Lee Fobbs, a northeastern Louisiana native and former All-SWAC fullback at Grambling, has gone home again. He’ll be on the sidelines this season with defending District 1-3A champion Richwood.
“It’s home for me,” said Fobbs, a product of nearby Carroll. “Any time you are coaching football, it’s exciting. Being back home, seeing faces I haven’t seen in a while — it’s all good.”
Fobbs arrives as a deeply respected assistant coach, having overseen players on both sides of the ball through nine seasons at a series of Football Championship Subdivision programs — including Alabama, Texas A&M and Baylor.
The Tide’s offense ranked second in the SEC in total offense in 2002, during Fobb’s stint, and established the best record in the SEC West that seaon. He then helped the Aggies to the 2003 Cotton Bowl, Texas A&M’s first New Year’s Day game in six years.
But he couldn’t overcome a towering set of obstacles during his subsequent stop leading the North Carolina A&T program, where he lost 28 of 30 games before being let go last October.
“We just found out that he was available, sitting at home,” said Richwood coach Warren Trimble, a personal friend. “We are really excited about having Coach Fobbs. He’s highly knowledgeable of the game and brings so much to the table.”
Fobbs, a member of the GSU Hall of Fame, played a key role as the Tigers won the second and third of four consecutive league championships between 1971-74. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Grambling legend Eddie Robinson, while working on a masters degree in sports administration.
Fobbs then took over as as head football coach and athletics director for his high school alma mater, staying at Carroll from 1985-88. His teams reached the state semi-finals and quarterfinals.
Other stops in his native Monroe included a stint coaching the defensive line at the former NLU, and as offensive coordinator at Wossman High under Ray Gambino.
Fobbs was also a finalist to replace Robinson in 1997 and also applied for the job at Grambling in 2004, but was not part of the search that led to the 2007 hiring of Rod Broadway — who has since claimed two divisional crowns and a Southwestern Athletic Conference title.
“He’s doing a great job,” Fobbs said. “He’ll continue to do well, because of the way he’s recruiting. That’s 100 percent of it.”
Richwood is coming off an impressive 9-3 season. The Rams advanced to the Class 3A quarterfinals, where they were stopped by eventual state runner-up Notre Dame 16-12.
“You jump back in, and pick up where you left off,” Fobbs said. “You just put everything else behind you, and move forward. Warren has done a great job. I’m just fitting in.”
Few, perhaps, know better than Fobbs how rich the area tradition is at the prep level. He’s part of that story.
“It is well respected among college coaches,” Fobbs said. “It’s a talented area, known all across the country.”
Glad to see him back home and working with young people… good to have another alum coaching in the are. Good talent in Monroe…we need to continue to get that talent.