Football

Robert Emory “Bobby” Lamb, a veteran coach with more than 100 career NCAA Division I wins and experience building a football program from scratch, was named the first-ever head coach in AU football history, July 13, 2021.

Anderson University President Evans Whitaker, Ph.D. and Vice President for Athletics Dr. Bert Epting announced the appointment at a press conference on the AU campus.

“I am thrilled and excited to be chosen to lead the Anderson University Trojans Football program,” Coach Lamb said. “I 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.”

A native of Commerce, Georgia, Lamb played quarterback for Furman University from 1982 to 1985, leading the Division I-AA Paladins to historic wins over 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 for nine seasons (2002-2010), leading Furman to a 67-40 overall record. During his tenure the Paladins made four appearances in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. He coached Furman to the 2004 regular season league championship - and was named league coach of the year - and four NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoff appearances (2002, '04, '05, and '06). His 2005 squad posted the highest number of wins, notching an 11-3 record and semifinal finish in NCAA Football Championship Subdivision.

Including his 16 seasons as an assistant coach – where he spent the majority of his time as the passing game coordinator and working with quarterbacks – Lamb’s Furman teams compiled a composite record of 193-105-3 (.646) in 25 seasons.

Over his last six years in Greenville, Furman's football program posted the highest NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) and Graduation Success Rate (GSR) among SoCon schools competing for the league championship.

Lamb's tenure at Furman produced 15 All-Americans, 87 All-SoCon selections, including two Jacobs Blocking Award recipients and one player of the year, a pair of CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, and the 2006 NACDA National Scholar Athlete of the Year. In addition, 10 Paladins signed professional contracts, including three NFL Draft selections.

Lamb's Furman tenure spanned 29 seasons, beginning in 1982. A four-year letterman and two-year starter, he twice earned All-SoCon honors as a quarterback and was a member of three SoCon championship teams. As a senior in 1985 he led the nation in passing efficiency and was named SoCon Player of the Year while helping Furman to a 12-2 campaign and national runner-up finish.

With Lamb at the helm, Furman produced 15 All-Americans, 87 All-SoCon selections, including two Jacobs Blocking Award recipients and one player of the year, a pair of CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, and the 2006 NACDA National Scholar Athlete of the Year. In addition, 10 Paladins signed professional contracts, including three NFL Draft selections, over a nine-year span.

Following graduation in 1986, he remained at his alma mater as an assistant coach, serving first under Jimmy Satterfield (1986-93) and Bobby Johnson (1994-01) before being named Furman's 21st head coach following the 2001 season.

A 1995 inductee into Furman's Athletics Hall of Fame, he was a member of nine of university's 12 Southern Conference championship teams in the capacity of player, assistant coach, or head coach.

In 2011, Coach Lamb was hired to resurrect Mercer University’s football program; the school, located in Macon, Georgia, had not fielded a team in 70 years. Under Coach Lamb, in 2013 the Bears won 10 games, which set an NCAA record for the most wins by An NCAA D-I program in its first season of competition. The win total also set a Mercer school record for victories, surpassing the previous mark (7), which was previously set by the 1931 & 1932 squads. For his efforts, Lamb finished third in the PFL Coach of the Year voting & ranked among the top 11 finalists for FCS National Coach of the Year.

Lamb earned his 100th career victory during the 2018 campaign in a 45-3 win over Jacksonville on Sept. 8.

He mentored 55 all-conference student-athletes over seven seasons, including a program-record 12 Bears who captured all-conference honors at the conclusion of the 2017 season, led by freshman quarterback Kaelan Riley, who was named the SoCon Freshman of the Year.

Coach Lamb left Mercer in 2019 and spent the 2020 season as an assistant to University of Louisiana head coach Billy Napier. The Ragin’ Cajuns finished with a 10-1 record and a No. 15 national ranking ahead of teams such as the North Carolina Tar Heels (No. 18), the Texas Longhorns (No. 19) and the Miami Hurricanes (No. 22.)

“We are very excited to welcome Bobby and his family to Anderson University,” Dr. Epting said. “He 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 Anderson University.”

Coach Lamb’s appointment as head of the Anderson University Trojans Football program came two weeks after AU finalized a 25-year, $1 million naming rights agreement with Spero Financial, one of South Carolina’s largest federal credit unions, to create Spero Financial Field at Dr. Melvin and Dollie Younts Stadium.

“Coach Bobby Lamb is a man of faith and integrity, and he is the perfect fit to lead our football program,” President Whitaker said. “He will help mold our student-athletes into men who represent Anderson University well on the field, in the classroom and in our community.”

Coach Lamb and the Trojans are scheduled to begin NCAA Division II competition as a member of the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) in 2024.

Lamb is married to the former Allyson Acker. The couple has two children - a daughter, Sallie, and a son, Taylor.

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