Tom Brahaney

Oklahoma center Tom Brahaney was the hub of a line of one of the most successful offenses in college football history.

Brahaney became a starter halfway through his sophomore year on a team that placed second in the Big 8.  He impressed coaches by consistently grading in the 90’s on his blocking assignments. In  several contests he graded near perfection.

The following year Oklahoma installed the Wishbone offense and records soon fell. With Brahaney opening holes, OU led the nation in rushing, total offense and scoring.  In the 1971 “Game of the Century” with Nebraska, the match up of Brahaney vs. Husker middle guard Rich Glover was the featured one-on-one match up of the contest. That year Tom was both an all-conference and consensus All-America.

As a senior, Tom was a team captain, a finalist for the Lombardi Award, and repeated as a consensus All-America choice.  For the second straight year Oklahoma went 11-1 and repeated an the nation’s number two team in the final polls.

In the pros he played nine season with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Dave Brown

Dave Brown was the leader of one of the most successful and yet frustrating periods in Michigan football history.  The Wolverines posted a 30-2-1 record, tied for three Big Ten conference titles and never went to a bowl game.  The defensive units on which Brown played were consistent national leaders. He was twice on squads that gave up the fewest points-per-game in the country.  The other team placed second.  In 33 games played, his teams surrendered more than ten points in only five games and registered 11 shutouts.

On the freshman team, Brown was used on both offense as a receiver and in the defensive secondary. 

When he joined the varsity, he was moved to the defensive secondary on a full-time basis.  His offensive abilities were then used as a punt return specialist.  As a sophomore, he averaged over 15 yards a return with one touchdown. Brown would have one score in each of this three seasons.  He also added one TD on an interception return.  He was recognized as an all-Big Ten player.

In his junior year he became a consensus All-America choice.  He improved his status to that of a unanimous choice as a senior.  When he completed his career he held the school record for passes broken up.

Dave was chosen in the first round of the NFL draft and went on to a 16-year pro career.  He then embarked on a coaching career. While an assistant coach at Texas Tech he died at the age of 52.

Jeff Davis

Entering the 1981 season, the Clemson Tigers were unranked and their rise to become national champions is one of the more surprising stories in college football history.

The Tigers unexpectedly won their crown by going undefeated and beating Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.  The strength of the team was a defense that forced 41 turnovers.  The leader of that defense was its leading tackler, linebacker and team co-captain, Jeff Davis.

Known as “The Judge,” Davis was the cause of many of those turnovers as over his career his hits led to ten fumbles.  He recovered eight of those miscues to go along with four interceptions.

Jeff played in 40 games for the Tigers starting in 35.  Of those 35 starts he had 30 games where he had double-digit tackle performances.  He went into double figures in 22 of his final 23 games.

In his junior year he set a Clemson record with 24 tackles against North Carolina.

As a senior, he was named the Atlantic Coast’s Most Valuable Player and concluded his career with a 124-tackle performance against Nebraska.  He also gained Consensus All-America honors.  His 175 tackles was an all-time single-season school record

Thought too small for the pros, he was not drafted until the fifth round.  He played six seasons and led the Tampa Bay Bucs in tackles three years.  Davis is also a member of the Clemson Hall of Fame, the Ring of Honor and a member of the ACC’s 50th anniversary team.

Doug Flutie

Doug Flutie was an exciting player who was also a playmaker.  He creatively avoided the rush with his legs to find open receivers, or scrambled to gain vital first down yardage.

At only 5-9, Doug Flutie was considered too small to become a major college quarterback.  While he lettered in three sports at Natick (MA) High School, no major school showed any interest in him.  He planned to attend the University of New Hampshire when Boston College offered their final scholarship to him in 1981. 

With his size many felt he was more suited to play defensive back as he began his freshman season as the team’s number five quarterback.  But he quickly worked himself up the depth chart and became a starter within six weeks.  Playing in nine games, he finished the year as the nation’s number nine passer.

Still a bit raw and inexperienced as a sophomore he threw 20 interceptions.  However, he showed flashes of brilliance as he threw for 520 yards against Penn State.  He led BC to an 8-3-1 record and the school’s first bowl appearance in 40 years. In the bowl game he won game MVP honors in a losing effort.

The following year he became one of the nation’s elite players as he placed third in the Heisman voting and was a second-team All-America.  The Eagles went 9-3 appearing in the Liberty Bowl where he once again performed well in a losing effort.

He put his stamp on the 1984 season as the nation’s best player and Heisman Trophy winner.  Any doubt to his winning the trophy was ended with his last second 48-yard touchdown pass against Miami. The play has become one of college football’s most memorable and replayed moments.

His pro career was equally as interesting as he played in the USFL, NFL and CFL before returning to the NFL over a 21-year period.  While playing in Canada he was a six-time CFL player of the Year.

Johnnie Johnson

Few players get their own theme song, but when Johnnie Johnson took the field the University of Texas band would strike up the Tonight Show Theme Song and then chant “Heeeere’s Johnny.”

Johnson played safety for the Longhorns as a slick pass-defender and intimidating hitter.  In his final three seasons he was a member of a team that placed among the nation’s top- ten in total defense. Johnnie also excelled on special teams as a punt return specialist.  Many of his punt return marks still stand in the UT record books.  His numbers would be even greater if at least four long distance returns were not called back for penalties.

In his freshman year, Johnson got off to a great start being named a starter in his first game, but a leg injury that started out as a charley horse kept on the sidelines for much of the year.

The next year he regained his starting status on a team that went through the regular season undefeated.  That year his fourth down tackle inside the Texas five-yard line preserved a win over Oklahoma.  He won the first of three All-Southwest Conference honors that year.

In an era before the advent of the Thorpe Award, Johnson was named the nation’s top defensive back of 1978 by the New York Downtown Athletic Club. That season Johnson became a unanimous All-America selection.  He repeated the honor in his senior year.

In the pros he was the 17th overall pick of the 1980 draft and played 11 seasons.

Rex Kern

Quarterback Rex Kern was a leader and a winner.  A Lancaster, OH native he came from the same town that produced William Tecumseh Sherman.  And as Sherman effectively led the Union Army through Georgia on his March to the Sea, Kern led the Ohio State Buckeye offense though opposing defenses with equal effect.

Kern ran the Buckeye offense with such precision that he often times waved back incoming substitutes with plays sent in by Coach Woody Hayes, as he felt they stifled the momentum he and the offense were developing.

On joining the varsity in 1968, Kern and 11 other sophomore starters (freshman were not eligible) came out of nowhere to capture the Big Ten crown and the National Championship by defeating Southern California the number two-ranked, defending National Champion in the Rose Bowl.  Kern was the game MVP throwing two fourth quarter touchdown passes

The Buckeye win streak reached 22 games by the end of the following season as experts were comparing Ohio State to some of the greatest teams in history.  Only a season ending loss to Michigan denied the Bucks another national title. That year he placed third in the Heisman voting.  With a number of great signal callers playing that year, All-America selectors were determined to get Kern on the first team, so he was named as a running back, a position he did not play.

In his senior year, the Bucks avenged the Michigan defeat to win their third straight Big Ten crown, have a second undefeated regular season, and earn another Rose Bowl bid.  While Rex was brilliant in gaining 129 yards, OSU was denied yet another national title in an upset loss to Stanford.

In his three years, Ohio State placed third in the nation in rushing three consecutive seasons and in 1969 were second in scoring offense.  He closed the 1970 season with a fifth place finish in the Heisman voting while gaining NFF Scholar-Athlete and NCAA post graduate scholar-athlete status.

Ahmad Rashad

Ahmad Rashad was described as an exciting and fluid back whose breakaway speed, good moves and excellent hands made him a constant threat.

As a collegian he was known as Bobby Moore, not taking the name of Ahmad Rashad until starting his pro career.  When he came to Oregon, his coach said that he was “the finest athlete we have ever recruited.”  In high school he won the state high jump title and in basketball led his league in scoring.

As a sophomore, he played wide receiver leading his team with 54 catches and made the first of three consecutive all-conference teams.  In his very first game he turned in a three-touchdown performance.

Wanting to get Rashad as many touches as possible, he was moved to the backfield the following year as he led the team in rushing.  Against USC he carried the ball 38 times and scored the game-winning touchdown. Yet despite his many carries he was still one of the team’s favorite downfield targets taking passes from future NFL great Dan Fouts.

In his senior year his rushing totals ranked eighth nationally as he became a first-team All-America.  His two touchdowns led the Ducks to another upset win over Southern California

He was a first round NFL draft choice and was converted into a wide receiver.  In 11 pro seasons he was a four-time Pro Bowl player once winning game MVP honors.  While a pro he worked as a TV reporter moving on to become a full-time media member after his retirement.

Anthony Thompson

Anthony Thompson impressed everyone.  His teammates, coaches, opposing coaches and players were all in awe of Thompson.  Iowa’s Hayden Fry said,” Anthony Thompson is by far the best running back we’ve seen in years and years and years.”

As a freshman, Thompson missed the first six weeks of practice due to a deep thigh bruise and did not make his first start until the season’s eighth game.  In that game he set a Big Ten freshman rushing record with 207 yards. Despite his late start, he was the team's leading rusher at season’s end.

The following year, Anthony became a thousand yard rusher as he surpassed the 100-yard barrier in five different games.  Thompson also displayed an ability to come out of the backfield as a pass receiver.

He became one of the nation’s top backs as a junior when he became a consensus All-America selection and placed ninth in the Heisman voting.  His rushing totals were third nationally, he placed eighth in all-purpose yardage, and was the nation’s second leading scorer with 24 touchdowns.  Anthony also won the prestigious Silver Football as the Big Ten’s Most Valuable Player.

As a senior, he narrowly missed winning the Heisman in one of the closest votes in the trophy’s history.  However, he did win the Maxwell and Camp Awards, the two other major player of the year trophies.  On the leader board, he led the nation in both rushing and scoring and was fourth in all-purpose yardage.

At the end of his career he held the all-time Division I record for touchdowns.  IU now names its MVP award in his name.

Wilson Whitley

Wilson Whitley came to the University of Houston as a three-time all state player, and a two-time All-America from Brenham, TX.

Wilson was a starter as a freshman and was part of a team that went 11-1.  As a sophomore, he was an honorable mention All-America as he was second on the team in tackles, added six sacks, a blocked kick and had two fumble recoveries

In Whitley’s senior season, he became a consensus All-America selection and was the recipient of the Lombardi Award. That 1976 season was Houston's first year in the Southwest Conference. That season he anchored a defense that held opponents to ten or fewer points in five games.  His numbers for that season included five sacks, and 50 tackles.  In his final collegiate game he had eight stops in an upset victory over previously unbeaten Maryland in a Cotton Bowl victory.

Despite playing only one year in the SWC, Whitley was named the SWC Defensive Player of the Decade.

He was the eighth overall selection in the NFL draft, playing seven NFL seasons and appearing in a Super Bowl with Cincinnati.

At the age of 37 he suffered a fatal heart attack.

Reggie Williams

Reggie Williams overcame several obstacles to become a College Football Hall of Fame member.  Born in Flint, MI, he first had to overcome a hearing disability as a child.  When he became a high school all-league fullback, Michigan Coach Bo Schembechler rejected him as too small. When Dartmouth College became interested in Williams due to his academic abilities, a high school counselor told him that he was not equipped to pursue an Ivy League education.  Confident in his abilities Williams would go on to confound all of his detractors.

When he came to Dartmouth he was moved from fullback to linebacker in his freshman year.  “Reggie could literally cover sideline to sideline with his speed and instincts,” said coach Jake Crouthamel.  “He played a hundred miles an hour on every play at a different speed than anyone else.”

In the off-season before his sophomore season he injured his knee when hit by an automobile and did not make his first start until the Harvard game.  The game with Harvard may have been the biggest in his career as the victory over the undefeated Crimson was critical in Dartmouth's successful quest for a fifth consecutive Ivy League title.  For the year his 117 tackles led the team as Reggie was named an All-Ivy League player.

Williams would repeat as the team’s top tackler and make the all-league team each of the next two years.  In his senior year he was named a team co-captain and was named a first- team All-America, becoming the last Ivy League player to gain major college All-America status.

When not playing football, the psychology major was a first-team All-Ivy League wrestler.  He did not compete as a senior as he had graduated in only three and a half years.

He played 14 NFL seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and appeared in two Super Bowls before starting a career in politics and business.

Richard Wood

Known as “Batman,” linebacker Richard Wood was a member of two National Championship teams and was Southern California’s first three-time All-America.

Wood came from an athletic family in Elizabeth, New Jersey as his brother Jake played second base for the Detroit Tigers.  In high school Wood excelled in basketball, track and wrestling. His track and wrestling skills prepared him well for playing inside linebacker as his 4.6 speed allowed him to track down speedy backs while his strength made his hits seem “like a hammer” according to Coach John McKay.

Wood came to the varsity in 1972 and not only led the undefeated Trojans in tackles, he surpassed the total of his closest teammate by 30 stops. In games against UCLA and Arkansas he had 18 tackles.  Just a sophomore, Wood was also given the responsibility of calling the defensive signals.  Richard also excelled in pass coverage with five interceptions, returning one for a touchdown and deflected four other passes.  For his efforts he gained first-team All-America status.

In his junior year he once again led USC to a conference title and another trip to the Rose Bowl.  His All-America status was elevated to that of a consensus choice.  He turned in another great performance with 18 stops against Notre Dame.

In 1974, Wood was part of his second victorious Rose Bowl and national title team.  He repeated as a consensus All-America choice.  He closed his career with an impressive 31-3-2 record.

Drafted by the New York Jets, he spent most of his pro career with Tampa Bay.  After leaving the Bucs, Wood has coached on the pro level in the NFL and Europe.  He also was a highly successful high school coach.

Chris Zorich

With the strength to bench press 455 pounds and the speed to run the 40 in 4.68 seconds, Chris Zorich had all the physical attributes to be a great defensive lineman.  His dominance made him the regular subject of double-team blocks.

Chris Zorich came to Notre Dame from the same high school that produced Dick Butkus.  And like Butkus, played linebacker.  In his freshman year Zorich began at linebacker but was moved to nose tackle early in the season.  Learning a new position, he sat on the bench the entire season never seeing a minute of playing time.

Despite his total lack of experience Zorich became a first-team All-America as a sophomore. In his first game he had one and a half sacks and ten tackles against Michigan.  He finished the year third on the team in tackles as Notre Dame went undefeated and won the national championship.

Chris followed his initial season with a consensus All-America year in 1989 as he had three double-digit tackle games.  Zorich was also one of four finalists for the Lombardi Award.

As a senior, Zorich won the Lombardi Award and was recognized as a unanimous All-America.  In the final game of his collegiate career he was the Defensive Most Valuable player of the Orange Bowl.

Drafted by his hometown team, he spent seven seasons in the NFL with the Bears and later the Washington Redskins. He then returned to school to pursue a law degree and went on to establish a foundation that provides assistance and opportunities to disadvantaged Chicagoans.

Herb Deromedi

The all-time winningest coach in Mid-America Conference history, Herb Deromedi led the Central Michigan Chippewas to 14 winning seasons in 16 years as head coach. 

In grade school Deromedi decided he would go along with his friends and pursue a manual trades education. But a teacher changed Deromedi's form, sending the student who had already skipped two grades into college prep changing his life forever.

He went on to the University of Michigan where he gained his Bachelors and then a Masters degree in just one year.  As a senior, he coached seventh and eighth grade football at University High to start his coaching career.  After spending two years as a high school coach, he met Roy Kramer who was taking the head-coaching job at Central Michigan.  Kramer offered Herb a position.  For the next 11 years he was an assistant on Kramer’s staff.  In 1974, CMU won the Division II national title before moving up to Division I-A.

When Kramer left to take the Athletic Director position at Vanderbilt, Deromedi was his hand-picked successor.  His first team was predicted to win as few as three games, but Deromedi led the squad to a nine win season.  The next two years he won MAC titles with the 1979 team going 10-0-1.  In 1990, he added his third conference crown and took Central to the California Bowl.  Along the way, he also received two conference Coach of the Year Awards and retired with the 15th –highest winning percentage of active coaches.

He stepped down as coach to become the school’s athletic director, a position he would hold until his 2006 retirement. 

Joe Paterno

No coach has been as synonymous with one school as has Penn State’s Joe Paterno.  In 2007, he passed Amos Alonzo Stagg’s major college record of 41 years coaching at one school.

Jo Pa’s time at Penn State goes beyond his years as head coach as he began his career as an assistant at PSU in 1950 under fellow Hall of Fame coach Rip Engle.  Engle was Paterno’s coach at Brown when Joe played quarterback for the Bears.  When Engle left to take the Penn State job, he took Joe with him.

Paterno became head coach in 1966.  After a 5-5 season his first year, he took the Nittany Lions to a bowl game in his second, and had undefeated teams in his third and fourth seasons.  That stretch produced a 31-game unbeaten streak.   The five-time National Coach of the Year also had an undefeated team in 1973 and had three one-loss seasons prior to winning his first national title in 1982. 

Four years later, Paterno won his second national crown defeating Miami (FL) in the Fiesta Bowl, completing his fourth undefeated season.  A fifth undefeated team would follow in 1994.  The 1994 season also saw Penn State win its first Big Ten title after having joined the conference in the previous year.

In 2001, Paterno passed Paul “Bear” Bryant as college football’s all-time winningest coach with his 324th all-time victory.  Since that game his win total continues to increase as do his record number of bowl appearances, bowl victories, and top ten and top twenty rankings.

More important than all of the wins and titles he has accumulated may be his legacy with the influence he has had on his players, Penn State Students and alumni.  Paterno has generously contributed millions to the school and its academic programs.

The National Football Foundation has honored him with the Distinguished American Award in 1992 and the Gold Medal in 2006.