Accomplishments
- Lettered four years as a scholarship quarterback at Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C., and also had three letters in basketball.
- Franklin Borough native stayed in North Carolina after his college graduation and began a coaching career that included a state championship at Mooresville, N.C.
- Had distinguished coaching career at the college and NFL levels.
- An assistant coach at University of North Carolina (1962-63), a defensive coordinator at Wake Forest (1964-67) and a defensive coach at Georgia Tech (1968-72).
- Became a professional head coach of the Chicago Fire of the World Football League in 1974-75.
- Became an assistant coach with the Cleveland Browns under his friend and head coach Bud Carson in 1989-90.
- Catawba created a scholarship to honor Popp in August 2009 and Mooresville named its football field after him in January 2010.
- At the former Franklin High (now part of the Conemaugh Valley School District), Popp quarterbacked the Blue Jays’ undefeated 1947 team that outscored opponents 111-20.
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