Grambling’s Eric Dooley Named FCS Assistant Coach of the Year


Kenn Rashad

Kenn Rashad

Person In Charge
Staff member
(STATS) – Grambling State offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Eric Dooley was named the FCS assistant coach of the year by the American Football Coaches Association on Wednesday.

The award, first presented in 1997, honors assistant coaches who excel in community service, commitment to the student-athlete, on-field coaching success and AFCA professional organization involvement.

Dooley is in his 22nd year coaching college football, including the last three on coach Broderick Fobbs’ staff at Grambling State. The Tigers (9-1) have the top-ranked offense in the Southwestern Athletic Association as they head into the conference championship game against Alcorn State on Saturday.

An active member of the AFCA, Dooley has volunteered his time at every coaching stop, including serving as a mentor for the Alma J. Brown Boy Scouts, working with high risk students in after school or summer programs, visiting retirement homes and volunteering with the Salvation Army Christmas Drive, Girl Scouts of Baton Rouge, Southern University November Turkey Drive, FCA/CCA field days and various Reading Literacy Fay programs.

The other finalists for the FCS award were Randy Hedberg of North Dakota State, Tim Plough of Northern Arizona and Brian Rock of Holy Cross.

Winners also were selected on the FBS, Division II, Division and NAIA levels. All of the winners will be feted at the AFCA Honors Luncheon on Jan. 9 in Nashville, Tennessee.
 
Congrats to Coach Dooley. One of my favorite people. Always cooler than fan whenever you see him. Dude should get a chance at a Head Coach job. He was one of my choices to be SU Coach before we hired Stump.
 



dezjaguar said:
Without Coac Dooley Grambling wouldn't b this good on offense.
Click to expand...

I knew somebody from SU would start this....question: Do you know who Melvin Lee is?

I'll be waiting then we can talk.

don't worry I will educate you

http://meacswacsports.blogspot.com/2010/07/meet-grambling-legend-melvin-lee.html

Over nearly five decades, Lee either played for Robinson or coached beside him. Yet he remains a shadowy figure in his old boss' march to a still-standing Division I record of 408 career football victories.

Lee, unassuming and fiercely steadfast as an offensive assistant, was most comfortable outside of the spotlight. But his fingerprints are all over the Robinson era. He was there for more than 300 of the College Hall of Famer's wins, and every league title Robinson ever claimed -- eventually earning such profound respect from Robinson that the two would collaborate on playcalling.

It's fitting, then, that Lee has claimed a spot in the Grambling Legends Sports Hall of Fame, a collection that already includes a trio of those whom Lee credits with propelling him into a life around football.

"It started at the top, of course," said Lee, who still lives on Martin Luther King Drive in Grambling. Former school president "R.W.E. Jones set the stage and then (longtime sports information director) Collie J. Nicholson gave us so much attention in news print. That helped Coach Robinson focus on being a consistent fundamentalist. They allowed us to learn and progress as the years went by."

The 2010 Legends induction ceremonies will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 17,at the Monroe Civic Center. Admission is $60 per person, and $500 for a table of eight, with all proceeds going to the non-profit Legends group for distribution in support athletics at Grambling. Tickets can be purchased at the Monroe Civic Center box office. Call 329-2837.

Lee attended Clark High in New Orleans, where he said he earned a spot on the All-City district football team, and planned to play football at Dillard -- until a friend convinced him to enroll at Grambling. He tried out for the Tiger football team in 1952, meeting a lasting friend and mentor in Robinson. Undersized at 175, Lee nevertheless played both ways for Grambling -- as center and linebacker. In 1955, Lee would be part of a group that earned the program's first black college national championship.

"To the individuals on the team, we remember it like it was yesterday," Lee said. "We're proud the fact that we didn't allow more than 24 points in any game that year. The offense was based around the tailback; there was never a question about passing. We ran to the right most of the time. We more or less came right at you." In going 10-0, Lee and a group of talents that included future Pro Football Hall of Famer Willie Davis would establish just the second undefeated record in Grambling's history, and still its most recent.

"As we played for that championship, Coach talked about giving your best effort and that, looking back, you would see this as your finest hour," Lee said. "I'm sure most of us look back and realize that was a fantastic time. It can only happen to a few individuals, and not very often."

Two years in the Army followed, and Lee ended up back in New Orleans, where he was offered a job as a cement finisher. Then Robinson called.

-------------------------------




Now what would Eddie Rob be without Melvin Lee?

You can ask this question for any coach especially if the assistant served under a coach for over 40 years.
 
The Founder said:
I knew somebody from SU would start this....question: Do you know who Melvin Lee is?

I'll be waiting then we can talk.

don't worry I will educate you

http://meacswacsports.blogspot.com/2010/07/meet-grambling-legend-melvin-lee.html

Over nearly five decades, Lee either played for Robinson or coached beside him. Yet he remains a shadowy figure in his old boss' march to a still-standing Division I record of 408 career football victories.

Lee, unassuming and fiercely steadfast as an offensive assistant, was most comfortable outside of the spotlight. But his fingerprints are all over the Robinson era. He was there for more than 300 of the College Hall of Famer's wins, and every league title Robinson ever claimed -- eventually earning such profound respect from Robinson that the two would collaborate on playcalling.

It's fitting, then, that Lee has claimed a spot in the Grambling Legends Sports Hall of Fame, a collection that already includes a trio of those whom Lee credits with propelling him into a life around football.

"It started at the top, of course," said Lee, who still lives on Martin Luther King Drive in Grambling. Former school president "R.W.E. Jones set the stage and then (longtime sports information director) Collie J. Nicholson gave us so much attention in news print. That helped Coach Robinson focus on being a consistent fundamentalist. They allowed us to learn and progress as the years went by."

The 2010 Legends induction ceremonies will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 17,at the Monroe Civic Center. Admission is $60 per person, and $500 for a table of eight, with all proceeds going to the non-profit Legends group for distribution in support athletics at Grambling. Tickets can be purchased at the Monroe Civic Center box office. Call 329-2837.

Lee attended Clark High in New Orleans, where he said he earned a spot on the All-City district football team, and planned to play football at Dillard -- until a friend convinced him to enroll at Grambling. He tried out for the Tiger football team in 1952, meeting a lasting friend and mentor in Robinson. Undersized at 175, Lee nevertheless played both ways for Grambling -- as center and linebacker. In 1955, Lee would be part of a group that earned the program's first black college national championship.

"To the individuals on the team, we remember it like it was yesterday," Lee said. "We're proud the fact that we didn't allow more than 24 points in any game that year. The offense was based around the tailback; there was never a question about passing. We ran to the right most of the time. We more or less came right at you." In going 10-0, Lee and a group of talents that included future Pro Football Hall of Famer Willie Davis would establish just the second undefeated record in Grambling's history, and still its most recent.

"As we played for that championship, Coach talked about giving your best effort and that, looking back, you would see this as your finest hour," Lee said. "I'm sure most of us look back and realize that was a fantastic time. It can only happen to a few individuals, and not very often."

Two years in the Army followed, and Lee ended up back in New Orleans, where he was offered a job as a cement finisher. Then Robinson called.

-------------------------------




Now what would Eddie Rob be without Melvin Lee?

You can ask this question for any coach especially if the assistant served under a coach for over 40 years.
Click to expand...
SMH like I said Grambling offense wouldn't b good without Coach Dooley.
 
dezjaguar said:
Without Coac Dooley Grambling wouldn't b this good on offense.
Click to expand...
. He is the OC, He is doing a great job, And you don't know who we would have if we didn't have him and how the offense would be. Why come and say that? Ohh yeah I forgot your team's season is over and you need something to start an argument because you can't say anything about SU being better so you got to find some other way to knock GSU.
 
Hardwork454 said:
. He is the OC, He is doing a great job, And you don't know who we would have if we didn't have him and how the offense would be. Why come and say that? Ohh yeah I forgot your team's season is over and you need something to start an argument because you can't say anything about SU being better so you got to find some other way to knock GSU.
Click to expand...
OMG!! What?!! Congratulations!! U got the best offensive coordinator in black college.
 



TRU3000 said:
If Dooley can hold off and stay at grambling for the 2017 season...I know one HC position that will be available for him once next season ends lol
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I don't know if Dooley will go that far to be a head coach. Meaning to Alabama. He may. But I still think he would rather be Grambling's Coach if Fobbs left and definitely SU's coach if Odums was gone. The school that should have reached out to Dooley was Jackson State. I told Get Ready that when they hired Harold Jackson then Hughes. Dooley was one of my choices for SU before we hired Stump. I was hoping Stump got retained by the Redskins and we hired Dooley. He oversaw the transition between Pete to when Stump arrived. Oh well. I hope he gets some run this off season from somebody.
 
JR said:
I don't know if Dooley will go that far to be a head coach. Meaning to Alabama. He may. But I still think he would rather be Grambling's Coach if Fobbs left and definitely SU's coach if Odums was gone. The school that should have reached out to Dooley was Jackson State. I told Get Ready that when they hired Harold Jackson then Hughes. Dooley was one of my choices for SU before we hired Stump. I was hoping Stump got retained by the Redskins and we hired Dooley. He oversaw the transition between Pete to when Stump arrived. Oh well. I hope he gets some run this off season from somebody.
Click to expand...

wouldn't that keep him out of HC positions if all he is going to do is run to SU or Gram once that position opens up? Many schools won't hire him as HC if that's the case. I know for a fact it wouldn't fly here at A&M and if he chose to apply for the job here he would have to address it.

I do have a feeling our next coach will be from the MEAC(our new O-line coach who started this summer is from NC A&T) if Spady doesn't win more conf games in the last year on his contract...but Dooley is on our radar and I for one wouldn't mind him coming to "The Hill" but he has to commit to our program. Next time I run into President Hugine I'm talking to him about Dooley.
 
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