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Bob Blaik

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Bob Blaik
Biographical details
Alma materColorado College
Playing career
1949–1950Army
Position(s)Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1951Colorado College (backfield)
1956Minnesota (backfield)
1957–1958Miami (backfield)
1959–1960Oklahoma (backfield)

Robert Blaik is a former American football player and coach. He was the son of United States Military Academy head football coach Earl Blaik and played for his father until he was dismissed from the team due to his involvement in a cheating scandal.

Early life

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Blaik played football, baseball, and ice hockey at Highland Falls High School in Highland Falls, New York.[1][2][3] In 1947, he played quarterback at Phillips Exeter Academy.[4]

College

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Blaik entered the United States Military Academy in 1948. He made the varsity football team in 1949 and spent the year as the backup behind Arnold Galiffa. He received some playing time late in certain victories.[5] He threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Frank Fischl in a 42–7 victory over Penn State and scored two touchdowns (one passing and one rushing) in a 63–6 victory over Columbia.[6][7]

Galiffa graduated in 1950 and Blaik replaced him as starting quarterback.[8] Army won its first eight games of the season to extend its unbeaten streak to 28 games.[9] However, in the season-ending Army–Navy Game, the Cadets were upset by the Midshipmen 14–2.[10] In that game, Blaik and Fischl completed 6 of 24 passes for 60 yards and threw 5 interceptions.[11] Blaik also earned letters in baseball and ice hockey.[12]

Prior to the start of the 1951 season, 90 cadets, including Blaik and 42 other members of the football team, were found to have cheated on exams. The students were required to withdraw from the academy or receive a general discharge.[13] Blaik enrolled at Colorado College on September 11, 1951.[14] However, he was ineligible to play football because the NCAA required a transferring player to sit out a year.[15] He instead served an unofficial assistant to coach William C. Heiss.[16] Blaik was chosen by former Army assistant Herman Hickman to be a member of the North team in that year's North–South Shrine Game.[15] The South, led by Bill Wade won 35–7, with the North's only touchdown coming on a 42-yard pass from Blaik to Johnny Turco.[17]

Post-playing career

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Blaik assisted Heiss during the 1952 spring football practice.[16] After receiving his bachelor of arts degree, he worked at the Stratford Army Engine Plant, where he was an expeditor in the purchasing department of the Bridgeport–Lycoming division of Avco.[18]

In 1956, Blaik became an assistant coach under former Army assistant Murray Warmath at Minnesota.[19] In 1957, he joined the coaching staff at Miami.[20] Miami's head coach, Andy Gustafson, was an assistant to Earl Blaik at Dartmouth and Army and had known the younger Blaik since he was five years old.[21] In 1959, Blaik became the backfield coach at Oklahoma.[22] He resigned after the 1960 season to enter private business.[23]

In 1961, Blaik joined his brother, Bill, in the oil business in Oklahoma.[24] In 1973, he moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he was a cattle rancher and broker.[25] As of 2018, he resides in Scottsdale, Arizona.[26]

References

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  1. ^ "Bob Blaik Breaks Collar Bone as Suffern Repulses Highland Falls, 12 to 0". The Newburgh News. October 1, 1945. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  2. ^ Gill, Bo (June 13, 1945). "Tuxedo Smashes Highland Falls, 10 to 4". The Newburgh News. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  3. ^ "Alex Kosofsky Leads Fallsmen To Hockey Win". The Newburgh News. February 11, 1947. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  4. ^ Moshier, Jeff (November 18, 1947). "Playing Square". The Evening Independent. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  5. ^ "Army Coach's Son Moves Up To End 'Dynasty Of Arnolds'". Lewiston Morning Tribune. November 30, 1949. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  6. ^ "Bob Blaik Shows Much Poise As He Hurls Touchdown Pass". The Newburgh News. October 3, 1949. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  7. ^ "Army Smothers Columbia 63–6". The Sunday Morning Star. October 23, 1949. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  8. ^ Rice, Grantland (November 27, 1949). "Grantland Rice Says..." The Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  9. ^ "Weekend Grid Stars". The Telegraph-Herald. November 20, 1950. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  10. ^ Grimsley, Will (December 4, 1950). "Navy Upsets Army, 14-2, But Stands Pat on De-Emphasis". The Day. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  11. ^ Considine, Bob (December 2, 1950). "Enraged Middies Stop Army, 14-2". The Deseret News. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  12. ^ "Letter Winner". The Leader-Post. January 5, 1951. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  13. ^ McHugh, Roy (August 11, 1951). "Sports Week in Review". The Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  14. ^ "Colorado College Enrolls Bob Blaik". The Free Lance-Star. September 11, 1951. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  15. ^ a b "Bob Blaik In All-Star Game". The Washington Observer. December 14, 1951. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  16. ^ a b "Blaik At Colorado". Schenectady Gazette. March 6, 1952. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  17. ^ "Wade Stars As South Routs, North 35-7". Painesville Telegraph. December 26, 1951. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  18. ^ Cohen, Sam (July 20, 1962). "Ex-Army Grid Ace Joins Avco Staff". Sunday Herald. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  19. ^ "Minnesoto (sic) Hires Bob Blaik As Assistant Coach". Herald-Journal. March 1, 1956. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  20. ^ "Bob Blaik At Miami". Star-News. February 12, 1957. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  21. ^ Gill, Bo (February 21, 1957). "Stray Boots". The Newburgh News. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  22. ^ "Bob Blaik Takes Sooner Grid Post". Eugene Register-Guard. January 18, 1959. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  23. ^ "Blaik Resigns From OU Staff". The Altus Times-Democrat. December 11, 1960. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  24. ^ "Blaik Goes For Oil". The Evening Independent. February 21, 1961. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  25. ^ Gill, Bo (February 9, 1977). "Stray Boots". The Evening News. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  26. ^ Tramel, Berry (September 18, 2018). "OU-Army connections: Bud Wilkinson hired Red Blaik's son, despite scandal". The Oklahoman. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
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