“I’M The Coach Again,” Delighted Robinson Says

Eddie Robinson will get one more year as football coach at Grambling, a chance to add to his 405 career victories and to erase the sting of consecutive losing seasons.

On Friday, university president Raymond Hicks ended a week of rumors that Robinson, college football’s winningest coach, was being forced out. After Louisiana’s governor and the state’s board of regents came to Robinson’s defense, the popular coach was asked to stay on.

“Coach Robinson has asked for another year. As an alumni of Grambling and the current president, I must honor that request,” said Hicks, who had wanted Robinson to step down.

The 77-year-old Robinson was obviously delighted at the news.

“I’m the coach again!” Robinson shouted to his wife as he stepped up to a cluster of microphones at a news conference.

Robinson said leaving the program after a 3-8 season would have been hard to accept. He pledged that he would step down at the end of next season regardless of how the team fared.

Robinson has compiled a record of 405-157-15, the best of any college coach.