Hall of Fame
Former Northwest All -State player Robert Tulon Akins attended Northwest from 1973-1975 and played defensive back for the Rangers.
He was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and a Freshman Favorite in 1973-1974. As a sophomore at Northwest, he was named in "Who's Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges" and was an Outstanding Student in Physical Education.
He received his bachelor's degree in physical education and biology from Harding University , and earned a master's degree from the University of Memphis. At Harding, he set the record, which has now been broken, of the most interceptions in a season. He was named Most Valuable Defensive Player in the San Jacinto Shrine Bowl in Pasadena, Texas in 1976.
In a 2003 interview with his hometown newspaper the South Reporter, Akins said people told him he was too small to play. "But I realized early on God had given me some talents, and I wanted to glorify Him with them, " Akins said.
Since 1977, he has coached in Mobile, Memphis, Hernando and Chattanooga. His team at Mobile Christian won the state championship title in 1983, and in 1984, he coached the South All-Stars in the North-South Alabama All- Star game, which his team won.
Currently, he is president of Boyd Buchanan School in Chattanooga, and has been head football coach there since 1996. Since he began coaching at Buchanan, he has a 64-25 record, which includes three regional crowns.
Akins is a deacon and Bible class teacher at East Brainerd Church of Christ in Chattanooga. He and his wife Jan have a son, Drew and a daughter, Jordan. He is the son of the late V.B. and Della Akins.
