| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1954-09-17)September 17, 1954 (age 71) Magnolia, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1973–1975 | Mississippi State |
| Position | Safety |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1976 | Mississippi State (GA) |
| 1977–1979 | East Carolina (DB) |
| 1980 | Wyoming (DB) |
| 1981–1985 | Auburn (DB) |
| 1986 | Mississippi State (DC) |
| 1987 | Illinois (DB) |
| 1988–1997 | North Alabama |
| 1998–2005 | Temple |
| 2006–2010 | West Alabama |
| 2012–2016 | North Alabama |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 2018–2021 | West Alabama |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 171–152–1 |
| Tournaments | 20–8 (NCAA D-II playoffs) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 3NCAA Division II (1993–1995) 7GSC (1993–1995, 2013–2016) | |
| Awards | |
| 4×GSC Coach of The Year (1993–1995, 2016) | |
Robert Hue Wallace (born September 17, 1954) is an American formercollege football coach and athletics administrator. He served as head football coach at theUniversity of North Alabama from 1988 to 1997 and again from 2012 to 2016, atTemple University from 1998 to 2005, and at theUniversity of West Alabama from 2006 to 2010. Wallace led theNorth Alabama Lions to three consecutiveNCAA Division II Football Championships, from 1993 to 1995. He was also theathletic director at West Alabama from 2018 to 2021.
Wallace was a multi-sport athlete atCallaway High School inJackson, Mississippi, lettering three years each in football, basketball, baseball, and track. He also earned prep All-America honors before enrolling atMississippi State University. After starting for three seasons as adefensive back atMSU underBob Tyler, Wallace earned hisBachelor of Science degree inPhysical Education in 1976 and stayed the following year to serve the Bulldogs as agraduate assistant coach.[1][2]
Wallace started his coaching career as a graduate assistant atMississippi State University in 1976. The following season, he joinedHall of Fame coachPat Dye's staff at East Carolina to coach defensive backs. He followed Dye to Wyoming and Auburn, before returning to his alma-mater Mississippi State as defensive coordinator. During his tenure at Auburn, Wallace was noted for recruiting standout running backBo Jackson.[3] In 1987, he coached defensive backs at Illinois.
Bobby Wallace's career as a head coach began in 1988 when he was named head coach at theUniversity of North Alabama (UNA) inFlorence, Alabama. He compiled a record of 82–36–1 in 10 seasons (1988–1997) at UNA, leading the Lions to three consecutiveDivision II national championships in 1993, 1994 and 1995. During those three seasons, the Lions recorded an overall record of 41–1, losing only to the eventualDivision I-AA national championYoungstown State in 1994. The 1995 UNA team was named the "Best Team of the Quarter Century" inDivision II.
Wallace'sUNA teams also won three consecutiveGulf South Conference championships (1993–1995), qualified for theDivision II playoffs six times, and sent 12 players to theNational Football League (NFL). In 1995, Lions linebackerRonald McKinnon became the first and, as of 2016, only defensive player to win theDivision IIHarlon Hill Trophy.[3] He resigned at UNA following the 1997 season to become the head coach atTemple University.
Wallace became the 23rd head coach atTemple University on December 7, 1997. He coached the Owls for eight seasons, compiling a record of 19–71. Although his first team at Temple finished 2–9, one of the wins became arguably one of the biggest upsets in college football history. On October 17, 1998, the 0–6 Owls traveled toBlacksburg, Virginia to play theVirginia Tech Hokies. The Owls overcame a 17–0 deficit and numerous injuries to upset the Hokies, 28–24. The win gave the Owls their first everBig East road win, and their first win over a ranked opponent in 11 years. Two weeks later, the Owls won again in improbable fashion, this time overcoming a 20–0 deficit to defeatPittsburgh.[4]
Although his teams were consistently good defensively, none of Wallace's eight Temple teams had winning records. The Owls were winless during his final season in 2005, and played as anNCAA Division I-A independent after losing theirBig East affiliation. During his tenure at Temple, Wallace had 12 players selected All-Big East. He coached All-AmericansDan Klecko andRian Wallace.
Wallace was hired to be the head coach at West Alabama in March 2006. Wallace's first UWA team went 6-5, achieving the program's first winning season since 1992. In 2009 West Alabama went 8-5 and made the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time since 1975. In 2010, he led the Tigers to a 7-4 record posting back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1991-92. Wallace retired from UWA following the 2010 season.[5][6]
On January 2, 2012, the University of North Alabama announced that Wallace would return as the Lions' ninth head football coach following the departure ofTerry Bowden. On September 26, 2015, Wallace coached North Alabama to a school-record tying 109th career win overFlorida Tech. On October 3, Wallace became the winningest head coach in program history notching his 110th win with a 34–12 victory overValdosta State.[7] In 2016 Wallace led the Lions to their fourth straight Gulf South Conference championship. It was the first time the feat had been accomplished in conference history.[8] The Lions went on to play for theNCAA Division 2 National Championship where they were defeated byNorthwest Missouri State[9] Wallace retired following the 2016 season finishing his career with a 126–51–1 record at UNA and 171–152–1 overall.[10]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | NCAA# | AFCA° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Alabama Lions(Gulf South Conference)(1988–1997) | |||||||||
| 1988 | North Alabama | 2–8 | 2–6 | 8th | |||||
| 1989 | North Alabama | 6–5 | 4–4 | 5th | |||||
| 1990 | North Alabama | 8–3 | 6–2 | T–2nd | LNCAA Division II First Round | 15 | |||
| 1991 | North Alabama | 3–7 | 1–5 | 7th | |||||
| 1992 | North Alabama | 7–4–1 | 3–2–1 | T–2nd | LNCAA Division II Second Round | T–16 | |||
| 1993 | North Alabama | 14–0 | 7–0 | 1st | WNCAA Division II Championship | 1 | |||
| 1994 | North Alabama | 13–1 | 7–0 | 1st | WNCAA Division II Championship | 1 | |||
| 1995 | North Alabama | 14–0 | 8–0 | 1st | WNCAA Division II Championship | 1 | |||
| 1996 | North Alabama | 6–5 | 4–4 | T–5th | |||||
| 1997 | North Alabama | 9–3 | 6–2 | 3rd | LNCAA Division II First Round | 13 | |||
| Temple Owls(Big East Conference)(1998–2004) | |||||||||
| 1998 | Temple | 2–9 | 2–5 | T–6th | |||||
| 1999 | Temple | 2–9 | 2–5 | T–6th | |||||
| 2000 | Temple | 4–7 | 1–6 | 7th | |||||
| 2001 | Temple | 4–7 | 2–5 | 6th | |||||
| 2002 | Temple | 4–8 | 2–5 | T–6th | |||||
| 2003 | Temple | 1–11 | 0–7 | 8th | |||||
| 2004 | Temple | 2–9 | 1–5 | T–6th | |||||
| Temple Owls(NCAA Division I-A Independent)(2005) | |||||||||
| 2005 | Temple | 0–11 | |||||||
| Temple: | 19–71 | 10–39 | |||||||
| West Alabama Tigers(Gulf South Conference)(2006–2010) | |||||||||
| 2006 | West Alabama | 6–5 | 3–5 | 6th | |||||
| 2007 | West Alabama | 1–9 | 0–8 | 11th | |||||
| 2008 | West Alabama | 4–7 | 2–6 | T–8th | |||||
| 2009 | West Alabama | 8–5 | 5–3 | T–3rd | LNCAA Division II Second Round | 21 | |||
| 2010 | West Alabama | 7–4 | 5–3 | 5th | |||||
| West Alabama: | 26–30 | 15–25 | |||||||
| North Alabama Lions(Gulf South Conference)(2012–2016) | |||||||||
| 2012 | North Alabama | 5–5 | 2–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 2013 | North Alabama | 10–3 | 5–1 | T–1st | LNCAA Division II Quarterfinal | 10 | |||
| 2014 | North Alabama | 9–2 | 6–1 | T–1st | LNCAA Division II First Round | 16 | |||
| 2015 | North Alabama | 9–3 | 6–1 | T–1st | LNCAA Division II Second Round | 15 | |||
| 2016 | North Alabama | 11–2 | 7–0 | 1st | LNCAA Division II Championship | 2 | |||
| North Alabama: | 126–51–1 | 74–31–1 | |||||||
| Total: | 171–152–1 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||