Glenn Dobbs revolutionizes the gridiron as a versatile “Quad” back who dominates every phase of the game for the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.
Football Bio
July 12, 1920 – McKinney, Texas – Glenn Dobbs was a football player who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1980 as a halfback from the University of Tulsa.
Dobbs’ career with the Golden Hurricane spanned from 1940 through the 1942 season, according to the National Football Foundation.
Glenn was a first-team All-America selection as a senior, leading the nation with a .626 completion rate during the 1942 campaign.
Opposing coach Jimmy Phelan called Dobbs football’s first “Quad” back – able to pass, punt, run with the ball, and defend against the opposition.
He went on to play professionally in the All-American Football Conference (AAFC) with the Brooklyn Dodgers, and he was the league’s MVP in 1946.

An injury forced him to sit out the 1950 season, but he returned to the field in the Western Improv Football Union (WIFU), the predecessor of the CFL, before his full retirement from playing.
Dobbs returned to Tulsa to become the University’s Head Coach in the 1960’s.
Glenn Dobbs secures his legacy as one of the most complete football players in gridiron history. By conquering the collegiate landscape at Tulsa and earning MVP honors in the professional ranks, he proves that true athleticism knows no bounds. He continues his football journey by leading his alma mater as a head coach, forever cementing his status as a legendary figure in the sport.
Accolades and Football Accomplishments
- College Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1980.
- First-Team All-American: 1942 (Tulsa’s first consensus All-American).
- AAFC Most Valuable Player: 1946 (Brooklyn Dodgers).
- WIFU Most Valuable Player: 1951 (Saskatchewan Roughriders, awarded the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy).
- Tulsa Golden Hurricane Jersey Retired: #45.
- NCAA Passing Leader: Led the nation with a .626 completion rate in 1942.
- AAFC Passing & Punting Leader: Led the league in passing yards and punting yards in 1946.
- Head Coach Success: Led Tulsa to Bluebonnet Bowl appearances in 1964 and 1965, and his teams led the nation in passing for five straight years (1962-1966).
- Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1988.