# Lees–McRae Bobcats football

The Lees–McRae Bobcats football team represented Lees–McRae College in college football at the NCAA Division II level. The Bobcats were independents, fielding its team as an independent from becoming a four-year college in 1991 until the program shut down in 1993.

## Conference affiliations

* Independent (1929–1931)
* North Carolina Junior College Conference (1932–1935)
* Independent (1936–1939)
* North Carolina Junior College Conference / Carolinas Junior College Conference (1946–1950)
* Western Carolina Junior College Conference (1951–1962)
* Region 10 Junior College Conference / Region 10 Conference (1963–1969)
* Coastal Football Conference (1971–1990)
* NCAA Division II independent (1991–1993)

## Championships
### Conference championships

Lees–McRae claims twelve conference titles, the last of which came in 1988.
| Year | Conference | Overall record | Conference record | Coach |
| 1948 | North Carolina Junior College Conference / Carolinas Junior College Conference | 6–1–1 | 4–0–1 | Fred I. Dickerson |
| 1949 | North Carolina Junior College Conference / Carolinas Junior College Conference | 9–2–1 | 5–0 | Fred I. Dickerson |
| 1950 | North Carolina Junior College Conference / Carolinas Junior College Conference | 7–1–1 | 5–0 | Fred I. Dickerson |
| 1951 | Western Carolina Junior College Conference | 4–2 | 3–2 | Fred I. Dickerson |
| 1953 | Western Carolina Junior College Conference | 8–2 | 5–1 | Fred I. Dickerson |
| 1954 | Western Carolina Junior College Conference | 5–0–3 | 4–0–2 | Fred I. Dickerson |
| 1955† | Western Carolina Junior College Conference | 4–3–1 | 2–1–1 | Fred I. Dickerson |
| 1956† | Western Carolina Junior College Conference | 4–3 | 2–2 | Fred I. Dickerson |
| 1960 | Western Carolina Junior College Conference | 7–1 | 6–0 | Fred I. Dickerson |
| 1967 | Region 10 Conference | 8–1–1 | 5–0–1 | George Litton |
| 1987 | Coastal Football Conference | 12–0 | 5–0 | Mac Bryan |
| 1988† | Coastal Football Conference | 9–2 | 4–1 | Mac Bryan |
† Co-champions

### Division championships

Lees–McRae claimed one division title, with the only one coming in 1975.
| Year | Conference | Overall record | Conference record | Coach |
| 1975 | Coastal Football Conference Southern Division | 7–3 | 4–2 | Warren Klawiter |

## Postseason games
### NJCAA playoff games

Lees–McRae appeared in the NJCAA playoffs just once, with an overall record of 0–1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1967 | Savannah Shrine Bowl | NE Oklahoma A&M | L, 35–13 |

### Bowl games

Lees–McRae participated in nine bowl games, and had a record of 2–7.
| Season | Coach | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
| 1949 | Fred I. Dickerson | Little Sugar Bowl | Wharton County | L, 49–0 |
| 1950 | Fred I. Dickerson | Golden Isles Bowl | South Georgia | L, 24–6 |
| 1953 | Fred I. Dickerson | Golden Isles Bowl | South Georgia | L, 20–7 |
| 1968 | George Litton | El Toro Bowl | Arizona Western | L, 27–6 |
| 1986 | Mac Bryan | East Bowl | Mississippi Gulf Coast | L, 14–13 |
| 1987 | Mac Bryan | East Bowl | Grand Rapids | W, 20–13 |
| 1988 | Mac Bryan | Mid-America Bowl | NE Oklahoma A&M | L, 36–7 |
| 1989 | Mac Bryan | East Bowl | Itawamba | W, 27–18 |
| 1990 | Mac Bryan | East Bowl | Butler County | L, 23–8 |

## List of head coaches
### Key

Key to symbols in coaches list :
| General | General | Overall | Overall | Conference | Conference | Postseason | Postseason |
| No. | Order of coaches | GC | Games coached | CW | Conference wins | PW | Postseason wins |
| DC | Division championships | OW | Overall wins | CL | Conference losses | PL | Postseason losses |
| CC | Conference championships | OL | Overall losses | CT | Conference ties | PT | Postseason ties |
| NC | National championships | OT | Overall ties | C% | Conference winning percentage | | |
| † | Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame | O% | Overall winning percentage | | | | |

### Coaches

List of head football coaches showing season(s) coached, overall records, conference records, postseason records, championships and selected awards :
| No. | Name | Season(s) | GC | OW | OL | OT | O% | CW | CL | CT | C% | PW | PL | PT | DC | CC | NC | Awards |
| 1 | Dick Flinn | 1929 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0.500 | | | | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Charlie Zimmerman | 1930–1931 | 16 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 0.406 | | | | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Don King | 1932 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0.313 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0.250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Fred I. Dickerson | 1933–1935, 1946–1961 | 153 | 75 | 62 | 16 | 0.542 | 51 | 38 | 12 | 0.564 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Johnny Mackorell | 1936–1939 | 29 | 9 | 19 | 1 | 0.328 | | | | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | George Litton | 1962–1969 | 77 | 41 | 32 | 4 | 0.558 | 15 | 22 | 2 | 0.408 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Jim Osborne | 1970 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0.591 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0.333 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Mike Cook | 1971–1974 | 37 | 22 | 14 | 1 | 0.608 | 12 | 10 | 1 | 0.543 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Warren Klawiter | 1975 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0.700 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0.667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Cole Proctor | 1976–1978 | 29 | 14 | 15 | 0 | 0.483 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0.375 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Bill Bomar | 1979 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0.600 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0.667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Soupy Campbell | 1980–1984 | 59 | 30 | 27 | 2 | 0.525 | 15 | 21 | 1 | 0.419 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Mac Bryan | 1986–1990 | 54 | 44 | 9 | 1 | 0.824 | 19 | 5 | 0 | 0.792 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | John Pate | 1991–1993 | 30 | 5 | 24 | 1 | 0.183 | | | | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Year-by-year results

| National champions | Conference champions | Division champions | Bowl game berth | Playoff berth |
| Season | Year | Head coach | Association | Division | Conference | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Postseason | Final ranking |
| Season | Year | Head coach | Association | Division | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | | | Postseason | Final ranking |
| Season | Year | Head coach | Association | Division | Conference | Win | Loss | Tie | Finish | Win | Loss | Tie | Postseason | Final ranking |
| Lees–McRae Bulldogs |||||||||||||||
| 1929 | 1929 | Dick Flinn | — | — | Independent | 2 | 2 | 0 | | | | | | |
| 1930 | 1930 | Charlie Zimmerman | — | — | Independent | 2 | 4 | 2 | | | | | | |
| 1931 | 1931 | Charlie Zimmerman | — | — | Independent | 3 | 4 | 1 | | | | | | |
| 1932 | 1932 | Don King | — | — | NCJCC | 2 | 5 | 1 | 8th | 1 | 4 | 1 | | |
| 1933 | 1933 | Fred I. Dickerson | — | — | NCJCC | 5 | 3 | 2 | T–3rd | 3 | 2 | 0 | | |
| 1934 | 1934 | Fred I. Dickerson | — | — | NCJCC | 3 | 6 | 0 | 4th | 2 | 2 | 0 | | |
| 1935 | 1935 | Fred I. Dickerson | — | — | NCJCC | 2 | 5 | 1 | 6th | 2 | 4 | 1 | | |
| 1936 | 1936 | Johnny Mackorell | — | — | Independent | 2 | 5 | 0 | | | | | | |
| 1937 | 1937 | Johnny Mackorell | — | — | Independent | 3 | 4 | 0 | | | | | | |
| Lees–McRae Bobcats |||||||||||||||
| 1938 | 1938 | Johnny Mackorell | IAA | — | Independent | 1 | 5 | 1 | | | | | | |
| 1939 | 1939 | Johnny Mackorell | IAA | — | Independent | 3 | 5 | 0 | | | | | — | — |
| No team from 1940 to 1945 |||||||||||||||
| 1946 | 1946 | Fred I. Dickerson | NJCAA | — | NCJCC / CJCC | 0 | 7 | 1 | 7th | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | — |
| 1947 | 1947 | Fred I. Dickerson | NJCAA | — | NCJCC / CJCC | 2 | 5 | 2 | 6th | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 1948 | 1948 | Fred I. Dickerson | NJCAA | — | NCJCC / CJCC | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1st | 4 | 0 | 1 | — | — |
| 1949 | 1949 | Fred I. Dickerson | NJCAA | — | NCJCC / CJCC | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1st | 5 | 0 | 0 | L Little Sugar Bowl | — |
| 1950 | 1950 | Fred I. Dickerson | NJCAA | — | NCJCC / CJCC | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1st | 5 | 0 | 0 | L Golden Isles Bowl | — |
| 1951 | 1951 | Fred I. Dickerson | NJCAA | — | WCJCC | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1st | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — |
| 1952 | 1952 | Fred I. Dickerson | NJCAA | — | WCJCC | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3rd | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — |
| 1953 | 1953 | Fred I. Dickerson | NJCAA | — | WCJCC | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1st | 5 | 1 | 0 | L Golden Isles Bowl | — |
| 1954 | 1954 | Fred I. Dickerson | NJCAA | — | WCJCC | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1st | 4 | 0 | 2 | — | — |
| 1955 | 1955 | Fred I. Dickerson | NJCAA | — | WCJCC | 4 | 3 | 1 | T–1st | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 1956 | 1956 | Fred I. Dickerson | NJCAA | — | WCJCC | 4 | 3 | 0 | T–1st | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — |
| 1957 | 1957 | Fred I. Dickerson | NJCAA | — | WCJCC | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4th | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 1958 | 1958 | Fred I. Dickerson | NJCAA | — | WCJCC | 1 | 5 | 2 | 4th | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | — |
| 1959 | 1959 | Fred I. Dickerson | NJCAA | — | WCJCC | 1 | 6 | 1 | 4th | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | — |
| 1960 | 1960 | Fred I. Dickerson | NJCAA | — | WCJCC | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1st | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| 1961 | 1961 | Fred I. Dickerson | NJCAA | — | WCJCC | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4th | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — |
| 1962 | 1962 | George Litton | NJCAA | — | WCJCC | 2 | 7 | 0 | 4th | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — |
| 1963 | 1963 | George Litton | NJCAA | — | R10 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 4th | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | — |
| 1964 | 1964 | George Litton | NJCAA | — | R10 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 4th | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | — |
| 1965 | 1965 | George Litton | NJCAA | — | R10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 4th | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — |
| 1966 | 1966 | George Litton | NJCAA | — | R10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 4th | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — |
| 1967 | 1967 | George Litton | NJCAA | — | R10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1st | 5 | 0 | 1 | L Savannah Shrine Bowl | 2 |
| 1968 | 1968 | George Litton | NJCAA | — | R10 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 2nd | 3 | 1 | 0 | L El Toro Bowl | 10 |
| 1969 | 1969 | George Litton | NJCAA | — | R10 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2nd | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 10 |
| 1970 | 1970 | Jim Osborne | NJCAA | — | CFC | 6 | 4 | 0 | 5th | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | — |
| 1971 | 1971 | Mike Cook | NJCAA | — | CFC | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2nd | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 1972 | 1972 | Mike Cook | NJCAA | — | CFC | 3 | 6 | 0 | T–4th | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | — |
| 1973 | 1973 | Mike Cook | NJCAA | — | CFC | 7 | 2 | 0 | 3rd | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — |
| 1974 | 1974 | Mike Cook | NJCAA | — | CFC | 6 | 3 | 0 | 4th | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | — |
| 1975 | 1975 | Warren Klawiter | NJCAA | — | CFC | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1st (Southern) | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | — |
| 1976 | 1976 | Cole Proctor | NJCAA | — | CFC | 5 | 4 | 0 | 3rd (Southern) | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — |
| 1977 | 1977 | Cole Proctor | NJCAA | — | CFC | 4 | 6 | 0 | 7th | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — |
| 1978 | 1978 | Cole Proctor | NJCAA | — | CFC | 5 | 5 | 0 | 6th | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | — |
| 1979 | 1979 | Bill Bomar | NJCAA | — | CFC | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2nd | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | — |
| 1980 | 1980 | Soupy Campbell | NJCAA | — | CFC | 7 | 3 | 0 | 5th | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | — |
| 1981 | 1981 | Soupy Campbell | NJCAA | — | CFC | 4 | 6 | 0 | 8th | 2 | 6 | 0 | — | — |
| 1982 | 1982 | Soupy Campbell | NJCAA | — | CFC | 6 | 3 | 1 | 3rd | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
| 1983 | 1983 | Soupy Campbell | NJCAA | — | CFC | 2 | 7 | 0 | 8th | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | — |
| 1984 | 1984 | Soupy Campbell | NJCAA | — | CFC | 5 | 5 | 0 | 6th | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | — |
| 1985 | 1985 | Soupy Campbell | NJCAA | — | CFC | 6 | 3 | 1 | 3rd | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — |
| 1986 | 1986 | Mac Bryan | NJCAA | — | CFC | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1st | 5 | 0 | 0 | L East Bowl | 4 |
| 1987 | 1987 | Mac Bryan | NJCAA | — | CFC | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1st | 5 | 0 | 0 | W East Bowl | 2 |
| 1988 | 1988 | Mac Bryan | NJCAA | — | CFC | 9 | 2 | 0 | T–1st | 4 | 1 | 0 | L Mid-America Bowl | 7 |
| 1989 | 1989 | Mac Bryan | NJCAA | — | CFC | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2nd | 3 | 1 | 0 | W East Bowl | — |
| 1990 | 1990 | Mac Bryan | NJCAA | — | CFC | 6 | 4 | 0 | 4th | 2 | 3 | 0 | L East Bowl | — |
| 1991 | 1991 | John Pate | NCAA | Division II | Independent | 1 | 9 | 0 | | | | | — | — |
| 1992 | 1992 | John Pate | NCAA | Division II | Independent | 1 | 9 | 0 | | | | | — | — |
| 1993 | 1993 | John Pate | NCAA | Division II | Independent | 3 | 6 | 1 | | | | | — | — |

## Individual accomplishments
### All-Americans

Lees–McRae produced 27 All-Americans with Robert Hardy being the only two-time All-American. Seventeen of the 27 were First Team.
| Year | Player | Position |
| 1960 | Terry Postell | RB |
| 1963 | Lane Hurley | TE |
| 1967 | Bill Martin | OG |
| 1968 | William Martin | OG |
| 1969 | Arthur Morrison | OG |
| 1975 | Wardell Johnson | RB |
| 1976 | Brian Johnson | LB |
| 1980 | Otis Lindsey | LB |
| 1980 | Russ Carpentiere | PK |
| 1981 | Andy Kilgore | RB |
| 1984 | Deron Farina | OL |
| 1986 | James Galloway | LB |
| 1987 | Robert Hardy | RB |
| 1988 | Robert Hardy | RB |
| 1988 | Craig Brawley | PK |
| 1989 | Richard Maddox | DL |
| 1990 | Jeff Fortner | OL |
| Year | Player | Position |
| 1956 | Allison Richardson | OG |
| 1970 | Carl Witherspoon | DT |
| 1971 | Ron Parson | RB |
| 1977 | Barry Tolley | OL |
| 1978 | Jeff Bridges | OL |
| 1982 | Larry Spears | |
| 1985 | Todd Daggs | |
| 1986 | Steve Debell | DL |
| 1987 | Randy Norris | RB |
| 1989 | Randal Olds | OL |
| Year | Player | Position |
| 1962 | Lane Hurley | TE |
| 1964 | Freddy Waltom | QB |
| 1965 | Cecil Ratcliff | TE |
| 1965 | Mike Sizemore | TE |
| 1966 | Ron Rossello | RB |
| 1967 | Danny Copenhaver | S |
| 1967 | Wally Matthews | RB |
| 1968 | George Porter | DL |
| 1975 | Frank Wilson | LB |
| 1975 | Ron Wilson | DL |
| 1975 | Henry Vinson | OL |
| 1976 | Paul Talley | |
| 1978 | Rick Crosby | |
| 1983 | Rusty Smith | |
| 1985 | Chris Ledbetter | |
| 1986 | Anthony Pearson | |
| 1987 | Wesley Pope | |
| 1988 | Calvin Tiggle | |