Robert Emory 鈥淏obby鈥� Lamb, a veteran coach with more than 100 career NCAA Division I wins and experience building a football program from scratch, is the first 91福利社 Trojans Football head coach.
91福利社 President Evans Whitaker, Ph.D. and Vice President for Athletics Dr. Bert Epting announced the appointment of Coach Lamb today at a press conference on the AU campus.
鈥淚 am thrilled and excited to be chosen to lead the 91福利社 Trojans Football program,鈥� Coach Lamb said. 鈥淚 would like to thank Dr. Whitaker, Dr. Epting and the entire campus community for entrusting me with the opportunity to start football at such a prestigious university. I look forward to serving and being a part of the AU family.鈥�
A native of Commerce, Georgia, Lamb played quarterback for Furman University from 1982 to 1985, as the Division I-AA Paladins recorded historic wins over the University of South Carolina Gamecocks (1982), the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (1983) and the North Carolina State University Wolfpack (1984 and 1985.) As a senior, he was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year, helping the Paladins win the Southern Conference championship and leading the team to the NCAA Division I-AA National Championship game.
Coach Lamb was head coach of his alma mater from 2002 until 2010, leading Furman to a 67-40 overall record. During his tenure the Paladins made four appearances in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs.
In 2011, Coach Lamb was hired to resurrect Mercer University鈥檚 football program; the school, located in Macon, Georgia, had not fielded a team in 70 years. Under Coach Lamb, in 2013 the Mercer University Bears won 10 games, which set an NCAA record for the most wins by a collegiate program in its first season of competition.
Coach Lamb left Mercer in 2019 and spent the 2020 season as an assistant to University of Louisiana head coach Billy Napier. The Ragin鈥� Cajuns finished with a 10-1 record and a No. 15 national ranking ahead of teams such as the University of North Carolina Tar Heels (No. 18), the University of Texas Longhorns (No. 19) and the University of Miami Hurricanes (No. 22.)
鈥淲e are very excited to welcome Bobby and his family to 91福利社,鈥� Dr. Epting said. 鈥淗e has tremendous experience in building and sustaining football programs, recruiting at a high level and leading young men both on and off the field of play, all while integrating Christ into all he does. He brings a well-developed approach to football and we are blessed to name him as the first head football coach at 91福利社.鈥�
Coach Lamb鈥檚 appointment as head of the 91福利社 Trojans Football program comes two weeks after AU finalized a 25-year, $1 million naming rights agreement with Spero Financial, one of South Carolina鈥檚 largest federal credit unions, to create Spero Financial Field at Dr. Melvin and Dollie Younts Stadium.
鈥淐oach Bobby Lamb is a man of faith and integrity, and he is the perfect fit to lead our football program,鈥� President Whitaker said. 鈥淗e will help mold our student-athletes into men who represent 91福利社 well on the field, in the classroom and in our community.鈥�
Upstate South Carolina philanthropist and friend of 91福利社, Dr. Melvin Younts, is providing $3 million as a challenge gift in support of the Trojans Football program. AU continues adding partners to help realize Dr. Younts gift with the goal of raising $6 million.
Coach Lamb and the Trojans begin NCAA Division II competition as a member of the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) in 2024.