Robert Sullivan (born c. 1937) is an American former college football coach. He was the head football coach for Carleton College from 1979 to 2000.
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1937 (age 86–87) |
| Alma mater | Saint John's University (1959) Wisconsin State College–River Falls |
| Playing career | |
| 1955–1956 | Saint John's (MN) |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1957 | Saint John's (MN) (assistant freshman) |
| 1958 | Saint John's (MN) (freshman) |
| 1959–1969 | Hill HS (MN) |
| 1970–1978 | Cooper HS (MN) |
| 1979–2000 | Carleton |
| 2001–2018 | Northfield HS (MN) (volunteer) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 101–114 (college) |
| Tournaments | 0–1 (NCAA D-III playoffs) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 1 MWC Blue Division (1979) 1 MIAC (1992) | |
| Awards | |
| MIAC (1992) Carleton 'C' Club (2002) | |
Career
editSullivan played college football for Saint John's for his freshman and sophomore year.[1]
As a junior at Saint John's in 1957, Sullivan was told by coach John Gagliardi that he would be better off as a coach rather than a player, so he helped coach the freshman football team.[1] As a senior in 1958, he was the head freshman coach.[1] In 1959, he began his high school coaching career as the head football coach for Hill High School.[2] He led the school to two state championships and were runner-ups four times. After eleven seasons, in 1970 he became the head football coach for Cooper High School.[2] He ended his tenure with Cooper winning twenty of his last 23 games. In 1979, he was hired as the head football coach for Carleton.[3][4][5][6] In 22 seasons as head coach he led the school to a 101–114 record. In 1979 he led the team to a Midwest Conference (MWC) Blue Division title.[7][8] In 1992, he had his best season as he finished the year going 9–2 and won the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) alongside a trip to the NCAA Division III playoffs.[2] He resigned following the 2000 season.[9][10] From 2001 to 2018 he served as a volunteer assistant coach under his son for Northfield High School.[11]
Honors
editIn 2002, Sullivan was inducted into the Carleton 'C' Club.[12]
In 2022, Carleton's football field was renamed in Sullivan's honor to Bob Sullivan Field.[11][13][14]
Head coaching record
editCollege
edit| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carleton Knights (Midwest Conference) (1979–1981) | |||||||||
| 1979 | Carleton | 4–5 | 4–0 | 1st (Blue) | |||||
| 1980 | Carleton | 6–3 | 6–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 1981 | Carleton | 7–2 | 6–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| Carleton Knights (Midwest Conference / Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1982) | |||||||||
| 1982 | Carleton | 6–2 | 4–1 / 0–0 | 2nd (South) / N/A[n 1] | |||||
| Carleton Knights (Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1983–2000) | |||||||||
| 1983 | Carleton | 2–8 | 1–8 | 10th | |||||
| 1984 | Carleton | 3–7 | 2–6 | 8th | |||||
| 1985 | Carleton | 5–5 | 4–5 | T–5th | |||||
| 1986 | Carleton | 7–3 | 6–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1987 | Carleton | 6–4 | 5–4 | T–4th | |||||
| 1988 | Carleton | 7–3 | 6–3 | 4th | |||||
| 1989 | Carleton | 7–3 | 6–3 | 3rd | |||||
| 1990 | Carleton | 5–5 | 5–4 | 6th | |||||
| 1991 | Carleton | 5–5 | 3–5 | T–7th | |||||
| 1992 | Carleton | 9–2 | 8–1 | 1st | L NCAA Division III First Round | ||||
| 1993 | Carleton | 6–4 | 5–4 | 5th | |||||
| 1994 | Carleton | 3–7 | 3–6 | 8th | |||||
| 1995 | Carleton | 3–7 | 3–6 | 8th | |||||
| 1996 | Carleton | 5–5 | 4–5 | T–5th | |||||
| 1997 | Carleton | 2–8 | 1–8 | 9th | |||||
| 1998 | Carleton | 2–8 | 1–8 | T–9th | |||||
| 1999 | Carleton | 2–8 | 1–8 | T–8th | |||||
| 2000 | Carleton | 1–9 | 1–8 | 9th | |||||
| Carleton: | 101–114 | 81–99 | |||||||
| Total: | 101–114 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
Notes
edit- ^ Ineligible for conference title
References
edit- ^ a b c Reusse, Patrick (December 7, 2000). "Gagliardi is going strong at age of 74". Star Tribune. p. 53. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Bob Sullivan - Professor of Phys Ed, Athletics & Recreation, Emeritu". Carleton College. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
- ^ "Jottings". Star Tribune. February 6, 1979. p. 22. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ "Prep points". Star Tribune. April 10, 1979. p. 23. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ "Carleton got coach it wanted in Sullivan". The Minneapolis Star. February 9, 1979. p. 29. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ "College notes". Star Tribune. February 7, 1979. p. 28. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ Paustian, John L. (November 9, 1979). "Vikings battle Carleton, seek first championship in 4 years". The Post-Crescent. p. 30. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ Curtin, Irwin (November 11, 1979). "Lawrence rips Carleton 52-7". Star Tribune. p. 51. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ "Carleton's Sullivan announces retirement". Star Tribune. November 1, 2000. p. 32. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ "Carleton football coach calling it quits". The Austin Daily Herald. November 1, 2000. p. 6. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ a b "Carleton to name football field after longtime coach Bob Sullivan". Carleton College. October 14, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
- ^ "2002 'C' Club Hall of Fame Inductees". Carleton Alumni Network. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
- ^ "Carleton to name football field after former head coach Bob Sullivan". Carleton College. October 14, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
- ^ Thompson, Pamela (October 17, 2022). "Legendary Carleton College coach honored with football field naming". Northfield News. Retrieved April 3, 2024.