On This Date: Former College Hoopers Tackling October 3 NFL Gridiron

October 3rd, 2023 - 9:38

Long before kneeling knuckleheads and 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 3 in football at the professional level (especially in 1965):

OCTOBER 3

  • Indianapolis Colts TE Mo Alie-Cox (All-Atlantic 10 Conference third-team selection as junior averaged 7.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg and 1.8 bpg for four VCU NCAA tourney teams from 2013-14 through 2016-17) caught two second-half touchdown passes from Carson Wentz in a 27-17 win against the Miami Dolphins in 2021.

  • Cincinnati Bengals QB Ken Anderson (swingman finished Augustana IL career in early 1970s as fifth-leading scorer in school history with 1,044 points) threw four touchdown passes in a 45-24 win against the Cleveland Browns in 1976. Browns WR Reggie Rucker (averaged 6.8 ppg and 3.8 rpg for Boston University in 1966-67) had nine pass receptions for 141 yards.

  • Baltimore Ravens WR Justin Armour (Stanford hooper in 1992-93) caught 54-yard touchdown pass in overtime to give the Baltimore Ravens a 19-13 win against the Atlanta Falcons in 1999.

  • New York Giants E Red Badgro (first-five All-Pacific Coast Conference pick as forward in 1926-27 when named USC's MVP) opened game's scoring with a 25-yard touchdown reception in 14-12 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1934.

  • Cleveland Browns DB Erich Barnes (played hoops briefly for Purdue as sophomore in 1955-56) returned an interception 38 yards for touchdown in 15-7 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1970.

  • Washington Redskins QB Sammy Baugh (TCU three-year hoops letterman was All-SWC honorable mention selection as senior in 1936-37) threw three touchdown passes in a 27-14 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1949. Redskins E Hugh Taylor (OCU leading scorer with 11.4 ppg as senior in 1947) had two of his league-high nine TD pass receptions.

  • Kansas City Chiefs LB Bobby Bell (first African-American hooper for Minnesota in 1960-61) returned an interception 36 yards for touchdown in 27-17 AFL win against the Boston Patriots in 1965.

  • Cleveland Browns FB Jim Brown (averaged 14 ppg for Syracuse as sophomore and 11.3 as junior in mid-1950s) rushed for three touchdowns in a 35-17 win against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1965. Eagles QB King Hill (Rice hoops letterman in 1955-56 and 1956-57) threw two TD passes.

  • Pittsburgh Steelers HB Lynn Chandnois (forward scored 15 points in 11 games for Michigan State in 1946-47 and 1947-48) returned a kickoff 93 yards for touchdown in 24-14 win against the New York Giants in 1953.

  • Pittsburgh Steelers TB Johnny Clement (SMU hoops letterman in 1940) threw two touchdown passes in a 24-14 win against the Boston Yanks in 1948.

  • Chicago Bears B-PK John "Paddy" Driscoll (Northwestern basketball letterman in 1916) kicked decisive field goal in fourth quarter in 10-7 win against the Detroit Panthers in 1926.

  • Detroit Lions QB Fred Enke (three-year All-Border Conference first-team selection under his father was Arizona co-captain as senior in 1947-48) threw two first-half touchdown passes in a 22-14 setback against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1949. Four years later with the Baltimore Colts, Enke threw two first-half TD passes in a 27-17 setback against the Lions in 1953.

  • Washington Redskins LB London Fletcher (started two games for St. Francis PA as hoops freshman in 1993-94 before transferring to John Carroll OH) had 10 tackles in a 17-12 win against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2010.

  • San Diego Chargers TE Antonio Gates (second-team All-MAC selection in 2002 when Kent State finished runner-up in South Regional) caught seven passes for 144 yards - including two first-half touchdowns from Philip Rivers - in a 41-10 win against the Arizona Cardinals in 2010.

  • 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 for 337 yards and four touchdown passes in a 38-36 win against the Carolina Panthers in 1999.

  • Detroit Lions QB Bobby Layne (Texas hooper in 1944-45) threw two second-quarter touchdown passes to E Cloyce Box (combined with twin brother Boyce to help West Texas win Border Conference hoop championship in 1943) in a 17-14 win against the Los Angeles Rams in 1952.

  • A fourth-quarter touchdown pass reception by TE Pete Metzelaars (averaged 19.2 ppg and 11.4 rpg for Wabash IN while setting NCAA Division III field-goal shooting records for single season as senior in 1981-82 and career) from Jim Kelly gave the Buffalo Bills a 17-14 win against the New York Giants in 1993.

  • Philadelphia Eagles B Dom Moselle (leading hoops scorer for Wisconsin-Superior in 1947-48 and 1948-49) caught a 35-yard touchdown pass in 35-16 win against the Chicago Cardinals in 1954.

  • Buffalo Bills HB Chet Mutryn (Xavier hoops letterman in 1943) caught two touchdown passes from George Ratterman (third-leading scorer with 11.7 ppg for Notre Dame in 1944-45) in a 31-21 AAFC win against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1948.

  • Cincinnati Bengals WR Terrell Owens (UTC hooper from 1993-94 through 1995-96 started five games) had 10 pass receptions for 222 yards in a 23-20 setback against the Cleveland Browns in 2010.

  • HB Bosh Pritchard (four-sport letterman for VMI) scored the Philadelphia Eagles' final touchdown with a 52-yard run from scrimmage in 28-28 tie against the Los Angeles Rams in 1948.

  • Detroit Lions DB Wayne Rasmussen (MVP in 1963 NCAA College Division Tournament for South Dakota State) had two interceptions - returning one of them 50 yards for a touchdown to open game's scoring - in 14-10 win against the Washington Redskins in 1965.

  • Dallas Cowboys QB Roger Staubach (Navy varsity hooper in 1962-63) threw two second-quarter touchdown passes in a 28-13 win against the Seattle Seahawks in 1976.

  • Chicago Rockets rookie QB Sam Vacanti (averaged 2.8 ppg as backup swingman for Iowa in 1942-43) threw three touchdown passes in a 35-31 AAFC setback against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Rookie HB Ted Scalissi (three-time all-league hoops selection for Ripon WI) caught two of the TD passes.