On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Ready to Tackle October 22 NFL Gridiron

October 22nd, 2024 - 9:26

Long before kneeling knuckleheads and politicized multiple anthems, the NCAA Tournament commenced in 1939, which was one year after the NIT triggered national postseason competition. An overlooked "versatile athlete" feat occurring in 1938 likely never to be duplicated took place at Arkansas, where the quarterback for the football squad (Jack Robbins) repeated as an All-SWC first-team basketball selection, leading the Razorbacks (19-3) to the league title. After the season, Robbins became an NFL first-round draft choice by the Chicago Cardinals (5th pick overall) and senior football/basketball teammates Jim Benton (11th pick by Cleveland Rams) and Ray Hamilton (41st pick by Rams) went on to become wide receivers for at least six years in the NFL. Yes, they created a kneeling-in-admiration shatterproof achievement - three do-everything members of a league championship basketball squad who promptly were among the top 41 selections in the same NFL draft.

Two years later, All-SWC first-team hoop selection Howard "Red" Hickey was instrumental in Arkansas reaching the 1941 Final Four before becoming an end for the Cleveland Rams' 1945 NFL titlist. Two-sport college teammate and fellow end O'Neal Adams scored five touchdowns for the New York Giants the first half of the 1940s. Another two-sport Hog who played for the Giants in the mid-1940s was Harry Wynne. An earlier versatile Razorback was Jim Lee Howell, who was an All-SWC first five hoop selection in 1935-36 before becoming a starting end for the Giants' 1938 NFL titlist and Pro Bowl participant the next year. Adams, Benton, Hamilton, Hickey and Howell combined for 77 touchdowns in an 11-year span from 1938 through 1948 when at least one of the ex-Razorback hoopers scored a TD in each of those seasons.

Hickey and ex-Hog All-SWC second-team hooper in 1929-30/NFL end Milan Creighton each coached NFL franchises. Many other ex-college hoopers also displayed their wares on the gridiron. Following is exhaustive research you can tackle regarding former college basketball players who made a name for themselves on October 22 in football at the professional level (especially in 1950 and 1961 and ex-hoopers with the Bears and Lions):

OCTOBER 22

  • New York Giants B Len Barnum (West Virginia Wesleyan hooper) rushed for a touchdown in his second consecutive contest in 1939. Chicago Bears E Dick Plasman (Vanderbilt two-year starting hoops center named to 1936 All-SEC Tournament second five) caught a 68-yard TD pass from Sid Luckman in 16-13 setback against the Giants.

  • Detroit Lions E Cloyce Box (combined with twin brother Boyce to help West Texas win Border Conference hoop championship in 1943) caught a touchdown pass from Bobby Layne (Texas hooper in 1944-45) for the third consecutive contest in 1950. Lions rookie E Dick Rifenburg (scored nine points in five basketball games for Michigan in 1948-49) had a 19-yard TD reception in 28-27 setback against the San Francisco 49ers.

  • Detroit Lions TB Dutch Clark (four-time All-Rocky Mountain Conference hoops choice for Colorado College) rushed for three touchdowns in a 28-0 win against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1934.

  • Chicago Bears rookie TE Mike Ditka (averaged 2.8 ppg and 2.6 rpg for Pittsburgh in 1958-59 and 1959-60) caught two touchdown passes in a 31-0 win against the San Francisco 49ers in 1961.

  • San Diego Chargers TE Antonio Gates (second-team All-MAC selection in 2002 when Kent State finished runner-up in South Regional) caught nine passes in a 30-27 setback against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2006. Chiefs TE Tony Gonzalez (averaged 6.4 ppg and 4.3 rpg for California from 1994-95 through 1996-97) caught six passes for 138 yards.

  • Houston Oilers WR Bill Groman (Heidelberg OH scoring average leader as sophomore and junior while averaging 14.6 ppg and 4.8 rpg from 1954-55 through 1957-58) caught two touchdown passes in a 38-7 AFL win against the Dallas Texans in 1961.

  • Green Bay Packers RB-K Paul Hornung (averaged 6.1 ppg in 10 contests for Notre Dame in 1954-55) converted all four of his field-goal attempts in a 33-7 win against the Minnesota Vikings in 1961.

  • San Francisco 49ers WR John Isenbarger (Indiana hooper for three games in 1967-68) caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Steve Spurrier in 20-20 tie against the New Orleans Saints in 1972.

  • Washington Redskins QB Brad Johnson (part-time starting forward for Florida State as freshman in 1987-88 when averaging 5.9 ppg and shooting 89.1% from free-throw line) threw three touchdown passes to Albert Connell in a 35-16 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2000.

  • Denver Broncos QB Charley Johnson (transferred from Schreiner J.C. to New Mexico State to play hoops before concentrating on football) passed for 361 yards - including two first-half touchdowns - in a 30-23 win against the Oakland Raiders in 1972.

  • E Luke Johnsos (Northwestern hoops letterman in 1927 and 1928) accounted for the Chicago Bears' lone touchdown with a 24-yard catch from Red Grange in the fourth quarter in 10-7 win against the Green Bay Packers in 1933.

  • Green Bay Packers rookie RB Aaron Jones (collected six points and six assists in eight basketball games for Texas-El Paso in 2013-14 under coach Tim Floyd) opened game's scoring with a 46-yard rushing touchdown in 26-17 setback against the New Orleans Saints in 2017.

  • Rookie FB J.W. Lockett (three-year hoops letterman led Central Oklahoma with 8.8 rpg in 1958-59) scored the Dallas Cowboys' lone touchdown with five-yard pass from Don Meredith in second game in a row in 1961.

  • Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb (averaged 2.3 points in 18 games for Syracuse in 1995-96 and 1996-97) passed for 302 yards - including three second-half touchdowns - in a 23-21 setback against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2006.

  • Rookie DB Zeke Moore (Lincoln MO hoops letterman in mid-1960s) opened the Houston Oilers' scoring with a 92-yard kickoff return for touchdown in 24-19 win against the Kansas City Chiefs in 1967.

  • Baltimore Colts HB Chet Mutryn (Xavier hoops letterman in 1943) had two touchdown pass receptions in a 70-27 setback against the Los Angeles Rams in 1950. Fellow HB Rip Collins (guard for Louisiana State's basketball team from 1945 to 1947) had a 63-yard pass reception for the Colts.

  • New York Titans WR Art Powell (averaged 10.5 ppg and 8.2 rpg for San Jose State in 1956-57) had 12 pass receptions for 160 yards in a 27-10 AFL setback against the Denver Broncos in 1961.

  • Pittsburgh Steelers WR Antwaan Randle El (member of Indiana's 1999 NCAA Tournament team) returned a punt 87 yards for touchdown in 36-22 setback against the Indianapolis Colts in 2006.

  • New York Giants rookie B Kink Richards (Simpson IA hoops letterman) had a 70-yard rushing touchdown in 21-7 win against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1933.

  • Green Bay Packers LB Dave Robinson (made two free throws and grabbed five rebounds in two basketball games for Penn State in 1960-61) had two interceptions in a 48-21 win against the New York Giants in 1967.

  • Chicago Bears QB Gene Ronzani (among Marquette's top four scorers in 1931-32 and 1932-33) threw three touchdown passes - all at least 28 yards - in a 21-21 tie against the Detroit Lions in 1944.

  • Buffalo Bills TE Tom Rychlec (collected four points and six rebounds in one hoops game for American International MA in 1954-55) caught two fourth-quarter touchdown passes in a 52-21 AFL setback against the Boston Patriots in 1961.

  • Pittsburgh Steelers DB Johnny Sample (freshman hooper for Maryland-Eastern Shore) had at least one interception in his fourth consecutive contest in 1961.

  • Detroit Lions B Bill Shepherd (Western Maryland hooper) opened game's scoring with a 58-yard rushing touchdown in 26-7 setback against the Green Bay Packers in 1939.

  • Philadelphia Eagles QB Norm Snead (averaged 7.8 ppg in four Wake Forest games as senior in 1960-61) passed for 321 yards - including two first-quarter touchdown passes highlighted by 87-yarder to Ben Hawkins - in a 48-14 setback against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1967.

  • Washington Redskins E Hugh Taylor (OCU leading scorer with 11.4 ppg as senior in 1947) caught three touchdown passes from Harry Gilmer in a 38-28 setback against the Chicago Cardinals in 1950.

  • Jacksonville Jaguars WR Cedric Tillman (averaged 4.3 ppg and 2.6 rpg while serving as part-time starter for Alcorn State in 1990-91) opened game's scoring with a touchdown catch from Mark Brunell in 23-15 win against the Cleveland Browns in 1995. It was Tillman's third consecutive contest with a TD reception.

  • Philadelphia Eagles rookie DE Norm Willey (Marshall center in late 1940s) opened game's scoring by returning an interception 41 yards for touchdown in 17-10 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1950.