On This Date: Former College Hoopers Tackling October 27 NFL Gridiron

October 27th, 2023 - 9:11

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 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 27 in football at the professional level (especially in 1963 and 1968):

OCTOBER 27

  • Denver Broncos QB Marlin Briscoe (averaged 9.5 ppg and 3.6 rpg for Nebraska-Omaha in 1964-65) rushed for two second-half touchdowns in a 21-14 AFL win against the Miami Dolphins in 1968.

  • San Francisco 49ers rookie HB Don Durdan (Oregon State hoops letterman from 1941 to 1943) caught a touchdown pass from Frankie Albert in 34-20 AAFC win against the Cleveland Browns in 1946.

  • Houston Texans TE Darren Fells (led UCI in rebounding each of last three seasons while averaging 10.2 ppg and 6.3 rpg from 2004-05 through 2007-08) caught two fourth-quarter touchdown passes from Deshaun Watson in 27-24 win against the Oakland Raiders in 2019. Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins (played in seven hoop games for Clemson in 2010-11) had 11 pass receptions.

  • New Orleans Saints TE Jimmy Graham (part-time starter for Miami FL averaged 4.2 ppg and 4.2 rpg from 2005-06 through 2008-09) caught two of his NFL-high 16 touchdown passes from Drew Brees in a 35-17 win against the Buffalo Bills in 2013.

  • Rookie B Swede Hagberg (three-year West Virginia hoops letterman in late 1920s) scored the Buffalo Bisons' only touchdown with a 55-yard pass reception in 14-6 setback against the Boston Bulldogs in 1929.

  • Green Bay Packers rookie RB Paul Hornung (averaged 6.1 ppg in 10 contests for Notre Dame in 1954-55) rushed for two fourth-quarter touchdowns in a 24-21 win against the Baltimore Colts in 1957.

  • St. Louis Cardinals QB Charley Johnson (transferred from Schreiner J.C. to New Mexico State to play hoops before concentrating on football) threw three touchdown passes in a 21-7 win against the Washington Redskins in 1963. WR Sonny Randle (scoreless in seven basketball games in Virginia's third season in ACC in 1955-56) caught two of the TD passes in second half. Eleven years later with the Denver Broncos, Johnson threw two first-half TD passes in a 23-21 setback against the Cleveland Browns in 1974.

  • Green Bay Packers RB Aaron Jones (collected six points and six assists in eight basketball games for Texas-El Paso in 2013-14 under coach Tim Floyd) caught two touchdown passes from QB Aaron Rodgers in a 31-24 win against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019. Decisive TD was a 67-yarder with 8:02 remaining in fourth quarter.

  • E Chuck Kassel (Illinois hoops letterman in 1925 and 1926) accounted for the Chicago Cardinals' lone touchdown with a 28-yard catch from Ernie Nevers (All-Pacific Coast Conference second-five choice for Stanford in 1924-25) in a 7-6 setback against the Green Bay Packers in 1929.

  • Miami Dolphins RB Jerris McPhail (starting point guard for Mount Olive NC with 11 ppg in early 1990s) scored two first-half touchdowns - 71-yard run from scrimmage and 10-yard pass reception from Dan Marino - in a 36-33 setback against the Chicago Bears in 1997. The previous year as a rookie, McPhail returned two kickoffs for 69 yards in 29-10 setback against the Dallas Cowboys in 1996.

  • San Francisco 49ers WR Terrell Owens (UTC hooper from 1993-94 through 1995-96 started five games) caught two first-half touchdown passes from Jeff Garcia (21 and 61 yards) in a 38-28 win against the Arizona Cardinals in 2002.

  • Chicago Bears K Mac Percival (three-year hoops letterman was part of squad winning Texas Tech's first SWC championship in major sport in 1960-61) converted all four of his field-goal attempts - including a decisive 47-yarder in fourth quarter - in 26-24 win against the Minnesota Vikings in 1968.

  • Oakland Raiders WR Art Powell (averaged 10.5 ppg and 8.2 rpg for San Jose State in 1956-57) had two touchdown catches in a 34-33 AFL win against the San Diego Chargers in 1963.

  • Philadelphia Eagles HB Bosh Pritchard (four-sport letterman for VMI) had a 45-yard pass reception for touchdown in 28-24 win against the Washington Redskins in 1946.

  • B Dave Ryan (Hardin-Simmons TX hoops letterman in 1942 and 1943) had the Detroit Lions' only score by returning a fumble recovery 36 yards for touchdown in 10-7 setback against the Green Bay Packers in 1946.

  • Cincinnati Bengals rookie WR S.T. Saffold (two-time All-WCAC first-team choice led San Jose State in scoring and rebounding all three seasons from 1963-64 through 1965-66 while averaging 14.6 ppg and 9.8 rpg) had career highs of five pass receptions for 66 yards in a 31-10 AFL setback against the Oakland Raiders in 1968.

  • New York Jets DB Johnny Sample (freshman hooper for Maryland-Eastern Shore) had two interceptions in a 48-14 AFL win against the Boston Patriots in 1968.

  • An 11-yard pass reception by E Billy Wilson (averaged 3.3 ppg as senior letterman for San Jose State in 1950-51) for fourth-quarter touchdown propelled the San Francisco 49ers to a 21-17 win against the Chicago Bears in 1957.

  • TE Bob Windsor (played two games for Kentucky in 1965-66 under coach Adolph Rupp) caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Jim Plunkett in fourth quarter to power the New England Patriots to a 17-14 win against the Minnesota Vikings in 1974.

  • New York Giants LB Bill Winter (St. Olaf MN hoops letterman averaged 5.3 ppg and 2.7 rpg in 1960-61 and 1961-62) had an interception in 33-6 win against the Cleveland Browns in 1963.