Baton Rouge, LA (CSTV U-WIRE) -- Eddie Robinson's 408 victories at Grambling State University makes him one of the winningest coaches in college football history, but it was his golden smile that won the hearts of alumni, fans, friends, faculty and students.

Although Robinson, or Coach Rob as he's affectionately called, retired in 1997, many still embrace the legacy Robinson left behind. However, it didn't happen over night.

Before leading Grambling to nine national Black College Championships and "raising" more than 200 pro football players - four of which are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame - the Jackson, Louisiana native studied his craft.

Robinson, who attended McKinley High School in Baton Rouge, went to Leland College - a now defunct school - where he played quarterback. Although a diligent student and dedicated football player, Robinson still found time to daydream about a young lady named Doris.

Doris, the daughter of a railroad worker and schoolteacher, had known Robinson since the age of 13. "As soon as we got into high school we were mainly looking at each other," Robinson's wife Doris said. "We had a lot of ups and downs because we fell in love too soon."

But it was that love that eventually brought Doris to Leland College where she and Eddie graduated together. Three weeks after graduation, the two were married.

As long as she had known Eddie, Doris said she remembers him having a job holding down gigs such as a shoe shiner and paperboy. However, Doris also recalls her husband maturing along the way.

"The jobs grew as he grew," Doris said.

In 1941,Grambling was in need of a football coach. Doris's aunt had mentioned Eddie to Grambling's President at the time, R.W.E. Jones. The next time Jones came to Baton Rouge, he offered Robinson a job at Grambling - then known as Louisiana Negro Normal and Industrial Institute - as a coach and teacher for $63.75 a month.

Right away Robinson faced problems building a program as America became entangled in World War II making for a lack of able-bodied men on campus. But Doris said Eddie found a way around the hurdle.

"He borrowed somebody's bus and filled it up with men from his Baton Rouge hangouts and people got to go to college," Doris said of her husband, who was also drafted, but the war ended on the day he was scheduled to leave.

With the war behind him Robinson continued to focus on making Grambling State one of the most respected football programs in the country. Yet, the man Doris referred to as a great husband and father also served as a father to his players. Lore has it that if he heard that a certain player was not attending class, Robinson would track him down and make him report to class.

Sammy White, Grambling's current defensive coordinator, played under coach Robinson and said playing for Coach Rob was a "wonderful experience."

"We learned a lot on and off the field. He taught us not to just be a good black man, but a good American," said Robinson, who taught his players to be well-groomed gentlemen at all times. "I want to use a lot of the same qualities coach Robinson showed me to coach our guys these days."

White said although Robinson, who is suffering from Alzheimer's disease, barely gets out anymore he was honored that Coach Rob still remembered him when the football team visited Robinson at his home recently.

"He did remember me, and that's very special. He meant a lot to me and I hope I meant something to him," White said.

(C) 2005 Southern Digest via CSTV U-WIRE