Rudy Hubbard

Rudy Hubbard is a former American football player and coach, best known for leading the Florida A&M Rattlers to the inaugural NCAA Division I-AA national football championship in 1978. A standout running back for the Ohio State Buckeyes under legendary coach Woody Hayes, Hubbard transitioned to coaching, serving as an assistant at his alma mater and at the United States Military Academy before his historic tenure at Florida A&M University. His coaching career also included roles in the National Football League with the Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Cincinnati Bengals.

Early life and education

Born in Columbus, Ohio, Hubbard attended East High School where he excelled in football and track. He accepted a scholarship to play for the Ohio State Buckeyes, joining a program renowned under the leadership of Woody Hayes. As a running back, Hubbard was part of teams that won consecutive Big Ten Conference championships and played in the 1968 Rose Bowl against the USC Trojans. He earned his degree from Ohio State University and was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

College coaching career

Hubbard began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Ohio State University from 1968 to 1970, contributing to teams that won the 1968 National Championship and the 1970 Rose Bowl. He then served as an assistant coach at the United States Military Academy under Tom Cahill from 1971 to 1973. In 1974, he was hired as the head football coach at Florida A&M University, a historically black university and member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. His tenure is most celebrated for the 1978 season, where the Rattlers defeated the Massachusetts Minutemen in the Pioneer Bowl to claim the first-ever NCAA Division I-AA national football championship. For this achievement, Hubbard received the Eddie Robinson Award as the national coach of the year.

Professional and later coaching career

Following his success at Florida A&M University, Hubbard moved to the National Football League. He was hired by Sam Rutigliano as an assistant coach for the Cleveland Browns in 1982, working with running backs. After the 1984 season, he joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff under Leeman Bennett for two seasons. His final NFL position was with the Cincinnati Bengals under Sam Wyche from 1987 to 1988, where he assisted with the team that later appeared in Super Bowl XXIII. After his NFL career, Hubbard retired from coaching and has been involved in various business and community initiatives in Ohio.

Head coaching record

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- ! Year ! Team ! Overall ! Conference ! Standing ! Bowl/playoffs ! Rankings |- | 1974 | Florida A&M | 7–4 | 3–2 | T–2nd | | |- | 1975 | Florida A&M | 7–4 | 4–1 | 2nd | | |- | 1976 | Florida A&M | 3–8 | 1–4 | T–5th | | |- | 1977 | Florida A&M | 7–4 | 4–1 | T–1st | W Orange Blossom Classic | |- | 1978 | Florida A&M | 12–1 | 5–0 | 1st | W Pioneer Bowl (D-IAA National Championship) | |- | 1979 | Florida A&M | 6–5 | 3–2 | T–2nd | | |- | 1980 | Florida A&M | 4–7 | 2–3 | T–4th | | |- | 1981 | Florida A&M | 2–6–3 | 1–3–1 | 5th | | |- ! colspan="2" | Florida A&M: ! 48–39–3 ! 23–16–1 |} *Conference championships: 1977, 1978 MEAC *National championship: 1978 NCAA Division I-AA national football championship

Legacy and honors

Hubbard's legacy is cemented by his historic 1978 championship victory, a landmark achievement for Florida A&M University and for HBCU athletics. He is a recipient of the prestigious Eddie Robinson Award and was inducted into the Florida A&M University Sports Hall of Fame. His success helped elevate the profile of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and the NCAA Division I Football Championship subdivision. His career trajectory from player under Woody Hayes to championship-winning coach and National Football League assistant reflects a significant impact on the sport across multiple levels.

Category:American football running backs Category:American football coaches Category:Florida A&M Rattlers football coaches Category:Ohio State Buckeyes football players