From the Monroe News Star’s Nick Dersio.
Eddie Robinson, coach at Grambling for nearly 60 years, has died at age 88.He was rushed to a Lincoln Parish hospital Tuesday afternoon with heart problems and died just after 11 p.m., family members confirmed. Robinson had suffered from Alzheimer™s-like symptoms for several years.
Funeral arrangements were incomplete this morning for a coach who still holds the Division I record for wins in college football, 10 seasons after retiring.
Robinson logged 408 victories at Grambling between 1941-97. He also produced 45 winning seasons; won nine National Black College championships and 17 Southwestern Athletic Conference titles; coached four college football Hall of Famers (Buck Buchanan, Younger, Gary œBig Hands Johnson and Doug Williams); and sent more than 200 players to the NFL, including four Pro Football Hall of Famers (Buchanan, Willie Davis, Willie Brown and Charlie Joiner).œHe ranks right up there with Bear Bryant and Amos Alonzo Stagg, Joiner said. œIt reminds me of one time when another person asked this one guy if Coach Rob was in a class by himself. He stood there and thought for a long time. I really can™t say, but it doesn™t take long to call the roll.
Robinson once estimated he coached more than 4,500 varsity athletes in football, basketball and baseball with an 85 percent graduation rate.
œI tended to want to bring things out in a football player as a student, Robinson said. œWe were blessed to have some good football players, but when you graduate people, they seem to be good people. They get a degree, and they can go out and handle things.