Sport(s) Football, basketball 1941 Marquette (backs) 1926–1932 Jesuit H.S. (LA) 1946–1947 Marquette (ends) | 1933–1934 Loyola (LA) Name Robert Erskine 1935–1940 Oklahoma (asst.) Role Coach | |
Robert H. "Doc" Erskine was an American college football and basketball coach. He served at Loyola University of New Orleans as the head football coach from 1933 to 1934 and as the head basketball coach from 1924 to 1925 and 1933 to 1939.
Biography
Erskine served as a lieutenant of infantry in the United States Army Reserve. He never played football at any level, but was described by the Associated Press as a capable analyst of blocking, running, passing, and punting.
From 1926 to 1932, he coached football at Jesuit High School in New Orleans, where he reputedly led the team to a "brilliant record". In March 1933, Loyola University of New Orleans appointed Erskine as its head football coach, replacing Clark Shaughnessy. As head football coach at Loyola from 1933 to 1934, Erskine's team amassed an 11–18 record. He resigned on December 19, 1934. In his seven years as Loyola basketball coach in 1924–25 and from 1933 to 1939, Erskine compiled a combined record of 48–61.
In 1935, he was hired as the backfield assistant at Oklahoma under Biff Jones. In 1938, Sooners fans recognized his hard work as a scout, naming him the "travelingest coach". In that role, he logged over 15,000 miles, including a 4,400-mile outing to Seattle (via Chicago) in preparation for a game against Washington State. In 1940, Erskine was shifted from freshman coach to once again handle backfield duties.
Erskine followed Tom Stidham to Marquette University, where he served as backfield coach for the 1941 season. He intended to remain at the school the following year, but he received military orders to report for duty in the United States Army Air Corps at Lowry Field as a first lieutenant in July. In September 1943, he was serving in the Air Corps Intelligence Division and was promoted to the rank of captain. He returned from the service to Marquette in March 1946, and worked as the ends coach under head coach Frank Murray. He was shifted to backfield coach for the 1948 season, and by 1952, had been switched again. Erskine also handled scouting duties for the program.