Don Robinson ( American football ) Don William Robinson ( March 1 , 1922 - January 24 , 2009 ) was an American football player and coach . He played at the halfback and quarterback positions for the University of Michigan from 1941 to 1942 and , after serving as a heavy bomber pilot during World War II , from 1945 to 1946 . He also played and served as captain of the Michigan Wolverines baseball team . From 1948 to 1957 , he was an assistant football coach at Michigan . Football player and military service . Robinson was born in Detroit , Michigan in 1922 . He played football for the Michigan Wolverines football teams as a halfback in 1941 , 1942 , and 1946 . He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1947 . On October 11 , 1941 , Robinson scored a touchdown in a 40 - 0 victory over the Pitt Panthers on his first carry as a college football player . The " Michiganensian " reported : " In this game the spectators got their initial glimpse of triple - threat Don Robinson who in his first running attempt in collegiate competition shook off two would - be tacklers and scored the fifth Michigan marker of the afternoon . " In a 1942 victory over Notre Dame , Robinson was the holder on a fake field goal attempt . After the snap , " Robinson arose from his crouch and swirled around his left attend for a touchdown . " On February 22 , 1943 , Robinson enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces for the duration of World War II . He was a B - 25 Liberator heavy bomber pilot during the war , receiving two Distinguished Flying Cross es . Robinson missed the 1943 and 1944 football seasons while serving in the military , but he returned to Michigan in time for the 1945 and 1946 football seasons . Robinson was used increasingly as a passer in 1945 . In a 26 - 0 victory over Minnesota , Robinson threw passes of 44 and 12 yards for Michigan ' s final touchdown . In a 1946 victory over Michigan State , Robinson recovered the ball after a Michigan extra point attempt was blocked and passed the ball to Len Ford for the conversion . Robinson also played shortstop for Michigan ' s baseball team in 1943 and 1946 and served as the team ' s captain . He was also a member of the Chi Psi fraternity and the Sphinx Junior Honor Society at Michigan . Football coach . In March 1948 , Robinson was named the junior varsity football coach at Michigan . In March 1953 , Robinson was promoted to the varsity coaching staff and was assigned responsibility as the team ' s backfield coach . Amid speculation that head coach Bennie Oosterbaan might be fired after the 1956 season , Robinson resigned as Michigan ' s backfield coach in February 1957 . Robinson reportedly left his position on the coaching staff to pursue a position in business . Later years . Robinson remained active in the University of Michigan Alumni Association and served as president of the Michigan Alumni Clubs of Ann Arbor and Detroit . He was a leader in raising approximately $ 15 million in funds for Schembechler Hall and the University of Michigan Golf Course . He also served on the board of National Bank and Trust Company and as president of the Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce and of the Barton Hills Country Club . In the 1980s , Robinson began spending his winters in Vero Beach , Florida . He became a full - time resident of Vero Beach in 2006 and died there in January 2009 at age 86 . Robinson and his wife Marjorie had two children .