He played college football at the University of Notre Dame and attended Marianapolis Preparatory School in Thompson, Connecticut.
[1] Tobin played for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, lettering for the team in 1942 and 1946.
[2] He served in the United States military during World War II from 1943 to 1945.
[3] In 1947, Tobin's head coach at Notre Dame Frank Leahy advised him to leave the school and accept a $5,000 offer to play for the NFL's New York Giants.
Leahy thought that Tobin would be a starter with the Giants but would not see as much playing time on the talented Fighting Irish.