The Oregon Ducks football community mourned the loss of a legend over the weekend with the passing of former player and coach John Robinson at the age of 89. Robinson, who played as a tight end for the Ducks, began his coaching career with the Oregon program in 1960. He served as an assistant coach for the Ducks from 1960 to 1972 before moving on to USC, where he secured his first head coaching position.
After retiring from college coaching in 2004, Robinson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009 in recognition of his achievements on the field. He played a pivotal role in establishing the USC Trojans as a dominant force in college football, leading the team to five Pac-8/Pac-10 Championships (in 1976, 1978, 1979, 1993, and 1995), four Rose Bowl victories (in 1976, 1978, 1979, and 1995), and one National Championship in 1978. As an assistant coach and later as a senior consultant, Robinson also contributed to winning three National Championships and two Rose Bowls.
He served as the Athletic Director at UNLV, where he coached from 1999 to 2004, and was a senior consultant for the LSU Tigers from 2009 to 2012. Following his collegiate coaching career, he briefly held the position of head coach at San Marcos High School in California, located just a few hours from his alma mater, Junípero Serra High School. One of the most intriguing facts about Robinson is that when his family first moved to California, he attended a private secondary school alongside future Pro Football Hall of Famer John Madden. Robinson lived from 1935 to 2024 and will always be remembered as a legend of the Oregon Ducks.
Leave a Reply