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From athletic fields throughout the Southeast to battlefields halfway around the world, Harold Hope “Red” Roberts, III, has carved out a legacy of leadership and devotion to duty equal to few other of his peers. This past June, the former head football coach of the Franklin County Rebels and Moore County Raiders added another honor to his growing list of accolades.

The Army recognized his superior career as an Officer Candidate School graduate with nomination and induction into the U.S. Army Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame at Ft. Moore (formerly Ft. Benning), GA.  This was just the latest in a long list for Roberts.

As a part of a high school state championship – caliber football program near his home town of Brunswick, GA, in the sixties, Roberts showed early prowess as both an individual star and teammate, resulting in election into that areas’ Georgia Sports Hall of Fame as part of the state championships in 2012 AND as an individual athlete in 2020.

This led to a scholarship to play for Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN, in the late sixties, where he was a 1979 inductee into the APSU Athletic Hall of Fame because he made the Associated Press First Team All-American Team in 1970 and First Team All-Ohio Valley Conference End from 1967-1970. He is revered there as a player who up until recently held most of the school’s and conference’s receiving and other offensive statistical records.

Upon graduation and after a brief shot at the NFL, Red moved into teaching and coaching, married his college sweetheart Stephanie, and began a military career, all of which would continue to recognize his leadership skills with inductions into various halls of fame.

His football coaching career began at  Brunswick High School as an assistant in 1973, then on to Todd County High in Elkton, KY, before becoming the Head Football Coach at Moore County High School from 1974-1979 and Assistant Principal and Head Football Coach/Athletic Director and teacher at Franklin County High School from 1979-1998. This career resulted in a 182-93 won-loss record, with trips to State Football Playoffs and numerous bowl appearances. He retired from coaching in 1998, but continued to sharpen his leadership skills as a Principal at South Middle (then J.D. Jackson Junior High), Franklin County High School, and Marshall County High School.

His stint in the military ran parallel to his coaching and administrative journey, with graduation from the U.S. Army’s Officer Candidate School in 1974 and appointment as a second lieutenant.  He balanced a successful coaching life with steady progress through the military ranks in the Tennessee Army National Guard in Field Artillery and Armor branches, and the Tennessee Military Academy, where he was the senior tactical officer teaching leadership skills to the officer prospects under his supervision. Serving in command positions at the company/battery/troop, battalion/squadron, and higher levels led to an assignment as U.S. Liaison Officer to the International Security Assistance Force in Kabal, Afghanistan in 2003 – 2004 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was awarded the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, NATO Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Terrorism Expeditionary Medal as a result of his service there. He retired from the Tennessee Army National Guard as a full Colonel after 32 years, 1 month, and 27 days.

As a result of the tremendous respect of his peers, so far Red has been inducted into the following shrines: 

Number 84 jersey retired at APSU 1992.

Austin Peay State University Athletic Hall of Fame 1979.

Glynn County, Georgia Sports Hall of Fame Team Member 1964.

Glynn Academy Georgia State Football Championship Team 2012.

Franklin County High School Football Hall of Fame 2014.

Glynn County Georgia Sports Hall of Fame – Individual 2020.

Tennessee Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame 2020.

Ohio Valley Conference 75^th Anniversary Football Team 2023.

U.S. Army Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame 2024.

Coach/Colonel Roberts is still under consideration for the APSU Military Hall of Fame and the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) Hall of Fame.

Thousands of individuals including this author have benefitted and been inspired by him from their association with Red as a student, player, coaching colleague, or military veteran. His long-time assistant coach at FCHS Mike Finney says that, “Red was always genuine when dealing with people.  He reacted calmly to adversity, and his leadership was such that he helped coaches and players work through tough times.”

And that’s the way it oughta be. 

A writer, poet, musician, and dreamer, Alan Clark is a retired US Army Colonel, former Chief Technology Officer, football, baseball, and tennis coach, Past District Governor of Rotary International, radio host and general manager, and holds a Doctorate in Education from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. His editorials have been published by Lakeway Publishers, Inc., and he is the author of several books and monographs. He was the recipient of awards for his editorials by the UT/Tennessee Press Association in 2019, 2021, and 2022.