Bob Dove Robert Leo Patrick " Grandpappy " Dove ( February 21 , 1921 – April 19 , 2006 ) served as an All - America end at the University of Notre Dame and went on to play for eight seasons in the National Football League . Following his retirement as a professional player , Dove embarked on a 37 - year coaching career at the professional and collegiate levels . He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002 . Early years . Dove was born in Youngstown , Ohio , United States , a steel - production center located near the Pennsylvania border . Dove was a three - year starter at the city ' s South High School from 1936 – 38 ; and he was selected as an all - city player by the " Youngstown Vindicator " ( the local daily paper ) in his final year . College football and beyond . Dove went on to greater athletic feats at the University of Notre Dame , where he was a three - year starter at end from 1940 - 42 . He was a consensus All - American in his final two seasons . As a freshman in 1939 , he caught 15 passes for 87 yards from future Heisman Trophy winner Angelo Bertelli . Dove then became the first sophomore to start for the Notre Dame " Fighting Irish " in 11 seasons . He received the Knute Rockne Memorial Trophy in 1942 as the top lineman in the country and also played in the East - West Shrine All - Star Game . During his three seasons as a starter , Dove helped the Irish to a 22 - 4 - 3 record , including an undefeated ( 8 - 0 - 1 ) campaign in the first season of legendary coach Frank Leahy . In 1948 , Dove joined the NFL ' s Chicago Cardinals , where he played for five seasons . In 1953 , he was traded to the Detroit Lions and played on their 1953 and 1954 championship teams . He retired in 1955 . Coaching career . Dove was an assistant coach at the University of Detroit from 1955 – 57 , and then became an assistant for the Lions in 1958 - 59 , and for the Buffalo Bills in 1960 - 61 . He was head coach at Hiram College for seven seasons . He joined the Youngstown State University staff in 1969 , where he served as assistant under four coaches , including Jim Tressel . In 1987 , Dove was named " coach emeritus " and served in that position through the 1991 Division I - AA national championship season . Following a long illness , Dove died in Canfield , Ohio on April 19 , 2006 . His funeral was held at St . Michael ' s Roman Catholic Church in Canfield . Legacy . Beyond his 2002 induction into the College Football Hall of Fame , Dove was also a second - team selection on " Street & Smith ' s " All - Time Dream Team , which covered players from the first 50 years of its publication ( 1941 – 1990 ) . Dove was chosen at defensive end on the second team , ranked behind Ted Hendricks of Miami and Hugh Green of Pittsburgh , and alongside Bubba Smith of Michigan State . Earlier , in 1975 , Dove was one of 10 players inducted into the Citizens Savings Hall of Fame in Los Angeles . The other nine players were Ron Beagle , Navy ; Chuck Bednarik , Pennsylvania : Carl Diehl , Dartmouth ; Bill Fisher , Notre Dame ; Leroy Keyes , Purdue ; Tommy Nobis , Texas ; Greg Pruitt , Oklahoma ; Joe Romig , Colorado ; and Charles " Bubba " Smith , Michigan State .