Ricky Dobbs
Encyclopedia
Ricky Dobbs is a United States Navy
officer and former college football
quarterback
for the United States Naval Academy
. During the 2009 season
he broke the single season college football
record for most rushing touchdown
s by a quarterback with 27.
in Douglasville, Georgia
. He was the recipient of the Faculty Cup at his commencement ceremony in 2006. Dobbs was also voted Homecoming King & Mr.DCHS by his peers.
As a Douglas County Tiger, he played with San Diego Chargers
fullback
Mike Tolbert
. Dobbs was a multi-sport athlete having been on the track
and basketball
teams. In his senior year the Tigers were State Runner-Ups in basketball.
He had an offer to play wide receiver
for Georgia Tech
, but chose Navy in part because of medical benefits for himself and family as well as opportunities beyond football and service to his country.
in April 2009 for winning a sixth straight Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, and Dobbs said he autographed a helmet presented to President Barack Obama
five times "so Obama would remember him".
Dobbs missed one game and most of another with a broken bone in his knee. Navy beat Notre Dame
, but lost to Hawaii
. and Dobbs tied Tim Tebow
's record 23 rushing touchdowns for a quarterback on November 27, one more than former Air Force
standout Chance Harridge. On December 12 against arch rival Army
, Dobbs ran for his 24th rushing touchdown on the season, making him the record holder for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback
in a single season.
Navy played in the Texas Bowl
on December 31 against Missouri
, their seventh straight bowl game. Dobbs ran for 166 yards and three touchdowns in the game and completed 9 of 14 passes for 130 yards and a fourth touchdown in a 35-13 victory. Dobbs finished with the NCAA record of 27 single-season rushing touchdowns and was named the game's MVP.
and is the son of an electrician
and a beautician. He has said that he wants to be the second African-American quarterback to win a Super Bowl
, and his birthday, January 31, 1988, coincidentally is the same day that Doug Williams of the Washington Redskins
achieved this feat in Super Bowl XXII
. He is friends with Williams and NFL quarterback Shaun King
.
One of Dobbs' idols is President Barack Obama
. He is currently vice president of USNA class of 2011. He said that he wanted to become the first black president, but after Obama was elected, has stated "I guess I'll be the second now." He has a five-year military commitment after graduation.
On June 13, 2010, Dobbs was awarded a key to his hometown of Douglasville, Georgia by mayor Mickey Thompson. The day was also declared "Ricky Dobbs Day" in the city.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
officer and former college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the United States Naval Academy
Navy Midshipmen football
The Navy Midshipmen football team represents the United States Naval Academy in NCAA Division I-A college football. They are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school and coached by Ken Niumatalolo since December 2007...
. During the 2009 season
2009 Navy Midshipmen football team
The 2009 Navy Midshipmen football team represented the United States Naval Academy in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Midshipmen, led by third year head coach Ken Niumatalolo, played their home games at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.On November 7, 2009 athletic...
he broke the single season college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
record for most rushing touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s by a quarterback with 27.
High school
Dobbs was known as "the Mayor" by his teachers at Douglas County High SchoolDouglas County High School
Douglas County High School may refer to:*Douglas County High School *Douglas County High School *Douglas County High School...
in Douglasville, Georgia
Douglasville, Georgia
The city of Douglasville is the county seat of Douglas County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 30,961...
. He was the recipient of the Faculty Cup at his commencement ceremony in 2006. Dobbs was also voted Homecoming King & Mr.DCHS by his peers.
As a Douglas County Tiger, he played with San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
Mike Tolbert
Mike Tolbert
Mike Tolbert is an American football Running Back for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
. Dobbs was a multi-sport athlete having been on the track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
teams. In his senior year the Tigers were State Runner-Ups in basketball.
He had an offer to play wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
for Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, but chose Navy in part because of medical benefits for himself and family as well as opportunities beyond football and service to his country.
2008 season
Dobbs rushed for 498 yards and eight touchdowns. Navy was honored at the White HouseWhite House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
in April 2009 for winning a sixth straight Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, and Dobbs said he autographed a helmet presented to President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
five times "so Obama would remember him".
2009 season
During his first full year as a starter Dobbs rushed for more than 1,000 yards and had 901 passing yards and five passing touchdowns. The team had the second best rushing offense in terms of yards. All of this was accomplished in spite of little to no play after an injury. Doctors found a crack in his patella and surgery was scheduled for the off season.Dobbs missed one game and most of another with a broken bone in his knee. Navy beat Notre Dame
2009 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 2009 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2009 college football season. Charlie Weis entered his fifth season as head coach with the expectation from the Notre Dame administration that his team would be in position to compete for a BCS Bowl berth...
, but lost to Hawaii
2009 Hawaii Warriors football team
The 2009 Hawaii Warriors football team represented the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. They were coached by Greg McMackin, his second season with the Hawaii Warriors as a Head Coach...
. and Dobbs tied Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
's record 23 rushing touchdowns for a quarterback on November 27, one more than former Air Force
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
standout Chance Harridge. On December 12 against arch rival Army
Army-Navy Game
The Army–Navy Game is an an American college football rivalry game between the teams of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York and the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. The USMA team, "Army", and the USNA team, "Navy", each represent their services' oldest...
, Dobbs ran for his 24th rushing touchdown on the season, making him the record holder for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in a single season.
Navy played in the Texas Bowl
2009 Texas Bowl
The 2009 Texas Bowl was the fourth edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. The game started at 2:30 PM US CST on Thursday, December 31, 2009. The game was telecast on ESPN for the first time in bowl history after being televised by the NFL...
on December 31 against Missouri
2009 Missouri Tigers football team
The 2009 Missouri Tigers football team, their 120th season, represented the University of Missouri in college football's 2009 season. The team was coached by Gary Pinkel, who returned for his ninth season with Mizzou, and played their home games at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium...
, their seventh straight bowl game. Dobbs ran for 166 yards and three touchdowns in the game and completed 9 of 14 passes for 130 yards and a fourth touchdown in a 35-13 victory. Dobbs finished with the NCAA record of 27 single-season rushing touchdowns and was named the game's MVP.
Personal
Dobbs was born in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
and is the son of an electrician
Electrician
An electrician is a tradesman specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, stationary machines and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of existing electrical infrastructure. Electricians may also...
and a beautician. He has said that he wants to be the second African-American quarterback to win a Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
, and his birthday, January 31, 1988, coincidentally is the same day that Doug Williams of the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
achieved this feat in Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII was an American football game played on January 31, 1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1987 regular season...
. He is friends with Williams and NFL quarterback Shaun King
Shaun King
Shaun Earl King is a former Tulane University and National Football League quarterback.-High School:King is a 1995 graduate of Gibbs High School .-College:...
.
One of Dobbs' idols is President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. He is currently vice president of USNA class of 2011. He said that he wanted to become the first black president, but after Obama was elected, has stated "I guess I'll be the second now." He has a five-year military commitment after graduation.
On June 13, 2010, Dobbs was awarded a key to his hometown of Douglasville, Georgia by mayor Mickey Thompson. The day was also declared "Ricky Dobbs Day" in the city.