Robert Reese Neyland (February 17, 1892 - 1962) was an American football coach.

He was born in Greeneville, Texas and was appointed to the West Point by Congressman Sam Rayburn, graduating in 1916. He was a football and baseball star during his time there. He was commissioned as an officer in the Corps of Engineers and served in France during World War One. After the war he served as an aide to Douglas MacArthur, then superintendent at West Point, and became an assistant football coach.

Wanting to continue coaching, he became Professor of Military Science at the University of Tennessee. He became head coach of the Volunteers in 1926. He coached the team for nine years before being called to military service for one year in Panama. He then retired from the military in favor of coaching and returned to Tennessee.

He coached unbeaten Volunteer teams in 1938 and 1939, before being recalled to military service again in 1941. He retired from military service a second time, in 1946, with the rank of brigadier general, and again returned to the Volunteers as coach through 1952. He led then to a national championship in 1951. He then served as athletic director at the university until his death.

He remains the all-time winningest coach in Volunteer history with 173 wins in 213 games, 6 Southeastern Conference championships, and 2 NCAA championships. The stadium at the university is named in his honor.

He is also famous for composing the "7 Maxims of Football."

7 Maxims of Football

• The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.
• Play for and make the breaks and when one comes your way - SCORE.
• If at first the game - or the breaks - go against you, don't let up... put on more steam.
• Protect our kickers, our QB, our lead and our ball game.
• Ball, oskie, cover, block, cut and slice, pursue and gang tackle... for this is the WINNING EDGE.
• Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made.
• Carry the fight to our opponent and keep it there for 60 minutes.

Sources

Robert R. Neyland History Page