Football History

February 21, 1921 - Youngstown, Ohio - The awesome former end of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Bob Dove experienced his arrival into this world.

-College Career

Bob Dove was a standout football player at the University of Notre Dame in the early 1940s. His exceptional skills on both offense and defense made him a crucial contributor to the Fighting Irish's success. Dove played end, excelling as both a receiver and a defensive stalwart. He was a consensus All-American in 1941 and 1942, earning national recognition for his outstanding play. In 1942, he received the prestigious Knute Rockne Memorial Trophy, awarded to the nation's best lineman.  

-Road to the Pro Game

Dove's college career was interrupted by World War II, during which he served in the United States Marine Corps. After the war, he embarked on a professional football career, playing for the Chicago Rockets, Chicago Cardinals, and Detroit Lions. He was a member of the Detroit Lions teams that won back-to-back NFL championships in 1953 and 1954.  

-Accolades, Awards and Career Stats

Following his playing career, Dove transitioned to coaching. He coached at both the collegiate and professional levels, including stints at the University of Detroit, the Detroit Lions, and the Buffalo Bills. He also served as the head coach at Hiram College and as an assistant coach at Youngstown State University for many years.  

Career history
As player

-Chicago Rockets (1946–1947)

-Chicago Cardinals (1948–1953)

-Detroit Lions (1953–1954)

As coach

-Chicago Rockets (1946)

-Career highlights and awards

-Pro Bowl (1950)

-2× Consensus All-American (1941, 1942)

-Career NFL statistics

Receiving yards: 128
Interceptions: 1
Touchdowns: 2

-College Football Hall of Fame Induction

Bob Dove's contributions to football as a player and coach earned him numerous accolades.

He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000, solidifying his legacy as one of the game's greats.  

Stats at Pro Football Reference

The life and career bio of College Football Hall of Fame Running Back Ricky Bell. Born April 8, 1955, in Houston, Texas, was Southern Cal’s stellar running back Ricky Bell. Bell had some true perseverance to become a gridiron star and his versatility paid off huge.

Ricky originally reported to USC as a linebacker when he was a freshman. The coaching staff, noticing offensive potential flipped him over to the offensive team and used him as a fullback to block for Anthony Davis. By the time his junior season came around Ricky was the Bell Cow back, no pun intended, for the Trojans.

According to the National Football Foundation, in 1975 he led the nation in rushing with 1,875 yards, became a unanimous All-American, and placed third in the Heisman voting. In the postseason, he was named MVP of the Liberty Bowl. The following season, during his senior year, Bell placed second in the Heisman balloting and repeated as a unanimous All-America selection. Bell set a single game school record with 51 carries and 347 yards against Washington State and went over 100 yards on the ground in 16 different games of his collegiate career. Ricky Bell received the great honor of being selected for inclusion into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003.

At the 1977 NFL Draft the Tampa Bay Buccaneers used the number one overall pick to claim Ricky for the franchise. He played six seasons for the Bucs and then tragically passed away due to cardiac arrest caused by a rare skin disease.