Tommy Roberts
Inducted 2009
Hometown: Leander
High School: Leander High School
College: Southwest Texas State University
Best Known for: Football Coaching
Roberts resurrected San Benito for its first playoff trip in 1961, which is not surprising because Roberts has been a winner wherever he has gone.
A high school football star for Leander, Roberts played for Southwest Texas State University in the early 1960s and got his first head coaching job at Round Rock in 1967. He enjoyed five successful years there and then went to Freer, where he had four playoff teams in five years. He landed in Port Isabel in 1978, and the Tarpons were an amazing 47-4-1 from 1978-81, reaching the state semifinals in 1981 before losing to Cameron Yoe, 25-14.
Roberts later coached running backs for the San Benito Gunslingers in the USFL for two seasons before returning to the Valley to lead San Benito for 10 seasons. His innovative wide-open offense turned a dormant program around in San Benito.
His overall coaching record of 189-77-10 ranks among the top five in the Rio Grande Valley.