On This Date: Former College Hoopers Tackling November 5 NFL Gridiron

November 5th, 2023 - 8:06

Long before kneeling knuckleheads such as GQ poster boy #ColonKrapernick's Netflix licks about NFL "slavery" 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 members of a league championship basketball squad promptly selected among the top 41 selections in 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 November 5 in football at the professional level (especially in 1950):

NOVEMBER 5

  • Dallas Cowboys TE Billy Joe Dupree (scored four points in total of four basketball games for Michigan State in 1971-72) posted a career-high eight pass receptions in 23-16 setback against the Miami Dolphins in 1978.

  • New York Giants E Ray Flaherty (four-sport Gonzaga athlete including hoops) caught two first-half touchdown passes (30 and 50 yards) in a 45-6 win against the Buffalo Bisons in 1929.

  • Buffalo Bills LB London Fletcher (started two games for St. Francis PA as freshman in 1993-94 before transferring to John Carroll OH) scored a touchdown on 17-yard interception return in 24-10 win against the Green Bay Packers in 2006.

  • Kansas City Chiefs TE Tony Gonzalez (averaged 6.4 ppg and 4.3 rpg for California from 1994-95 through 1996-97) caught two second-quarter touchdown passes in a 31-17 setback against the St. Louis Rams in 2006. Six years earlier, Gonzalez caught nine passes in a 49-31 reversal against the Oakland Raiders in his fourth consecutive contest with at least 100 receiving yards in 2000. Raiders TE Rickey Dudley (averaged 13.3 ppg and 7.5 rpg as senior in 1994-95 when leading Ohio State in rebounding and finishing third in scoring) caught two second-half TD passes from Rich Gannon after Raiders WR Andre Rison (backup hoops guard for Michigan State in 1987-88) caught two first-half TD passes.

  • 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) scored three touchdowns - including 80-yard pass reception - in a 55-14 AFL win against the Denver Broncos in 1961.

  • New York Giants' Dave Jennings (forward averaged 5.9 ppg for St. Lawrence NY in 1972-73 and 1973-74) punted four times for 51.8-yard average in 20-10 setback against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1978.

  • Washington Redskins QB Billy Kilmer (hooper under legendary UCLA coach John Wooden in 1959-60) threw three of his league-high 19 touchdown passes in a 35-17 win against the New York Jets in 1972.

  • Detroit Lions QB Bobby Layne (Texas hooper in 1944-45) rushed for two 15-yard fourth-quarter touchdowns in a 35-21 setback against the Chicago Bears in 1950 after Bears QB Johnny Lujack (averaged 3.4 ppg as starting guard for Notre Dame in 1943-44) rushed for two first-half TDs.

  • New York Giants rookie WR Bob McChesney (Hardin-Simmons TX hoops letterman in 1945-46) opened game's scoring with a 36-yard touchdown catch in 24-21 win against the Washington Redskins in 1950. McChesney finished contest with career-high four pass receptions. Teammate Ray Poole (Ole Miss' leading hoops scorer in 1942-43 with 12.3 ppg) provided the margin of victory with a 40-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

  • Baltimore Colts rookie DB Herb Rich (Vanderbilt hoops letterman in 1947) returned an interception 45 yards for touchdown in 41-21 win against the Green Bay Packers in 1950.

  • Detroit Lions HB Kent "Rip" Ryan (two-time All-Rocky Mountain first-team choice for Utah State averaged 8.1 ppg in league play in 1933-34, 9.9 ppg in 1934-35, 9.3 ppg in 1935-36 and 7.6 ppg in 1936-37) scored go-ahead touchdown in fourth quarter with a six-yard pass reception in 18-14 win against the New York Giants in 1939. B Len Barnum (West Virginia Wesleyan hooper) opened the Giants' scoring with a 47-yard TD pass to Tuffy Leemans (three-year hoops letterman for George Washington in mid-1930s).

  • New York Giants WR Del Shofner (Baylor letterman in 1956) had three touchdown receptions in a 53-0 win against the Washington Redskins in 1961.

  • Denver Broncos WR Rod Smith (swingman was Missouri Southern State hoops letterman as sophomore in 1990-91) had 10 pass receptions - including two second-half touchdowns - in a 38-28 setback against the Oakland Raiders in 2001.

  • Philadelphia Eagles QB Norm Snead (averaged 7.8 ppg in four Wake Forest games as senior in 1960-61) threw three touchdown passes in a 31-24 setback against the New Orleans Saints in 1967.

  • Miami Dolphins DE Jason Taylor (averaged 8 ppg and 5.4 rpg for Akron in 1994-95) returned an interception 20 yards for touchdown in 31-13 win against the Chicago Bears in 2006.

  • Detroit Lions HB Doak Walker (SMU letterman as freshman in 1945-46) rushed for two fourth-quarter touchdowns in a 24-14 win against the Baltimore Colts in 1955.

  • Minnesota Vikings CB Charlie West (collected two points and one rebound in two UTEP games under coach Don Haskins in 1967-68) had an interception and returned four punts for 57 yards in 37-6 win against the New Orleans Saints in 1972. Saints WR Creston Whitaker (North Texas State guard led MVC in field-goal shooting as junior in 1968-69 when averaging 20 ppg and 6 rpg) notched his lone NFL pass reception (five-yard catch).