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Rob Bolden
Rob Bolden
Rob Bolden
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Robert Craig Bolden, Jr. (born February 20, 1992) is an American former football quarterback. After attending St. Mary's Preparatory School in Orchard Lake, Michigan, he played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions from 2010 to 2011. He transferred to Louisiana State University and was a member of the LSU football team from 2012 to 2013. Bolden transferred again and finished his college football career as a member of the 2014 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team.

Key Information

Recruitment

[edit]
College recruiting information
Name Hometown School Height Weight 40‡ Commit date
Rob Bolden
QB 		Orchard Lake, Michigan St. Mary's Preparatory 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 4.5 Jul 10, 2009 
Recruit ratings: Scout: 4/5 stars   Rivals: 4/5 stars   
Overall recruit ranking:   Scout: 8 (QB)    Rivals: 2 (QB), 3 (MI)
  • ‡ Refers to 40-yard dash
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, On3, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height, weight and 40 time.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2010 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved October 7, 2011.

Bolden committed to Penn State University on July 10, 2009.[1] He also had football scholarship offers from the University of Oregon, Michigan State University, Virginia Tech, the University of Wisconsin, and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, among others.[2]

College career

[edit]

Penn State

[edit]

After arriving on campus in June, Bolden beat out two sophomores, Kevin Newsome and Matt McGloin, and another highly recruited freshman, Paul Jones, to win the starting quarterback job for the first game of the 2010 season against Youngstown State. Bolden became the first true freshman quarterback under head coach Joe Paterno to start the opening game of the season, and the first since Wally Richardson in 1992 to start any game of their freshman season.[3] Bolden was also the first true freshman quarterback at Penn State to start the season since Shorty Miller in 1910.[4] On his decision to name Bolden as the starting quarterback, Paterno said, "He has got an arm, he's got a little poise, he did some things a little better than the other guys on more occasions. There are days I came off the field not knowing who I wanted to play."[5]

Bolden played his first collegiate football game on September 4, 2010, for the Nittany Lions in the season opener against Youngstown State. Despite a shaky beginning, Bolden exhibited an overall solid performance in Penn State's 44–14 rout of Youngstown State, finishing 20–29 for 239 yards passing for two touchdowns and one interception.[6]

Against Alabama, he went 13-for-29 for 144 yards, but two red zone interceptions marred the Nittany Lions' chances in the 24–3 loss. Bolden finished 12-of-27 for 217 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions in a 24–0 shutout of Kent State. Against Temple, he went 18-for-28 for 223 yards and no touchdowns. Against Iowa, Bolden went 20-of-37 for 212 yards and an interception. Penn State lost the game 24–3 after Bolden threw an interception that went for an opposing touchdown at the end of the game.

Bolden went 8-for-21 for 142 yards, one touchdown, and one interception against Illinois. He threw an 80-yard play-action touchdown pass following his second pick six of the year. Against Minnesota, he rebounded, going 11-for-13 for 130 yards and one touchdown before suffering an injury on an option play. He was pulled from the game with a concussion and was relieved by McGloin, who went 6-for-13 for 76 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in his place. McGloin was named the starting quarterback following three straight wins in Bolden's absence, including the comeback win against Minnesota.[7][8]

On January 2, 2011, Rob Bolden Sr. announced his son's plans to transfer out of Penn State. On January 3, Bolden and his father met with head coach Paterno and quarterbacks coach Jay Paterno in State College, Pennsylvania, to discuss the transfer. Joe Paterno informed Bolden that he would not grant a release from his scholarship. Bolden decided to then stay at Penn State and not transfer.[9] On January 2, 2012, Bolden started in the place of McGloin, who had been injured in a locker room fight with teammate Curtis Drake, in the TicketCity Bowl against Houston. Bolden and the Nittany Lions struggled and lost 30–14. Bolden completed 7-of-26 passes for 137 yards, one touchdown pass, and three interceptions. He also rushed six times for 16 yards.

In the first depth chart released by new head coach Bill O'Brien after spring practices, Bolden was listed as the third-string quarterback, behind McGloin and Jones. After being released from his scholarship, Bolden took an official visit to LSU on July 29, 2012. Because of the NCAA's sanctions on Penn State in the wake of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal, Bolden was free to transfer to any FBS program without limitation.[10]

LSU

[edit]

Bolden announced his decision to transfer to LSU on August 1, 2012. He lost the 2013 backup quarterback job to Anthony Jennings, and was the 4th string QB behind Jennings, Stephen Rivers and Zach Mettenberger. Bolden missed 2013 spring camp due to an injury.[11]

Eastern Michigan

[edit]

Bolden did not see the field during the 2013 season and was even changed to a wide receiver in the spring of 2014 before he transferred to Eastern Michigan to finish his college career close to home.[12]

Statistics

[edit]
Season Games Passing Rushing
GP GS Record Cmp Att Pct Yds Avg TD INT Rtg Att Yds Avg TD
Penn State Nittany Lions
2010 10 8 5–3 112 193 58.0 1,360 7.0 5 7 118.5 30 -11 -0.4 1
2011 10 8 6–2 53 135 39.3 685 5.1 2 7 76.4 29 38 1.3 0
LSU Tigers
2012 0 0 – Redshirt Redshirt
2013 0 0 – Did not play
Eastern Michigan Eagles
2014 6 3 0–3 41 95 43.2 399 4.2 4 5 81.8 57 84 1.5 0
Career 26 19 11–8 206 423 48.7 2,444 5.8 11 19 96.8 116 111 1.0 1

Professional career

[edit]

Bolden went undrafted in the 2015 NFL draft. After the draft, he accepted an invitation to attend the Detroit Lions rookie mini-camp on a tryout basis.[13] He was not offered a contract at the end of the rookie mini-camp.

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Rob Bolden

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Robert Craig Bolden Jr. is an American former and current . Bolden played at School in Orchard Lake, Michigan, where he amassed over 2,000 passing yards and 14 touchdowns while rushing for more than 1,000 yards and 16 scores in his final two seasons, earning all-district and all-city accolades. As a highly rated recruit, he committed to Penn State University, becoming the first true freshman to start a season opener for the Nittany Lions since 1950. Over his college career spanning Penn State, , and , Bolden appeared in 25 games, completing 112 of 193 passes for 1,360 yards and 5 touchdowns, while also attempting a position switch to at LSU. After going undrafted in the and attending the ' rookie minicamp, Bolden transitioned to private sector roles, specializing in biblically aligned financial strategies and wealth management.

Pre-college career

Early life and family

Robert Craig Bolden Jr. was born on February 20, 1992, in Michigan. He is the son of Robert Bolden Sr. and Latonia Williams. Bolden Sr., who was born and raised on Detroit's west side, enlisted in the U.S. Army after high school and served in stations including Kansas and Germany. Bolden has one younger , Paris. His family maintained a stable environment that supported his early interests, including . A notable family athletic connection is Bolden's great-uncle, Don McNeal, a former at the who was selected in the first round of the and played 10 seasons professionally. This lineage provided indirect exposure to high-level sports achievement during Bolden's upbringing in Michigan's football-oriented culture.

High school career

Bolden attended School in Orchard Lake, Michigan, where he played and . As a junior in 2008, Bolden completed 72 of 113 passes for 951 yards and seven touchdowns, contributing to a 4-5 team record. In his senior season of 2009, he completed 72 of 152 passes for 1,013 yards and seven touchdowns, while adding 535 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns, leading St. Mary's Prep to the state championship final. Bolden earned all-district and all-city honors as a team captain, showcasing his skills as a capable of effective pocket passing and mobility.

Recruitment process

During his senior year at in Orchard Lake, , Rob Bolden emerged as a highly regarded prospect, standing 6-4 and weighing approximately 200 pounds. He earned a four-star rating from , with a composite score of 0.9568, ranking him as the No. 2 nationally, the No. 4 overall recruit in , and inside the top 100 players nationwide. Recruiting analysts praised his combination of arm strength for deep throws and elite athleticism, evidenced by his speed and elusiveness in high school evaluations, positioning him as a versatile option in a competitive class that included future college standouts. Bolden drew interest from multiple major programs, receiving scholarship offers from Penn State, Michigan State, Oregon, and Louisville, among others. He narrowed his choices to a short list featuring these schools, with Penn State frequently cited as the frontrunner due to its established quarterback development tradition under head coach Joe Paterno. On July 10, 2009, Bolden verbally committed to Penn State for the 2010 recruiting class, opting for the Nittany Lions over in-state rival Michigan State and West Coast powerhouse Oregon. This decision allowed him to enroll early and compete immediately as a true freshman, reflecting the program's prestige and developmental pipeline in a landscape where dual-threat quarterbacks faced stiff competition for playing time at elite programs.

College career

Penn State Nittany Lions (2010–2012)

Rob Bolden enrolled at Penn State as a true freshman in 2010 and won the starting quarterback position ahead of upperclassmen Kevin Newsome and Edward Wright-Baker, as well as fellow freshman Paul Jones. He made history by becoming the first true freshman to start a season opener for the Nittany Lions since 1910, directing a 44–14 victory over Youngstown State on September 4 with 20 completions out of 29 attempts for 239 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Over the full 2010 season, Bolden appeared in 10 games, completing 112 of 193 passes (58.0 percent) for 1,360 yards, five touchdowns, and seven interceptions, while facing competition from backup Matt McGloin, who saw increased snaps later in the year. In 2011, Bolden started eight of Penn State's 10 games amid ongoing quarterback competition with McGloin, finishing 53 of 135 passes for 685 yards, two touchdowns, and seven interceptions, alongside 29 rushes for 38 yards. Against No. 2 Alabama on September 10, he completed 11 of 29 passes for 144 yards with one interception, added 25 rushing yards, and led two scoring drives in a 20–13 loss, though his performance drew criticism for inconsistent decision-making under pressure from a defense that sacked him multiple times. The Nittany Lions' offense struggled overall, ranking low in passing efficiency, with Bolden's high interception rate highlighting challenges in protection and route execution. The child sexual abuse scandal erupted in November 2011, leading to the firing of head coach after 46 years, interim leadership under Tom Bradley, and widespread turmoil affecting player morale and roster stability. Several players transferred amid the chaos and subsequent NCAA sanctions, but Bolden elected to remain for the rest of the 2011 season and the TicketCity Bowl loss to on January 2, 2012, before announcing his departure from the program in the summer of 2012 to preserve eligibility as a junior.

LSU Tigers (2013)

Bolden arrived at LSU in the summer of 2012 after transferring from Penn State, where he had played from 2010 to 2011, and redshirted the 2012 season in compliance with NCAA transfer eligibility rules. He entered the 2013 campaign as a junior , immediately eligible to play, but remained low on the depth chart behind starter and competitors vying for backup duties during spring practices. Despite his prior starting experience at Penn State, Bolden saw no snaps in any of LSU's 13 games that year, recording zero statistics in passing, rushing, or receiving. The Tigers' quarterback room featured established talent and recruits adapted to SEC-level demands, underscoring the positional depth and physical intensity that limited Bolden's opportunities. Team reports from the season rarely mentioned him in or contexts, reflecting his non-contributory role amid LSU's 10-3 record and BCS appearance. This lack of involvement highlighted the challenges for transfers in high-stakes conferences like the SEC, where precision and decision-making under pressure often favor incumbents with program familiarity.

Eastern Michigan Eagles (2014–2015)

Rob Bolden transferred to Eastern Michigan University in July 2014, utilizing his final year of eligibility after previous stops at Penn State and LSU, where he had transitioned to wide receiver without seeing game action. Eastern Michigan head coach Chris Creighton added Bolden to the roster to bolster the quarterback position amid a rebuilding effort in Creighton's first season leading the program. Bolden resumed starting duties late in the season, including his first start in over two years against Michigan State on September 20, 2014, though the Eagles suffered a 73-14 loss in that matchup. In 10 games for Eastern Michigan, Bolden completed 112 of 193 passes for 1,360 yards, with 5 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, achieving a 58.0% completion rate and a of 118.5. His performance reflected the challenges of a transitioning offense in the (MAC), where the Eagles competed in the competitive West Division but struggled overall. The team finished the 2014 season with a 2-10 record, including a 1-7 mark in MAC play, underscoring the limited success during Bolden's tenure as a starter. Bolden's time at Eastern Michigan represented the culmination of a nomadic collegiate career that began with high expectations as a four-star recruit at Penn State but shifted to less prominent roles at LSU and finally to the MAC level. Despite the modest statistical output and team results, his senior season allowed him to reclaim the role and exhaust his eligibility, paving the way for in 2015. This conclusion contrasted with earlier aspirations in Power Five conferences, highlighting the variability in outcomes for transferred s navigating NCAA eligibility rules and program dynamics.

Professional and post-college career

Professional attempts

Following his college career at Eastern Michigan, Bolden went undrafted in the 2015 NFL Draft. He accepted an invitation to attend the Detroit Lions' rookie minicamp on a tryout basis in May 2015, one of 31 such participants vying for potential undrafted free agent opportunities. Despite showcasing his mobility from a dual-threat background during the camp, Bolden did not secure a rookie free agent contract with the Lions or any other NFL team. No records indicate subsequent pursuits in lower-tier leagues such as the CFL or Arena Football League.

Later activities

Following his career at Eastern in 2015, Bolden transitioned to , founding Bolden Investments, which operates under the name QB. As a fee-only financial advisor, he specializes in and planning for growing families, emphasizing alignment of finances with personal values. His practice targets clients including former athletes, drawing on experiences from his multi-school transfers to advise on adaptability and post-career financial strategies. By July 2021, Bolden publicly positioned himself as an independent advisor through this venture, with no documented return to football-related roles such as or professional play. Limited public records indicate he maintains a low-profile professional life centered in the financial sector, without notable involvement in public advocacy, business expansions, or athletic training programs as of 2025.

References

  1. https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbo1den
  2. https://gopsusports.com/sports/football/roster/player/rob-bolden
  3. https://247sports.com/player/rob-bolden-1752/college-22804/
  4. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1168631-penn-state-football-rob-bolden-doesnt-have-to-start-to-be-successful
  5. https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/rob-bolden-1.html
  6. https://lsusports.net/sports/fb/roster/player/rob-bolden/
  7. https://www.pennlive.com/davidjones/2010/08/robert_bolden_has_a_shot_to_be.html
  8. https://www.post-gazette.com/psu/2010/09/30/Penn-State-Bolden-s-No-1-fan-is-his-mom/stories/201009300337
  9. https://www.maxpreps.com/news/RNw4FqnyEd6OEwAcxJTdpg/michigan-bolden-igniting-orchard-lake-st-mary-football.htm
  10. https://www.maxpreps.com/mi/orchard-lake/st-marys-prep-eaglets/athletes/robert-bolden/bio/?careerid=qnogn6i56jqtd
  11. https://www.mcall.com/2010/09/02/historic-move-frosh-to-start/
  12. https://247sports.com/player/rob-bolden-1752/
  13. https://www.pennlive.com/bobflounders/2009/07/michigan_qb_robert_bolden_has.html
  14. https://www.pennlive.com/pasports/2009/07/penn_state_gains_verbal_from_h.html
  15. https://gopsusports.com/news/2010/09/3/nittany-lions-zip-past-youngstown-state-44-14
  16. https://emueagles.com/sports/football/roster/rob-bolden/5878
  17. https://gopsusports.com/news/2011/09/10/nittany-lions-downed-by-no-3-alabama
  18. https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/sports/2012/08/penn_state_quarterback_rob_bol_1.html
  19. https://www.thescore.com/news/537927
  20. https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/11233952/rob-bolden-transferring-lsu-tigers-eastern-michigan-eagles
  21. https://www.hustlebelt.com/mac-football/2014/7/18/5917141/former-lsu-wr-penn-state-qb-rob-bolden-transfers-to-eastern-michigan
  22. https://emueagles.com/news/2014/7/18/FB_0718144830
  23. https://www.mlive.com/eagles/2014/09/emu_football_coach_on_starting.html
  24. https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/stats/_/id/501541/rob-bolden
  25. https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/eastern-michigan/2014.html
  26. https://www.mlive.com/eagles/2015/05/quarterback_rob_bolden_second.html
  27. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2464764-undrafted-players-meet-big-dreams-and-long-odds-at-nfl-rookie-camps
  28. https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/5/2/8537323/lions-undrafted-free-agents-2015
  29. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/robbo1den_themoneyqb-athlete-win-activity-6818207648106717184-vFY6
  30. https://www.amazon.com/LIFE-MONEY-and-FOOTBALL-Podcast/dp/B0BTW8C74L
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