1975 Hall of Fame Inductee
Eugene Roberts was born in 1880 in Provo, Utah. He entered Brigham Young Academy in 1898 and was president of his class in 1904. He took an A.B. degree from BYU and later received his M.A. from the University of Southern California. Coach Roberts was on the BYU faculty for 18 years and was head of the Athletic Department. He remained at BYU until 1928 when he moved to Los Angeles to coach at USC.
During his coaching career at BYU, he originated the BYU Invitational Track and Field Meet, one of the largest of its kind in the nation. He organized the annual Timpanogos hike, re-introduced football to BYU, and gave the name "Cougars" to BYU sports.
He married Sytha Brown on June 20, 1906, and they became parents of three sons and five daughters. All of their children attended college.
Coach Roberts is the author of many articles dealing primarily with physical education and educational philosophy. At the time of his death in 1953 he was writing a history of physical education and athletics of BYU.