdf academics.utep.edu] - UTEP 1967-68 academic catalog - p.15</ref> (October 27, 1933 – September 18, 2020) was an American football coach.<ref name=legobt>{{cite web |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/theeagle/name/donald-robbins-obituary?id=8222335 |publisher=Legacy.com |agency=Obituary |title=Donald Roy Robbins |date=September 2020 |accessdate=March 9, 2024}}</ref> He was the head coach at the University of Idaho from 1970 through 1973, compiling a record of 20–24.
==Playing career== An identical twin born in Fort Worth, Texas, Robbins grew up primarily in Breckenridge, one of three sons of football coach Cooper Robbins, Sr.<ref name=clfndn>{{cite web |url=https://concussionfoundation.org/story/cooper-robbins-jr |work=Concussion Legacy Foundation |last=Robbins |first=Darelle |title=Cooper Robbins, Jr. |date=2016 |accessdate=September 4, 2017 |archive-date=April 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406232445/http://concussionfoundation.org/story/cooper-robbins-jr |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=legobtbr>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/oaoa/obituary.aspx?pid=177392795 |work=Legacy.com |title=Cooper Robbins, Jr.|agency=(obituary)|accessdate=September 4, 2017}}</ref> Along with twin brother Ron, he graduated from Breckenridge High School in 1952, where his father was the head football coach for seven seasons (1945–1951), then became the freshman football coach at Texas A&M in 1952, and son Don played for him that first season.
Following Robbins' sophomore season, Paul "Bear" Bryant was hired as the head coach at A&M and Robbins was a member of the Junction Boys as a junior end in September 1954. He graduated in 1956 and later earned a master's degree in education from A&M.
==Coaching career== After coaching in Texas at Big Spring High School, Robbins became a collegiate assistant coach in 1966 at Texas Western<!-- College of the University of Texas--> (renamed the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in 1967) under head coach Bobby Dobbs.<ref>[http://www.collegefootballdatadvds.com/guides/1967utepatutah.pdf Game day program] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904112349/http://www.collegefootballdatadvds.com/guides/1967utepatutah.pdf |date=2017-09-04 }} - UTEP at Utah - 1967-11-25 - p.12</ref> After two seasons in El Paso, he was hired as an assistant at Idaho in April 1968 under first-year head coach {{nowrap|Y C McNease.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2aVfAAAAIBAJ&pg=4780%2C325977 |title=Donald Robbins joins Vandals' football staff |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=Idaho |date=April 3, 1968 |page= 12}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KzxWAAAAIBAJ&pg=7494,562910 |title=Idaho hires Don Robbins from UTEP |newspaper=Spokesman Review |location=Spokane, Washington|agency=Associated Press |date=April 3, 1968 |page=17}}</ref><ref name=idarghrd>{{cite news|url=https://digital.lib.uidaho.edu/cdm/ref/collection/argonaut/id/9916?_ga=2.258078026.117921749.1541433386-2101260250.1525192126 |work=Idaho Argonaut |location=Moscow |agency=(University of Idaho) |title=Don Robbins named to replace Rogers |date=April 5, 1968 |page=8}}</ref>}}
When McNease was dismissed after spring drills in {{nowrap|May 1970,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XbZeAAAAIBAJ&pg=2257,1709949 |title=Idaho officials debating possible coaching change |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=Idaho |date=May 9, 1970 |page=12}}</ref><ref name=lmtfrd>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZLZeAAAAIBAJ&pg=4061%2C3027140 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=Idaho |last=Bacharach |first=Sam A. |title=McNease fired from Vandal football coaching job |date=May 16, 1970 |page=12}}</ref><ref name=idfrmsr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h5ApAAAAIBAJ&pg=3273%2C1283278 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |title=Idaho fires Y C McNease; assistant Robbins boosted |date=May 17, 1970 |page=2, sports }}</ref><ref name=sdcmcnout>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=B5NYAAAAIBAJ&pg=7140%2C86995 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=Washington |title=McNease ousted; Robbins chosen |date=May 16, 1970 |page=13}}</ref>}} Robbins was promoted to head coach of the Vandals.<ref name=idfrmsr/><ref name=sdcmcnout/><ref name=rbptci>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZbZeAAAAIBAJ&pg=2424%2C3177385 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=Idaho |title=Robbins picked to coach Idaho |date=May 17, 1970 |page=12}}</ref><ref name=robrep>[https://archive.today/20130124201804/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MFchAAAAIBAJ&sjid=M4UFAAAAIBAJ&pg=894,3543369 Robbins to replace McNease at Idaho] ''Tri-City Herald'' Associated Press - 1970-05-17 - p.38</ref> His 1971 team had the best record in the history of the school at {{nowrap|8–3}}, but the next two seasons were less successful and he was dismissed in {{nowrap|November 1973.<ref name=bdmnds>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IaNfAAAAIBAJ&pg=4837%2C7814900 |title=Board demands Robbins resign or be fired|work=Lewiston Morning Tribune|location=Idaho|date=November 30, 1973|page=19}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=66dYAAAAIBAJ&pg=4076%2C5153515|work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=Washington|title=Robbins bitter as Idaho prepares for dismissal|date=November 30, 1973 |page=17}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=c3ZfAAAAIBAJ&pg=4244%2C128265 |title=Don unloads...Knecht next?...football out? |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=Idaho|date=December 1, 1973|page=15}}</ref>}} He was succeeded by {{nowrap|Ed Troxel,}} an assistant under Robbins and his two predecessors (and the head {{nowrap|track coach).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hnZfAAAAIBAJ&pg=5359%2C5252900 |title='Trox' changes mind, accepts Vandal grid challenge |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=Idaho |date=December 20, 1973 |page=17}}</ref>}}
Robbins returned to Big Spring High School as head coach and athletic director in 1976.<ref>[http://www.e-yearbook.com/yearbooks/Big_Spring_High_School_El_Rodeo_Yearbook/1977/Page_177.html .e-yearbook.com] - Big Spring High School - ''El Rodeo'' yearbook - 1977 - p.177</ref> After retirement, he lived in College Station and died in 2020 at age 86.<ref name=legobt/>
==Head coaching record== ===College=== {{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Idaho Vandals | conf = Big Sky Conference | startyear = 1970 | endyear = 1973 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1970 | name = Idaho | overall = 4–7 | conference = 2–2 | confstanding = T–3rd | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = conference | year = 1971 | name = Idaho | overall = 8–3 | conference = 4–1 | confstanding = 1st | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1972 | name = Idaho | overall = 4–7 | conference = 2–3 | confstanding = 5th | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = 1973 | name = Idaho | overall = 4–7 | conference = 3–2 | confstanding = 3rd | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Idaho | overall = 20–24 | confrecord = 11–8 }} {{CFB Yearly Record End | overall = 20–24 | bowls = no | poll = no | polltype = }}
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
{{Idaho Vandals football coach navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Robbins, Don}} Category:1930s births Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Identical twin males Category:American football ends Category:Idaho Vandals football coaches Category:UTEP Miners football coaches Category:Texas A&M Aggies football players Category:High school football coaches in Texas Category:Players of American football from Fort Worth, Texas Category:People from Breckenridge, Texas Category:1933 births Category:2020 deaths