January 26, 2015

Highlighted Year: Glenn Dobbs, 1948

Tailback/Defensive Back, Los Angeles Dons





Age:  28
3rd season in pro football, 2nd with Dons
College: Tulsa
Height: 6’4”   Weight: 210

Prelude:
A star tailback and punter in college, Dobbs was chosen by the Chicago Cardinals in the first round of the 1943 NFL draft, but went into the military instead. After starring in service football, he joined the Dodgers of the new AAFC in 1946, a club that utilized a single-wing attack. Brooklyn went only 3-10-1, but Dobbs led the circuit in passing yards (1886) as well as punting (47.8 avg.) and was named MVP by the league. In a major trade early in the 1947 season, Dobbs was dealt to the Los Angeles Dons. Playing quarterback in the T-formation, his performance suffered, but in ’48 a new head coach, Jimmy Phelan, created a new offense (the Phelan spread) in order to more fully utilize Dobbs’ talents.

1948 Season Summary
Appeared in all 14 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing
Attempts – 369 [1]
Completions – 185 [1]
Yards – 2403 [4]
Completion percentage – 50.1 [5]
Yards per attempt – 6.5 [7]
TD passes – 21 [3]
Most TD passes, game – 4 vs. Chicago 10/8
Interceptions – 20 [2]
Passer rating – 67.4 [5]

Rushing
Attempts – 91 [14]
Yards – 539 [11]
Yards per attempt – 5.9 [5]
TDs – 4 [13, tied with four others]

Pass Receiving
Receptions – 2
Yards – 11
Yards per catch – 5.5
TDs - 0

Punting
Punts – 68 [1]
Yards – 3336 [1]
Average – 49.1 [1]
Punts blocked – 3 [1]

Interceptions
Interceptions – 1
Return yards – 32
TDs – 0

Kickoff Returns
Returns – 2  
Yards – 38
Average per return – 19.0
TDs – 0

Scoring
TDs – 4         
Points – 24

Awards & Honors:
2nd team All-NFL/AAFC: Sporting News
2nd team All-AAFC: League, UPI, NY Daily News

Dons went 7-7 to finish third in the AAFC Western Division.

Aftermath:
Injuries significantly diminished Dobbs’ performance in 1949, and with the demise of the AAFC following that season, he retired from pro football. After an absence of a year, in which he was a sportscaster in Tulsa, Dobbs joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Canada, playing three more seasons (and winning MVP honors in the Western league, the WIFU, in ’51) before further injuries set in, and serving as a player/coach. Overall, in the AAFC he passed for 5876 yards and 45 TDs, rushed for 1039 yards and 12 TDs, and had a 46.4 punting average. In Canada, Dobbs passed for 5196 yards and 51 TDs, rushed for 241 yards and 7 TDs, and had a 44.7 punting average. He returned to his alma mater, Tulsa, where he was athletic director and head football coach. 

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose: Total Yards
Defense: Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff Returns: Average
Punt Returns: Average
Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970