Hooper Eblen

Robert "Hooper" Eblen (November 16, 1911 – June 30, 1976) was an American football and basketball coach. He served as the head football coach at Tennessee Technological University from 1947 to 1949, compiling a record of 12–19.[1] Eblen was school's head basketball coach during the 1947–48 season, tallying a mark of 18–7.[2]

Hooper Eblen
Biographical details
Born(1911-11-16)November 16, 1911
DiedJune 30, 1976(1976-06-30) (aged 64)
Knoxville, Tennessee
Playing career
Football
1933–1934Tennessee Wesleyan
1935Tennessee
Basketball
1933–1935Tennessee Wesleyan
Position(s)Fullback (football)
Forward (basketball)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1937–1938Carter HS (TN)
1939–1940Tennessee Wesleyan
1941Tennessee Tech (backfield)
1946Tennessee Tech (backfield)
1947–1949Tennessee Tech
Basketball
1937–1938Carter HS (TN)
1939–1941Tennessee Wesleyan
1947–1948Tennessee Tech
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1962–1974Tennessee Tech
Head coaching record
Overall12–19 (college football)
18–7 (college basketball)

A native of Kingston, Tennessee, Eblen attended Tennessee Wesleyan College—now known as Tennessee Wesleyan University—in Athens, Tennessee when it operated as a junior college. There he played football as a fullback and basketball as a forward. He moved on to the University of Tennessee, lettering for the Tennessee Volunteers football team in 1935 before graduating in 1936.

Eblen began his coaching career in 1937 at Carter High School in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee. After serving as head football and head basketball coach there, he returned to Tennessee Wesleyan when he was hired in December 1938 as a head football coach to succeed Rube McCray.[3] Eblen also coached basketball at Tennessee Wesleyan, leading teams in both sports to Southeastern junior college championships. In 1941, he moved to Tennessee Tech to work as backfield coach under head football coach Preston Vaughn Overall. Eblen left Tennessee Tech in 1942 for the University of Michigan, where he earned a master's degree in physical education. After serving in the United States Navy during World War II, he resumed his post as Tennessee Tech. In January 1947, Eblen was appointed to succeed Overall as head coach of the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles football team.[4]

Eblen died on June 30, 1976, after suffering a heart attack at Baptist Hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee.[5]

Head coaching record

College football
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (Independent) (1947–1948)
1947 Tennessee Tech 4–7
1948 Tennessee Tech 5–6
Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (Ohio Valley Conference) (1949)
1949 Tennessee Tech 3–60–38th
Tennessee Tech: 12–190–3
Total:12–19
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References
  1. "Hooper Eblen". Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  2. "Robert Hooper Eblen". Ohio Valley Conference. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  3. "Bulldogs Get Hooper Eblen". Chattanooga Daily Times. Chattanooga, Tennessee. December 23, 1938. p. 15. Retrieved February 4, 2020 – via Newspapers.com .
  4. "Hooper Eblen Is Named Coach at Tennessee Tech". Chattanooga Daily Times. Chattanooga, Tennessee. January 10, 1947. p. 17. Retrieved February 4, 2020 – via Newspapers.com .
  5. "Hooper Eblen , Tenn Tech sports figure, dies". Johnson City Press. Johnson City, Tennessee. Associated Press. July 1, 1976. p. 18. Retrieved February 4, 2020 – via Newspapers.com .
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