Harlan Robinson

Kenneth Harlan Robinson played football at Ranburne, quarterbacking the team from 1955-57. After graduation, he attended Livingston University. Robinson returned home to replace Lindley Ayers, his former mentor, as athletic director and coach of all sports. When Coach Robinson returned to his old high school in 1962, no apprenticeship was available to him to slowly learn and progress with the system, so he was thrown directly into the fray of being head coach only three months after his graduation from college Between 1964 and 1968, his Bulldog teams were unbeaten in twenty-nine straight games. His 1975 team won a State Championship with Ranburne defeating Sweet Water 22-7. It capping off a season in which Sweet Water had allowed only 19 points all season long prior to the title game. Robinson also coached eight undefeated teams through the regular season and his team made eighteen playoff appearances. Ranburne won ten area and region titles during his tenure. His overall record stands at 238 wins, 116 losses and 9 ties. During his 38 years of coaching football at Ranburne, Coach Robinson has seen much success, he has won two state football championships, one in 1966, prior to the state playoff system, and again in 1975. His teams made 18 appearances in state playoffs. Robinson, in addition to his duties as head football coach, for 21 years also coached the basketball team, leading them to a fourth place finish in the 1964 state tournament. His 1966 squad was runner-up to Class 1A champion Pleasant Home. He was named coach of the year in both basketball and football and coached in the basketball and football all-star games During his 37 year career only six of his teams failed to have a winning record. Robinson was inducted into the Alabama High School Athletic Associations Hall of Fame in 2000. Mr. Robinson also was named Coach of the Year in 1966 and was selected to help lead the North-South All Star game the same year.