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Pepper Rodgers Obituary
A coach easily underestimated for his flamboyance and easygoing manner, Rodgers built winning teams at Kansas, UCLA and Tech. He remains, in fact, the last Kansas coach to win a conference championship, in 1968.
Born in Atlanta on Oct. 8, 1931, Franklin Cullen Rodgers was set on a path to coaching in high school, where he was a three-sport star at Brown High, now a middle school in Atlanta's West End. When Tech assistant coach Ray Graves came to the school to sign Rodgers' teammates off his powerhouse squad, Rodgers offered to come to Tech on a ""city scholarship,"" in which he lived at home during his freshman season. Graves and coach Bobby Dodd agreed.
From AJC: Larger than life, Pepper Rodgers led inimitable tenure at Georgia Tech
Read more about Pepper Rodgers on ajc.com
Memories and Condolences
for Pepper Rodgers
27 Entries
Fred Theos
February 4, 2022
Pepper and my brother Ted grew up together. They went to Capitol View Elementary school and Brown High school at the same time. His brother Allen and I were good friends. We grew up together, going to Capitol View Elementary and Sylvan High school. Allen and I played a lot of sports together. Enjoyed Pepper's Coaching as well as his playing time at Tech.
With Coach Rogers and Coach Collins 2019
Andy Smith
May 27, 2020
Anthony Geinzer
May 26, 2020
Coach Rodgers came into Atlanta and out of Atlanta the same way like a Hurricane. I feel like what is missing in this oft mimic Hurricane is this was the 1st of its kind and I feel we are missing huge parts of our College Football History increasingly.
Robert M
May 26, 2020
Loved him when he coached at Ga Tech & Memphis Showboats. Then I lucked up by working as a doorman checking id's at "Pepper's" a cool restaurant/bar in Memphis. He and his wife were so nice to me. I will never forget him. RIP Pepper.
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James Nail
May 26, 2020
What a legend before his time! Pepper Rodgers made watching a game entertaining, Wishbone or not! RIP, sir. Condolences to the family.
Tommy Bleick
May 25, 2020
To a life well lived. RIP my friend.
Tim Sawyer
May 24, 2020
1975 Season opener at South Carolina. Listened to the game with my father in Columbus on the radio. We were eating roasted peanuts. My father smoked a cigar. Everytime I either eat roasted peanuts or smell cigar smoke, I remember that night. It remains one of my favorite childhood memories. Sadly though, Tech lost 17-23.
Our 1st African American football student althetes!
Karl Barnes
May 24, 2020
Pepper, Pepper, Pepper! You changed "MaTech" forever! Gregory Horne and I rode around the state of Georgia in 1974 and talked with every major African American athlete about coming to GT. Also, Coach Jack Thompson worked Bill Stanley and me to set up an event at old Paschals' on Hunter Street for Pepper and his staff to meet Mayor Maynard Jackson!
Thank you Pepper!!!
Karl Barnes
Orson Swindle
May 24, 2020
Pepper and Tech teams were my heroes growing up in the early 50s down in Camilla GA. I knew I had to attend Tech. We would become friends when Pepper joined the Washington Redskins. Unique in every way, a truly good guy. GBU Pepper. GBU Livingston.
Curtis Davis
May 23, 2020
GodSpeed To A True TechMan.Great Memories.
Dan Dlugosz, GT '77
May 23, 2020
Rest in peace and THWG, Coach!
Bob Davis
May 23, 2020
What a guy! Bob Davis. ME 55
Jim Haskell
May 23, 2020
34-14...didn't miss one second of that rain soaked victory. The last game I attended in Athens. Never needed to return.
RIP Pepper
Lew Hege
May 17, 2020
We sat beside the Rodgers at "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" I told him I really liked him, but couldn't stand Georgia Tech. He chuckled and said, "you must be a Bulldog." Nice guy, RIP to one of the greats.
Ronald Lowe
May 15, 2020
Great Memories growing up in Atlanta and watching Tech run the wishbone. RIP COACH
Mark Taylor
May 15, 2020
Pepper Rodgers made me very proud to be a Tech fan. I will never a rainy freezing cold down in Athens when we ran the Dawgs out of Sanford Stadium 38 to 20. We were big time underdogs that day but Pepper Rodgers and the wishbone made us a threat every game . RIP Coach
May 15, 2020
Dated his daughter Terri way back when, called her "T.Rodgers and got to meet Pepper and Janet personally - a great couple..
May 15, 2020
Had the pleasure of escorting him and Janet several times as an officer of the Greater Birmingham Ga. Tech Club. They were Great to be with. Condolences and Prayers for the Family.
Clyde Olson
More than forty years ago and I still tell the "Pepper" stories. A unique coach that changed Georgia Tech Football forever. Bob Curley Class of '77
Bob Curley
May 15, 2020
Bob Curley
May 15, 2020
The man that changed football at Georgia Tech forever.
I still share the memories of my time with Pepper after more than forty years. RIP Coach.
Linda Aikins
May 15, 2020
We will miss this man! Hugs ti you Livingston!
David and Linda Aikins
May 15, 2020
One of the greatest days of my life occurred in the miserably cold wind and rain in Athens in 1974, I took my dad to the only Tech-Georgia game he ever attended, and together we enjoyed watching the merciless drubbing of the mutts, without ever completing a forward pass. At halftime, because of the terrible conditions, I asked my dad if he wanted to pack it up and leave. He gave me an emphatic NO, saying he was enjoying it too much. Thank you Pepper, for that incredible day and many other exciting one. RIP !!!
May 15, 2020
Thanks so very much for the spirit and soul.
Robert Cockerham
May 15, 2020
Pepper was a great football player and winning coach who tried to have fun while doing it. He will be missed.
Ed Gossage
May 15, 2020
We enjoyed some Glory Days,
Your classmate, teammate and friend, Ed
Jim Wilson
May 15, 2020
We love you, Coach. (The glory period is slipping away, yet we will forever have the memories of Glory Days - and you - with us!
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