Rodgers, who coached USFL’S Showboats, dies at age 88
Pepper Rodgers, who coached the Memphis Showboats of the United States Football League, died Thursday at age 88 in Reston, Virginia.
Rodgers, who grew up in Atlanta and both played and coached at Georgia Tech, went 19-19 in two seasons with Memphis' USFL franchise in 1984-85 before the fledgling league folded.
He also coached the Memphis Mad Dogs in 1995 when the Canadian Football League expanded into the U.S., going 9-9, and was part of a group that tried to bring an NFL expansion franchise to Memphis in the mid-1990s.
Rodgers was a three-sport star at Brown High School in Atlanta, playing on an undefeated state championship football team in 1949.
At Georgia Tech, he played quarterback on teams that went 32-2-2 over his three seasons (freshmen were not eligible for varsity play during
his days), including a 12-0 season in 1952 that saw the Yellow Jackets share a national championship with Michigan State.
Dodd threw three touchdown passes in a Sugar Bowl victory over West Virginia the following season as a senior to win MVP honors, and is in the Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame.
He was drafted by the Baltimore Colts in the 12th round but went into the
Air Force, where he spent five years. After his service, he coached as an assistant at Air Force, Florida – where he was Steve Spurrier's position coach – and UCLA.
Rodgers served as head coach at Kansas, UCLA (where he was twice named Pac-10 coach of the year) and Georgia Tech, where he went 34-31-2 from 197479.
Rodgers served as vice president of football operation for the Washington Redskins of the NFL from 2001-04.
Rodgers is survived by Janet Lake Livingston, his wife of 45 years.