By Darin 
Did you know that one of the greatest Southern football players of all time was so versatile, he won not only All-America honors on the gridiron, but also city championships in both tennis and bridge? That phenomenal multi-talented athlete was Bobby Dodd, born on November 11, 1908, in Galax, Virginia.
Dodd played with the Volunteers from 1928 through the 1930 season. The National Football Foundation website does a nice job on the bio of Bobby Dodd. They tell of how he was successful at almost any endeavor he put his mind to. Besides football, where the Vols were 27-1-2 in his three seasons, he also won tennis and bridge tournaments!
His football talent was showcased through his running, passing, and kicking. The article goes on to say that famous football journalist Grantland Rice named him to the 1930 All-America. Team, while Edwin Camp of the Atlanta Journal called Dodd “the greatest football player ever developed in the South.” Bobby Dodd was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1959.
He wasn’t just a signal-caller; Dodd was a triple-threat game-changer whose running, passing, and kicking prowess earned him the nickname, “The Dodger,” and inspired the fan motto: “In Dodd We Trust.”
During Bobby Dodd’s three seasons as a Volunteer quarterback, the Tennessee football team compiled a remarkable overall record of 27-1-2, establishing one of the longest unbeaten streaks in the program’s history at the time. Dodd was the center of the famous “Hack and Mack” backfield, a tactical mastermind known for improvising plays and always finding the winning edge. His senior year was particularly dominant, with the Vols finishing 9-1. A spectacular example of his all-around skill came in the 1930 victory over Vanderbilt, where Dodd accounted for nearly all of Tennessee’s offense, racking up 212 all-purpose yards through passing for two touchdowns, running, and punting with a 42-yard average, all while intercepting two passes on defense. This incredible versatility and consistent performance earned Dodd national recognition. Famed football journalist Grantland Rice named him to the prestigious 1930 All-America Team.
Football Accolades and Accomplishments:
- All-America First Team selection (1930, by Grantland Rice).
- College Football Hall of Fame Inductee (1959 – Player).
- University of Tennessee playing record: 27-1-2 (1928-1930).
- Two-Time All-Southern Quarterback (1929 and 1930).
- College Football Hall of Fame Inductee (1993 – Coach, for Georgia Tech career).
- SEC Champion (1951, 1952 as coach).
- National Champion (1952 as coach).