WVU Sports Hall of Fame
Robert "Bobby" Moss was an outstanding running back during WVU’s golden era of football in the glorious 1950s.
Moss and fullback Joe Marconi were arguably the two most-coveted national-level prospects coach Art Lewis signed during his early years at WVU.
A native of Huntington, he had a hand in compiling 7-2, 8-2, 8-1 and 8-2 records, including an appearance in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1954. He had career totals of 1,403 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns on 180 carries.
Nagging injuries limited Moss until he hit a peak in his senior year of 1955, gaining 807 yards on only 98 attempts. His 8.2 yards per carry average set a Mountaineer record. He was sixth in the country in rushing and his yards per carry average was tops among college football’s leading ground gainers in 1955.
Moss became the first Mountaineer ball carrier to lead the Southern Conference in rushing in 1955, just missing Maryland All-American Ed Modzelewski’s single-season rushing record of 834 produced in 1951.
The 6-1, 200-pound speedster was long-gaited, strong-legged and explosive as a runner. He had to share totes with several other talented backs. He also returned kicks.
Moss is a member of WVU’s all-time team for the period 1950-59. He earned All-Southern Conference recognition as a senior.
Cam Henderson, head football coach at Marshall in the 1940s and 50s, called the Huntington East two-sport all-starter “the best runner I’ve seen in 38 years of coaching.”
After receiving his bachelor’s degree in business administration, he was a fourth-round selection of the Cleveland Browns in the NFL draft. But following a pro tryout, he decided to give up football in favor of a military career.
Moss joined the Navy’s flight-training program in 1957 and spent the next 26 years serving his country as a Naval officer. He retired as a commander in 1983 and settled down in Pensacola, Florida.
He traveled extensively in the service. He recorded stints in Hawaii, the Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and New Zealand. He also served in the Vietnam War.
Moss died August 17, 2018 in Pensacola, Florida.
