On This Date: Former College Hoopers Tackling October 30 NFL Gridiron

October 30th, 2023 - 8:28

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 30 in football at the professional level (especially in 1966 and 1977):

OCTOBER 30

  • Kansas City Chiefs TE Reg Carolan (Idaho three-year hoops letterman in early 1960s averaged 4 ppg and 4.7 rpg) caught two second-quarter touchdown passes from Len Dawson (Purdue hooper in 1956-57) in a 48-23 AFL win against the Houston Oilers in 1966. In midst of five consecutive contests with a touchdown catch, Chiefs FL Otis Taylor (backup small forward for Prairie View A&M) had five pass receptions for 187 yards.

  • New York Jets TE Tyler Conklin (averaged 1.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg and 1.4 apg with Northwood MI in 2013-14 before transferring after first semester to concentrate on football at Central Michigan) caught two touchdown passes in a 22-17 setback against the New England Patriots in 2022.

  • Chicago Bears B-PK John "Paddy" Driscoll (Northwestern basketball letterman in 1916) provided a rushing touchdown and two extra points in 14-6 win against the Dayton Triangles in 1927.

  • Washington Redskins LB London Fletcher (started two games for St. Francis PA as freshman hooper in 1993-94 before transferring to John Carroll OH) had 12 tackles, seven assists and an interception in a 23-0 setback against the Buffalo Bills in 2011.

  • Washington Redskins TE Jean Fugett (leading scorer and rebounder for Amherst MA as junior in 1970-71) caught two first-quarter touchdown passes from Joe Theismann in a 23-17 win against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1977. Redskins DB Joe Lavender (averaged 13.4 ppg and 6.6 rpg for San Diego State in 1969-70 and 1970-71) had an interception in his third different game of the month.

  • San Diego Chargers TE Antonio Gates (second-team All-MAC selection in 2002 when Kent State finished runner-up in South Regional) caught 10 passes for 145 yards - including three for touchdowns - from Drew Brees in a 28-20 win against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2005.

  • Dallas Cowboys E Pete Gent (three-time All-Big Ten Conference selection averaged 17.4 ppg and 8.3 rpg while leading Michigan State in scoring each season from 1961-62 through 1963-64) caught an 84-yard touchdown pass from Don Meredith in 52-21 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1966. Steelers LB Bill Saul (averaged 6.1 ppg for Penn State in 1959-60) returned an interception 13 yards.

  • Green Bay Packers B Roger Grove (forward led Michigan State in scoring in 1929-30 and 1930-31) caught two touchdown passes in a 26-0 win against the Staten Island Stapletons in 1932.

  • Chicago Bears E Harlon Hill (Florence State AL hoops letterman in 1951) had three of his league-high nine touchdown receptions in a 31-20 win against the Los Angeles Rams in 1955. Rams LB Bob Griffin (Arkansas hooper in 1950-51) returned an interception 20 yards.

  • Green Bay Packers RB-K Paul Hornung (averaged 6.1 ppg in 10 contests for Notre Dame in 1954-55) kicked four field goals in a 19-13 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1960.

  • Green Bay Packers RB Aaron Jones (collected six points and six assists in eight UTEP basketball games as freshman in 2013-14 under coach Tim Floyd) rushed for 143 yards on 20 carries in a 27-17 setback against the Buffalo Bills in 2022.

  • Atlanta Falcons CB Rolland Lawrence (captain of Tabor KS hoops squad as senior in 1972-73) had two interceptions in a 14-7 setback against the Minnesota Vikings in 1977. The next year, Lawrence had two INTs in a 15-7 win against the Los Angeles Rams in 1978.

  • New York Giants rookie E Frank LoVuolo (three-year St. Bonaventure hoops letterman in mid-1940s) returned a fumble recovery 25 yards for touchdown in 41-38 win against the Chicago Cardinals in 1949.

  • Los Angeles Rams DE Lamar Lundy (averaged 10.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg for Purdue in mid-1950s) returned an interception 25 yards for touchdown in 48-35 win against the Detroit Lions in 1960.

  • Baltimore Colts TE John Mackey (Syracuse hooper in 1960-61) caught two first-half touchdown passes from Johnny Unitas (89 and 17 yards) in a 17-3 win against the Los Angeles Rams in 1966.

  • Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb (averaged 2.3 points in 18 games for Syracuse in 1995-96 and 1996-97) threw three touchdown passes - including a 91-yarder to WR Terrell Owens (UTC hooper from 1993-94 through 1995-96 started five games) - in 49-21 win against the Denver Broncos in 2005.

  • Buffalo Bills 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) caught two touchdown passes from Jim Kelly in a 44-10 win against the Kansas City Chiefs in 1994.

  • Duluth Eskimos FB Ernie Nevers (All-Pacific Coast Conference second-five hoops choice for Stanford in 1924-25) rushed for three touchdowns in a 21-20 setback against the Cleveland Browns in 1927.

  • Houston Oilers QB Gifford Nielsen (BYU swingman averaged 6.5 ppg and 2.7 rpg in 1973-74 and 1974-75) threw two touchdown passes to Mike Renfro in a 25-19 setback against the Cleveland Browns in 1983.

  • Cleveland Browns RB Greg Pruitt (Oklahoma frosh hooper in 1969-70) rushed for 153 yards on 18 carries - including a 78-yarder for touchdown - in 44-7 win against the Kansas City Chiefs in 1977.

  • Denver Broncos S Al Romine (four-year hoops letterman from 1951-52 through 1954-55 for Florence State AL) returned an interception 20 yards in 17-14 AFL setback against the Dallas Texans in 1960. Broncos DB Bob McNamara (averaged 1.3 ppg for Minnesota in 1952-53 and 1953-54 under coach Ozzie Cowles) caught a 55-yard touchdown pass from Frank Tripucka.

  • Cleveland Bulldogs rookie RB Jim Simmons (made half-court shot at buzzer boosting Southwestern Oklahoma State to conference crown) had rushing touchdown in fourth game in a row in 1927.

  • Dallas Cowboys QB Roger Staubach (Navy varsity hooper in 1962-63) threw three touchdown passes in a 37-0 win against the Detroit Lions in 1977.

  • New York Giants rookie B Doug Wycoff (Georgia Tech hoops letterman in 1926) returned an interception for touchdown in 16-0 win against the Pottsville Maroons in 1927.