On This NFL Date: Former College Hoopers Ready to Tackle October 4 Gridiron

October 4th, 2021 - 8:51

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 4 in football at the professional level (especially in 1952, 1964, 1992 and 2009):

OCTOBER 4

  • Boston Braves RB Cliff Battles (four seasons of varsity hoops for West Virginia Wesleyan) opened the game's scoring with a 70-yard punt return for touchdown in 21-6 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1933.

  • Chicago Bears TE Martellus Bennett (averaged 1.9 ppg and 1.5 rpg as Texas A&M freshman in 2005-06 before playing briefly next season under coach Billy Gillispie) had 11 pass receptions in a 22-20 win against the Oakland Raiders in 2015.

  • Chicago Bears rookie HB J.R. Boone (hoops teammate of eventual NFL executive Jim Finks for Tulsa in 1947-48) had two first-half rushing touchdowns in a 28-17 win against the Chicago Cardinals in 1948.

  • Buffalo Bills WR Marlin Briscoe (averaged 9.5 ppg and 3.6 rpg for Nebraska-Omaha in 1964-65) caught two second-half touchdown passes in a 34-31 win against the New York Jets in 1970.

  • Indianapolis Colts DE Sam Clancy (two-time Eastern 8 first-team selection ended career in 1981 as Pittsburgh's all-time leading rebounder) had two sacks in a 24-14 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1992.

  • Chicago Cardinals B Red Dunn (four-year Marquette hoops letterman first half of 1920s) rushed for two second-quarter touchdowns in a 34-0 win against the Milwaukee Badgers in 1925.

  • 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 for 124 yards - including two second-half touchdowns from Philip Rivers - in a 38-28 setback against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2009.

  • Cleveland Browns QB Otto Graham (Big Ten Conference runner-up in scoring as Northwestern sophomore in 1941-42 and junior in 1942-43) threw three touchdown passes in a 21-20 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1952. The next year, Graham threw three TD passes in a 27-7 win against the Chicago Cardinals in 1953.

  • Baltimore Ravens WR Randy Hymes (averaged 7.8 ppg and 5.3 rpg for Grambling from 1999-00 through 2001-02), catching long second-quarter touchdown pass in second straight game, had a 57-yarder from QB Kyle Boller in 27-24 setback against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2004.

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Vincent Jackson (Northern Colorado's scoring leader with 13.6 ppg in 2003-04 while also contributing 5.6 rpg and 3.1 apg) caught 10 passes for 147 yards in a 37-23 setback against the Carolina Panthers in 2015.

  • Houston Texans WR Jacoby Jones (part-time starter averaged 3.4 ppg and 3.7 rpg for Lane TN in 2004-05 and 2005-06) returned a kickoff 95 yards for touchdown in 29-6 win against the Oakland Raiders in 2009.

  • Cleveland Browns rookie TE Chris Kelley (averaged 1.5 ppg and 1.6 rpg for Akron in 1984-85 and 1985-86 under coach Bob Huggins) caught a "Hail Mary" pass on botched extra-point attempt in 20-10 win against the New England Patriots in 1987.

  • New York Giants rookie FB Tuffy Leemans (three-year hoops letterman for George Washington in mid-1930s) scored game's only touchdown with a 31-yard rush in 7-0 win against the Boston Redskins in 1936.

  • New York Giants WR Bob McChesney (Hardin-Simmons TX hoops letterman in 1945-46) opened the game's scoring with an 18-yard touchdown reception from Frank Gifford in 31-7 win against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1952.

  • Chicago Bears B Keith Molesworth (three-year hoops letterman for Monmouth IL in late 1920s) threw two touchdown passes in a 27-9 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1936.

  • Pittsburgh Steelers E Elbie Nickel (Cincinnati's second-leading scorer in 1942 also earned hoop letter in 1947) caught two first-half touchdown passes from Jim Finks (led Tulsa with 8.9 ppg as sophomore in 1946-47) in a 21-20 setback against the Cleveland Browns in 1952.

  • Washington Redskins E-P Pat Richter (three-year Wisconsin hoops letterman in early 1960s) averaged 47 yards on six punts in a 23-17 setback against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1964. Cardinals WR Sonny Randle (scoreless in seven basketball games in Virginia's third season in ACC in 1955-56) caught five passes for 139 yards.

  • Atlanta Falcons WR Andre Rison (backup hoops guard for Michigan State in 1987-88) caught two touchdown passes in a 24-10 win against the Green Bay Packers in 1992.

  • Denver Broncos WR Rod Smith (swingman was Missouri Southern State hoops letterman as sophomore in 1990-91) caught two touchdown passes in a 41-16 win against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1998.

  • Philadelphia Eagles QB Norm Snead (averaged 7.8 ppg in four Wake Forest games as senior in 1960-61) threw three touchdown passes - including 87-yarder to Timmy Brown - in a 21-7 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1964.

  • Miami Dolphins DE Jason Taylor (averaged 8 ppg and 5.4 rpg for Akron in 1994-95) had 2 1/2 sacks in a 38-10 win against the Buffalo Bills in 2009.

  • New York Jets DE Marvin Washington (played in 1985 NCAA Tournament with UTEP under Don Haskins before averaging 2.9 ppg and 5.7 rpg for Idaho under Tim Floyd in 1987-88) had two sacks in a 30-21 win against the New England Patriots in 1992.