Robert L. Myers (coach)
 "Chief" | |
| Sport(s) | Football |
|---|---|
| Biographical details | |
| Alma mater | Centre College |
| Playing career | |
| 1907 | Centre |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1916 | North Side High School |
| 1917 | Centre |
| 1918 | Centre (assistant) |
| 1924 | Centre |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1920–1922 | Centre |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 6–2–1 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Southern (1924) | |
Robert Livingston "Chief" Myers was an American football coach and athletic director foundational in the success of the Centre Praying Colonels football programs of Centre College in the period from 1917 to 1924. This era included the 1921 Centre vs. Harvard football game, one of the sport's greatest upsets.
Early years
Myers graduated from Centre College, class of 1907. He then found himself in Chicago watching clinics performed by Amos Alonzo Stagg.[1]
Coaching career
High school
Myers coached at North Side High School in Fort Worth, Texas c. 1916. He had implemented a system of play akin to Pop Warner's.[2] His team there included future Centre stars Bo McMillin and Red Weaver, who, after needing more credits, were recruited by boosters to Somerset High School in Kentucky, where they joined up with Kentucky native Red Roberts. Also at North Side were Sully Montgomery, Matty Bell, Bill James, and Bob Mathias.[3] Myers brought all of these to his alma mater Centre College in Danville, Kentucky.[4][5][6]
Centre
As one writer explains, Centre's success in football from 1917 to 1924 "came about because one man dreamed it, and put his feet to the ground with a plan, and then realized his dream to make Centre the No. 1 football team in America. That person was Robert Livingston "Chief" Myers, who had been a 98-pound weakling when he played football. He was a scrub and they made him the water boy. But he had a love for football, a passion for football, so even though he didn't make varsity, that didn't stop him from wanting to coach Centre, and didn't stop him from trying to put together the best team possible."[7]
1917
The first two games were coached by Myers, and the rest by Charley Moran.[1] According to Centre publications, "Myers realized he was dealing with a group of exceptional athletes, who were far beyond his ability to coach. He needed someone who could [do] the team justice, and found that person in Charles Moran."[3]
1921
Myers was then athletic director of Centre from 1920 to 1922. Centre's undefeated season in 1919 drew attention and a challenge from Harvard.[8] Centre lost to Harvard in 1920, but in 1921 it defeated the Crimson 6 to 0 in what is widely considered one of the greatest upsets in college football history.[9][10] McMillin got the score with Roberts providing the blocking. Following the game, students from MIT who came to cheer against Harvard carried McMillin off the field and tore down the goalposts.[11]
1924
Myers led the Colonels to their last Southern championship in 1924. The team defeated both Georgia and SoCon champion Alabama.[3]
Head coaching record
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centre Praying Colonels (Independent) (1917) | |||||||||
| 1917 | Centre | 1–1 | |||||||
| Centre Praying Colonels (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1924) | |||||||||
| 1924 | Centre | 5–1–1 | 1–0 | T–1st | |||||
| Total: | 6–2–1 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title | |||||||||
References
- 1 2 "2011 Robert L. "Chief" Myers 1907". Centre College. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
- ↑ "Alvin N "Bo" McMillin". Centre College. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
- 1 2 3 "Football". CentreCyclopedia. Centre College. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
- ↑ Robert W. Robertson (2008). The Wonder Team:The Centre College Praying Colonels and Their Rise to the Top of the Football World, 1917-1924.
- ↑ "Centre College Intercollegiate Athletic Records, 1890-1999".
- ↑ "Alvin "Bo" McMillin". Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. 2010. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
- ↑ Rich Copley (July 10, 2014). "Pioneer Playhouse tells the story behind Centre College's 1921 gridiron glory".
- ↑ Valarie H. Ziegler (1995). "C6-H0 The Centre Harvard Game of 1921".
- ↑ "ESPN ranks 1921 Centre-Harvard game among college football's greatest upsets". Centre College. Retrieved 7 August 2008.
- ↑ "C6-H0 plays a prominent part in nation's sports lexicon". Centre College. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 7 August 2008.
- ↑ Goldstein, Richard (1996). Ivy League Autumns. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-14629-9.