Charles R. Stobart (October 27, 1932 – November 29, 2022) was an American college football player and coach. He played as a quarterback at Ohio University in the 1950s. He was a football coach at various schools for 42 years from 1959 to 2000, including 36 consecutive seasons as a coach at Division I collegiate programs.
Stobart grew up in Middleport, Ohio. Stobart became a star athlete at Middleport High School, playing football, basketball, and baseball.[1] After high school, Stobart served in the U.S. Coast Guard.[2] He then attended Ohio University where he played football and basketball. He was the quarterback for the Ohio Bobcats football team from 1956 to 1958 and was played at third base for the baseball team.[1]
Coaching career
High school coach
Stobart started his coaching career in the fall of 1959 as the head football coach at Berne Union High School in Sugar Grove, Ohio.[1] He led Berne Union to a conference championship and an 8–1 record during the 1959 season. In 1960, he was hired as head football coach at Gallia Academy in Gallipolis, Ohio.[3] He led Gallia to a perfect 9–0 record in 1960. In 1961, he was hired as the head football coach at Mount Vernon High School in Mount Vernon, Ohio.[4] He remained at Mount Vernon through the 1964 season. His teams compiled a 17–1 record during the 1963 and 1964 seasons.[5]
In February 1967, Stobart was hired as an assistant coach on Bo Schembechler's staff at Miami University.[9] He served as Schembechler's offensive backfield coach during the 1967 and 1968 seasons, when the team compiled records of 6–4 and 7–3.[10][11]
Stobart spent a decade on Schembechler's staff at Miami and Michigan. Throughout his career, Stobart said Schembechler was the biggest football influence in his life.[2]
Toledo
In December 1976, Stobart was hired as head football coach at the University of Toledo.[14] At the time of the hiring, Schembechler said:
I don't know how Toledo could have hired a better man. . . . He is a tremendous football man. He knows football, but more than that he is an idea man. He is an excellent recruiter and a really tireless worker. The guy can go all day. I am really sorry to see him go.[15]
In December 1981, he was hired as the head coach at the University of Utah.[21] He held that position for three years from 1982 to 1984, compiling a 16–17–1 record.[16] In November 1984, Utah announced it was seeking a new football coach and advised that Stobart was free to pursue other options.[22][23]
Pittsburgh, Arizona and USC
In January 1985, the University of Pittsburgh hired Stobart as its offensive coordinator.[24] At the end of the 1985 season, Pitt's head coach Foge Fazio was fired.[25]
In January 1987, Arizona head coach Larry Smith was hired as the head football coach at USC. Smith promptly hired Stobart as associate head coach and offensive coordinator at USC.[27][28] Stobart held that position for two years, helping USC to an 8–4 record and 26.8 points per game in 1987 and a 10–2 record and 30.8 points per game in 1988.[29][30]
Memphis
In June 1989, Stobart was hired as the head football coach at the University of Memphis. At the time, the program was embroiled in controversy due to NCAA rules violation and waiting for an NCAA decision on sanctions.[31] Larry Smith of USC praised the selection of Stobart, saying, "He brings integrity, responsibility and maturity, plus a tremendous knowledge of the game and coaching skills."[32]
Stobart compiled a 29–36–1 record in six years at Memphis.[16] He was fired from his post at Memphis in December 1994.[33]
Ohio State
In March 1995, Stobart was hired as the wide receivers coach at the Ohio State University.[34] He held that post for five seasons from 1995 to 1999.[35] He was position coach to Biletnikoff Award winner Terry Glenn in 1995.[36] In 2000, he was promoted to offensive coordinator at Ohio State.[37] In Stobart's lone season as Ohio State's offensive coordinator, the Buckeyes compiled an 8–4 record and scored an average of 27.6 points per game.[38] In January 2001, Ohio State head coach John Cooper was fired.[39] Ohio State's new head coach Jim Tressel then hired Jim Bollman to replace Stobart as the team's offensive coordinator.[40]