Rodgers, Franklin Cullen, 2002 June 27

This is a Living History interview with Pepper Rodgers class of 1955, conducted by Marilyn Somers on June 27, 2002 at his home in Reston, Virginia. The subject is Mr. Rodgers’s life, and experience at Georgia Tech. Mr. Rodgers was born in Atlanta, Georgia on October 8, 1931. He was nicknamed “Pepper” from birth after a famous baseball player, Pepper Martin. He attended Joe Brown Junior High and Brown High School before attending Georgia Tech. At Tech, Mr. Rodgers was a member of the football team. He played with Tech greats such as Leon Hardeman, Ray Beck, George Morris, and Hal Miller. Tech was undefeated during the 1951 and 1952 football seasons. In the 1953 season, Mr. Rodgers was named the most valuable player in the game against the University of Georgia and in the Sugar Bowl. Mr. Rodgers was married and had two children by the time he was twenty years old. Today he has six children and six grandchildren. After graduating from Tech as an Industrial Management major, Mr. Rodgers served time in the Air Force. While in the Air Force, he was able to be the offensive football coach at the Air Force Academy. Upon his completion of duty to the Air Force, Mr. Rodgers became an assistant coach for the University of Florida and then for the University of California. He later was the head football coach for the University of Kansas, UCLA, and Georgia Tech. Currently Mr. Rodgers is the Vice President of Football Operations for the Washington Redskins. Overall Mr. Rodgers has had a very enjoyable life, and he is proud of his Georgia Tech experience.