JOHNSON
Robert Stewart was a bruising, muscular football star in Houston County in the 1980s and later an All-American at the University of Alabama, but that’s something else his high school coach, Bubba Odom, remember the most.
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“A smile – and he made others smile,” Odom said. “As an athlete, he was so humble.”
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Stewart died Saturday morning, Odom confirmed, in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he has lived since retiring from professional football. Details of the death were not available. Stewart was 55 years old.
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“He broke every type of record you can think of in high school at that time, and then in Alabama he set all the weightlifting records… some of them may have already been broken; I’m not sure,” Odom said.
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“But it didn’t matter to him. What mattered to him was the team and the people around him. He was just nice, and that’s how his whole family was.
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Odom coached Robert along with his three brothers – Frank, James and David.
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“Their parents never asked for anything for these children,” Odom said. “It was about what can we do? And that’s how Robert was.
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On the football field during his days at Houston County High at Columbia, Stewart was a tough tailback who rushed for 4,471 yards from 1982 to 1985. He had his best season as a junior when he rushed rushed for 2,155 yards, helping the Lions advance to the state playoffs.
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“I didn’t play him much in defense because he ran the ball so much for us,” Odom said. “I didn’t want to wear him out.”
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He was recruited by colleges across the country. Odom recalled a visit from an assistant coach from the University of Southern California.
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“A coach from USC came and sat with us at Houston County High with Robert, myself, and I can’t remember who else,” Odom said. “He introduced himself and said, ‘Son, I’d like to take you to California. We would like to recruit you and would like to offer you a scholarship for Southern Cal.
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“Robert looked at me and said, ‘Coach, what do you want to do?’ I said, ‘Robert, as I’ve told everyone who’s been here, it’s your choice.’ I said, ‘If you want to fly to California with your family; you want me to go, I’m going. It’s your choice.’
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“He looked at me and he smiled and he turned to this Coach and reached out and shook his hand and said, ‘Coach, I’ve never been to California. I would like to go to California, but I’m not going to go because if I go, I’m wasting college money, because I’m going to the University of Alabama.
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Stewart was first used at Alabama as a fullback, but later moved to defense as a nose guard, a position where he would become a star.
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As a senior in 1991, Stewart compiled 59 tackles and six sacks and earned first-team All-SEC and All-American honors on the defensive line. For his college career, Stewart finished with 144 tackles, 10 sacks and two touchdowns.
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Stewart was drafted in 1992 by the New Orleans Saints in the eighth round, but did not reach the NFL ranks.
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Instead, Stewart had a successful professional football career in the Arena Football League, where he played 12 years with stints in Charlotte, New Jersey, New York and Arizona. He was named to the All-Arena team six times and was Defensive Player of the Year in 1999. He retired from football after the 2004 season.
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