Rodney Allison
Encyclopedia
Rodney Allison is an American college football
coach. He was the former head football
coach of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
, holding the position from 2003 to 2008. He guided the Mocs to a 17–51 overall record. Allison is a graduate of Texas Tech University
, receiving a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education, where he played as the starting quarterback
on the Texas Tech Red Raiders football
team.
position for Texas Tech
under head coach Steve Sloan
for three years from 1975-77. During his tenure, he participated in three bowl appearances for the Red Raiders: the 1974 Peach Bowl
, the 1976 Bluebonnet Bowl
, and the 1977 Tangerine Bowl
.
He received the MVP honor by the Southwest Conference after the 1976 season, after leading the Red Raiders to a 10-1 regular season record and a shared Southwest Conference title with Houston
.
For his performance as a player, he was nominated for the Heisman Trophy
. After graduating from Texas Tech, Allison was undrafted by the NFL
, but went on to play one year for the CFL
Toronto Argonauts
.
He was inducted into the Texas Tech Athletic Hall of Honor in 2003.
as a graduate assistant in 1979. From 1981-1983, Allison was promoted to Running backs coach
, a position he would hold at several schools. After the 1983 season, Steve Sloan
, Allison's former coach at Texas Tech hired him on as the running backs coach for Duke
.
Allison coached at various positions at Southern Miss
from 1988-1992. From 1993-1997, he was the running backs coach
at Auburn
, and took on the additional role of offensive coordinator
during the 1998 season. From 1999-2003, he served as defensive end
s coach for Clemson
.
In 2003 again his former coach Steve Sloan
, then the athletic director at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
, hired Allison on as the head coach of the Chattanooga Mocs.
On October 21, 2008, University of Teneessee at Chattanooga athletic director
Rick Hart announced that Allison would be relieved of coaching duties after the 2008 season
. Allison lead the Mocs to a 17–51 overall record.
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...
coach. He was the former head 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...
coach of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...
, holding the position from 2003 to 2008. He guided the Mocs to a 17–51 overall record. Allison is a graduate of Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
, receiving a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education, where he played as the starting 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...
on the Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
team.
As a player
Allison started at the quarterbackQuarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
position for Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
under head coach Steve Sloan
Steve Sloan
Stephen Charles Sloan is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played college football as a quarterback at the University of Alabama from 1962 to 1965 and then played for two seasons in the National Football League with the Atlanta Falcons...
for three years from 1975-77. During his tenure, he participated in three bowl appearances for the Red Raiders: the 1974 Peach Bowl
1974 Peach Bowl
1974 Peach Bowl was a postseason college football match between the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Vanderbilt represented the Southeastern Conference and Texas Tech represented the Southwestern Conference in the competition...
, the 1976 Bluebonnet Bowl
Bluebonnet Bowl
The Bluebonnet Bowl was an annual college football bowl game played in Houston, Texas. A civic group was appointed by the Houston Chamber of Commerce Athletics Committee in 1959 to organize the bowl game. It was held at Rice Stadium from 1959 through 1967, and again in 1985 and 1986. The game was...
, and the 1977 Tangerine Bowl
Tangerine Bowl
Multiple events were named Tangerine Bowl:*The Tangerine Bowl is the original name of the college football bowl game that is currently called the Capital One Bowl. It was known as the Tangerine Bowl from 1947 to 1982....
.
He received the MVP honor by the Southwest Conference after the 1976 season, after leading the Red Raiders to a 10-1 regular season record and a shared Southwest Conference title with Houston
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
.
For his performance as a player, he was nominated for the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
. After graduating from Texas Tech, Allison was undrafted by the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, but went on to play one year for the CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
.
He was inducted into the Texas Tech Athletic Hall of Honor in 2003.
Coaching career
Allison was hired on by Texas TechTexas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
as a graduate assistant in 1979. From 1981-1983, Allison was promoted to Running backs coach
Running backs coach
A running backs coach is a coach in charge of the running backs in gridiron football. The running backs coach typically operates under the team's offensive coordinator....
, a position he would hold at several schools. After the 1983 season, Steve Sloan
Steve Sloan
Stephen Charles Sloan is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played college football as a quarterback at the University of Alabama from 1962 to 1965 and then played for two seasons in the National Football League with the Atlanta Falcons...
, Allison's former coach at Texas Tech hired him on as the running backs coach for Duke
Duke Blue Devils football
The Duke Blue Devils football program is a college football team that represents Duke University . The team is currently a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Blue Devils compete in the Coastal...
.
Allison coached at various positions at Southern Miss
Southern Miss Golden Eagles football
The Southern Miss Golden Eagles football program represents the University of Southern Mississippi in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The Eagles are members of Conference USA and player their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Mississippi...
from 1988-1992. From 1993-1997, he was the running backs coach
Running backs coach
A running backs coach is a coach in charge of the running backs in gridiron football. The running backs coach typically operates under the team's offensive coordinator....
at Auburn
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
, and took on the additional role of offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
during the 1998 season. From 1999-2003, he served as defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
s coach for Clemson
Clemson Tigers football
The Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
.
In 2003 again his former coach Steve Sloan
Steve Sloan
Stephen Charles Sloan is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played college football as a quarterback at the University of Alabama from 1962 to 1965 and then played for two seasons in the National Football League with the Atlanta Falcons...
, then the athletic director at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...
, hired Allison on as the head coach of the Chattanooga Mocs.
On October 21, 2008, University of Teneessee at Chattanooga athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
Rick Hart announced that Allison would be relieved of coaching duties after the 2008 season
2008 NCAA Division I FCS football season
The 2008 NCAA Division I FCS football season, part of the college football season, began on August 28, 2008 and concluded on December 19, 2008 in Chattanooga, Tennessee at the 2008 NCAA Division II National Football Championship game, where the Richmond Spiders defeated the Montana Grizzlies to...
. Allison lead the Mocs to a 17–51 overall record.