In 1941, Robert Whittaker became head football coach and served for 14 years. He found immediate success in
his first season, guiding the Falcons to a 7-1-1 record. That would be the first of eight winning season posted to
start his coaching career, culminating in a perfect 8-0-1 record in 1948, a year which also saw the revival of the
athletic rivalry with the University of Toledo.
That perfect season was unfortunately the high point in his football coaching career, as aside from a 4-4-1 record in
1951 and an impressive 7-2 mark the following year, four of Whittaker's last six seasons resulted in losing records,
and he was replaced by Doyt Perry in 1955.
His coaching career wasn't over, however, as he returned to coach the track team, which he had led from 1941-48. He
would coach five more seasons, before retiring in 1960. In track, his teams won 77 meets and lost 40. The university
track is named in his honor.
He was inducted into the BG Hall of Fame in 1968.