High school coach Stobart started his coaching career in the fall of 1959 as the head football coach at
Berne Union High School in
Sugar Grove, Ohio. He led Gallia to a perfect 9–0 record in 1960. In 1961, he was hired as the head football coach at Mount Vernon High School in
Mount Vernon, Ohio. He remained at Mount Vernon through the 1964 season. His teams compiled a 17–1 record during the 1963 and 1964 seasons. The
1965 Marshall Thundering Herd football team compiled a 5–5 record. In January 1966, Stobart was hired as backfield coach at the
University of Cincinnati. The
1966 Cincinnati Bearcats football team compiled a 3–7 record.
Schembechler years (Miami and Michigan) In February 1967, Stobart was hired as an assistant coach on
Bo Schembechler's staff at
Miami University. He served as Schembechler's offensive backfield coach during the 1967 and 1968 seasons, when the team compiled records of 6–4 and 7–3. He spent the next seven years from 1969 to 1976 as Michigan's backfield coach, working with Schembechler and mentoring Michigan backs including
Dennis Brown,
Don Moorhead,
Billy Taylor,
Dennis Franklin,
Gordon Bell,
Rick Leach, and
Rob Lytle. Stobart spent a decade on Schembechler's staff at Miami and Michigan. Throughout his career, Stobart said Schembechler was the biggest football influence in his life.
Toledo In December 1976, Stobart was hired as head football coach at the
University of Toledo. At the time of the hiring, Schembechler said:I don't know how Toledo could have hired a better man. . . . He is a tremendous football man. He knows football, but more than that he is an idea man. He is an excellent recruiter and a really tireless worker. The guy can go all day. I am really sorry to see him go. Stobart was head coach at Toledo for five years from 1977 to 1981, compiling a 23–30–1 record. He out-polled
Mike Kelly and
Earle Bruce to win Ohio Coach of the Year honors in December 1981. He was inducted into the University of Toledo Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.
Utah In December 1981, he was hired as the head coach at the
University of Utah. He held that position for three years from 1982 to 1984, compiling a 16–17–1 record.
Pittsburgh, Arizona and USC In January 1985, the
University of Pittsburgh hired Stobart as its offensive coordinator. At the end of the 1985 season, Pitt's head coach
Foge Fazio was fired. Stobart was hired in January 1986 as the offensive coordinator at the
University of Arizona. In January 1987, Arizona head coach Larry Smith was hired as the head football coach at
USC. Smith promptly hired Stobart as associate head coach and offensive coordinator at USC. Stobart held that position for two years, helping USC to an 8–4 record and 26.8 points per game in
1987 and a 10–2 record and 30.8 points per game in
1988.
Memphis In June 1989, Stobart was hired as the head football coach at the
University of Memphis. At the time, the program was embroiled in controversy due to NCAA rules violation and waiting for an NCAA decision on sanctions. Larry Smith of USC praised the selection of Stobart, saying, "He brings integrity, responsibility and maturity, plus a tremendous knowledge of the game and coaching skills." Stobart compiled a 29–36–1 record in six years at Memphis. He was fired from his post at Memphis in December 1994.
Ohio State In March 1995, Stobart was hired as the wide receivers coach at the
Ohio State University. He held that post for five seasons from 1995 to 1999. He was position coach to
Biletnikoff Award winner
Terry Glenn in 1995. In 2000, he was promoted to offensive coordinator at Ohio State. In Stobart's lone season as Ohio State's offensive coordinator, the Buckeyes compiled an 8–4 record and scored an average of 27.6 points per game. In January 2001, Ohio State head coach
John Cooper was fired. Ohio State's new head coach
Jim Tressel then hired
Jim Bollman to replace Stobart as the team's offensive coordinator. ==Family and later years==