Who are the best players from I-AA history

[seeker]

Who were the best college I-AA players?

[AppGuy04]

Who were the best college I-AA players?

were or are?

2 very different answers

[seeker]

were or are? 2 very different answersWho are the best I-AA players in history?

[blackfordpu]

Payton, McNair, Owens......

[seeker]

Payton, McNair, Owens......I'll add AP and Coakley plus Jerry Rice. Did Payton play I-AA? I've read here he did not.

[SUjagTILLiDIE]

I'll add AP and Coakley plus Jerry Rice. Did Payton play I-AA? I've read here he did not.
It all starts in the Swac.
Doug Williams
Jerry Rice(Best ever at his position)
Steve McNair(Best college player ever)
Willie Totten
Walter Payton(1 of the best ever at his position)
Micheal Strahan
Aneas Williams
Jimmy Smith

[UNH 40]

Payton, Rice, McNair, Ahzuma, Strahan, saddly T.O, and soon to be David Ball.

[colgate13]

Scratch Payton my friends. He graduated in 1975, before I-AA was created. If we're asking the best players in I-AA history, you can't include them. I think you can scratch Doug Williams too.

As great a season Branch had, career wise Colgate's submission would be Kenny Gamble, the inagural Walter Payton winner. From his Sportsnetwork bio:

For his career, the tailback bolted for 5,220 yards and 55 touchdowns, rushing for more than 200 yards in a game six times during his tenure. The 55 touchdowns were an all-time I-AA best, and Gamble’s 342 career points still rank in the division’s Top 10. Gamble was selected in the 10th round of the 1988 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, and played parts of three seasons with the Chiefs. In August of 2002, the three-time All-American was inductedinto the College Football Hall of Fame.

[bandl]

I'll add AP and Coakley plus Jerry Rice. Did Payton play I-AA? I've read here he did not.

No, he played before his school was officially a I-AA in '78 (or thereabouts).

[bandl]

It all starts in the Swac.
Doug Williams
Jerry Rice(Best ever at his position)
Steve McNair(Best college player ever)
Willie Totten
Walter Pathon(1 of the best ever at his position)
Micheal Strahan
Aneas Williams
Jimmy Smith

That's a mighty impressive list. I haven't heard of Willie Totten though? When did he play, where?

And McNair was good...awesome, in fact (before him, I had never heard of Acorn State, or since)...without a doubt one of best QB's to ever come out of a I-AA program....but I wouldn't call him the best college player ever.

[AppGuy04]

Some of you guys may disagree, but I would put Richie Williams on that list

with all of the conference records he owns, and now a National Championship, not much else he could have done

[SunCoastBlueHen]

The obvious UD representative for this list would be Rich Gannon.

[gsugt1]

Tracy Ham

[GannonFan]

The obvious UD representative for this list would be Rich Gannon.

Amen.

[UNH 40]

Adrian Peterson, and Jared Allen looking unstoppable in the NFL

[SoCon48]

Adrian Peterson, and Jared Allen looking unstoppable in the NFL

Peterson has 581 yds and 3 TD's...in 4 years.

[GannonFan]

Peterson has 581 yds and 3 TD's...in 4 years.

Maybe he only meant Allen?

[UNH 40]

I was talking about petersons Career at GSU and the fact that Jared Allen carried his dominance over into the NFL.

[jwfgeol]

Randy Moss

[dirtbag]

That's a mighty impressive list. I haven't heard of Willie Totten though? When did he play, where?



Totten was Jerry Rice's QB.

[bandl]

Totten was Jerry Rice's QB.

Jerry Rice could make any QB look great. That's not a knock on Totten at nall (since I don't know about him), but what did his stats look like without JR? And I'm not saying that he woulda sucked without JR...after all, someone has to be the one that throws the ball to him. Just trying to gather some info on some I-AA folks I don't know about!!!

[grizband]

I hate to play the homer card here, but Dave Dickenson has to be in this list. He is in the top 10 for alot of the I-AA QB records (his playoff stats, which were even more amazing, aren't even counted). He is the all-time leader in I-AA for wins by a QB. He is part of the team that started Griz football tradition as it is today.

[SU Jag]

It all starts in the Swac.
Doug Williams
Jerry Rice(Best ever at his position)
Steve McNair(Best college player ever)
Willie Totten
Walter Pathon(1 of the best ever at his position)
Micheal Strahan
Aneas Williams
Jimmy Smith

Word! :cool:

[bluehenbillk]

Rich Gannon, how many 2-time Pro Bowl MVP's can you name? Plus he was the NFL MVP a year too.

[Mr. C]

Jerry Rice could make any QB look great. That's not a knock on Totten at nall (since I don't know about him), but what did his stats look like without JR? And I'm not saying that he woulda sucked without JR...after all, someone has to be the one that throws the ball to him. Just trying to gather some info on some I-AA folks I don't know about!!!
Totten was a great QB at Mississippi Valley State. Most long-time I-AA observers would say he was one of the best in I-AA history. Steve McNair has my vote as the best passing QB from I-AA, while Tracy Ham was obviously very special as well, particularly executing the option.

Hard to believe Dexter Coakley, I-AA's only repeat winner of the Buchanan Award, isn't on almost everyone's list on defense.

[Mr. Tiger]

Jerry Rice could make any QB look great. That's not a knock on Totten at nall (since I don't know about him), but what did his stats look like without JR? And I'm not saying that he woulda sucked without JR...after all, someone has to be the one that throws the ball to him. Just trying to gather some info on some I-AA folks I don't know about!!!

You are right. Jerry Rice could make QBs look good. But Willie Totten was a great QB. One of the best to ever play in Division I-AA. He wasn't a scrambler. He had a strong arm and was very accurate. Rice did not have to wait on the ball with Totten back there. He could catch it on the run. But I can understand why people that didn't see him assume that Rice made him look good. But Totten would have still been a great QB without Rice.

[SoCon48]

I was talking about petersons Career at GSU and the fact that Jared Allen carried his dominance over into the NFL.

Oh.

[Kill'em]

ADRIAN PETERSON

There were other good choices, but it's hard to argue with AP.

[Kill'em]

Peterson has 581 yds and 3 TD's...in 4 years.
Look at how many carries he gets, though. He gets very few. He averages 5.1 ypc this year.

[foghorn]

Look at how many carries he gets, though. He gets very few. He averages 5.1 ypc this year.

Don't you think he'd get a lot more if he were thought of higher? I always thought it was that QB GSU had at that time that really made that offense go. :cool:

[Baldy]

The reason we have a Payton Award - Tracy Ham. And of course Adrian Peterson.

[Go...gate]

Rich Erenberg - great four-year career at Colgate (last two in I-AA); led the nation with 1,883 yards in his senior season (1983); played five years with the Steelers until his career was ended by injury.

[Kill'em]

Don't you think he'd get a lot more if he were thought of higher? I always thought it was that QB GSU had at that time that really made that offense go. :cool:
That is the NFL. This thread is about the top players , all-time, in I-AA. I am aware of what the Bears feel are AP's shortcomings. This doesn't take away from the fact they love him. Afterall, they did sign him to a six-year extension.

Trust me, while the Eagles would have been successful without him, it's doubtful we would have made three finals appearances and one semi-final appearance in those four years without him. Don't forget,he played with two quarterbacks during those four years.

[eaglemania25]

Purely personal, but Randy Moss and Adrian Peterson best two I've seen in person.

[igo4uni]

Kurt Warner........Super Bowl MVP.

[RadMann]

Igo4uni: Don't sell Warner short. He was also twice NFL MVP. Gannon was NFL MVP also, as was McNair. Think about it, that is four NFL seasons in recent years where the Most Valuable Player for the entire NFL for the entire season came from I-AA! Awesome.

[SoCon48]

Purely personal, but Randy Moss and Adrian Peterson best two I've seen in person.

True about AP until he got to the NFL.

[dirtbag]

Jerry Rice could make any QB look great. That's not a knock on Totten at nall (since I don't know about him), but what did his stats look like without JR? And I'm not saying that he woulda sucked without JR...after all, someone has to be the one that throws the ball to him. Just trying to gather some info on some I-AA folks I don't know about!!!

Totten played in 1985 without Rice. I can't find stats, but the team averaged a hair over 40 ppg. Totten's career TD passes record held until Eugene broke it this season.

But, Totten wasn't drafted by the NFL and was flat-out bad as a backup QB in the Arena League and the CFL.

Fun fact: He went back to MVSU and served as the tennis coach for 6 years.

He's now the head football coach at MVSU, playing games in Rice-Totten Stadium.

[JohnStOnge]

I'll be the first non-GSU guy to say "Tracy Ham."

I'm talking about in terms of being the player I know of in I-AA history who had the most impact on a game. I admit I never saw people like Jerry Rice or Brian Westbrook play in college. But I did see Randy Moss and Steve McNair (as a senior before he hurt his hamstring). They both changed the game a lot but, in my opinion, not like Tracy Ham did.

The guy was absolutely unstoppable. I don't know if it still holds but at one time he was the only player in college football history to rush for over 3,000 yards and pass for over 5,000. He was very strong and difficult to tackle. I also think he could've been a top NFL quarterback if he'd have been given a shot. I think he came out at a time when there was not as much appreciation as there is now for the combination of skills he had, so he was viewed as a running back. A running back that passed for over 40,000 yards in Canada.

I agree with this assessment from a Georgia Southern web site I found:

"He was the expert at the triple option. His read of the fullback dive was the best. His pitch to the trailing back was the best. If he had to run, nobody could tackle him.

Then, if he had to pass, he was the best passer around."

http://www.gometter.com/images2/xfb1986.jpg

[seeker]

Igo4uni: Don't sell Warner short. He was also twice NFL MVP. Gannon was NFL MVP also, as was McNair. Think about it, that is four NFL seasons in recent years where the Most Valuable Player for the entire NFL for the entire season came from I-AA! Awesome.What did Warner and Gannon do in college?

[RadMann]

I'm not certain about Warner at UNI, but Gannon was arguably Delaware's best player ever (a tough claim to make with different eras and different positions) but that is my opinion. When he graduated he owned a large portion of the QB records at UD. I saw him play and he was often one of those very few players who looked like he was a man playing against boys. A few of his acomplishments:

College:
All-American honors in 1986
Yankee Conference Player of the Year in 1986
Lead to the team to the NCAA quarterfinals in 1986
Established 21 school records

NFL:
Drafted in 4th round in '87
3 time All-Pro
NFL MVP in 2002
Two time Pro Bowl MVP

[seeker]

I'm not certain about Warner at UNI, but Gannon was arguably Delaware's best player ever (a tough claim to make with different eras and different positions) but that is my opinion. When he graduated he owned a large portion of the QB records at UD. I saw him play and he was often one of those very few players who looked like he was a man playing against boys. A few of his acomplishments:

College:
All-American honors in 1986
Yankee Conference Player of the Year in 1986
Lead to the team to the NCAA quarterfinals in 1986
Established 21 school records

NFL:
Drafted in 4th round in '87
3 time All-Pro
NFL MVP in 2002
Two time Pro Bowl MVPI looked and neither Warner nor Gannon could really be considered as best players from I-AA history. Too many great QBs. They fit as best NFL players from I-AA schools.

[RadMann]

Depends on how you read the title of the thread. It could be read as the best players from I-AA.

[blukeys]

I looked and neither Warner nor Gannon could really be considered as best players from I-AA history. Too many great QBs. They fit as best NFL players from I-AA schools.


Gannon came at a transitional time for UD. He was head and shoulders the best athlete on the field whenever UD took the field and this includes UD's matchup's with Navy. In College Gannon had 4.3 speed and no one caught him from behind. His speed and athleticism were the reasons why New England drafted Gannon as a Defensive Back!!!!

If Gannon had played on either the 2000 or 2003 UD teams nobody would have beaten UD. Gannon did not have a great supporting cast around him and was operating in what was a run oriented offense during the mid-80's.

The pro Gannon had 2 knee surgeries prior to finally getting a real chance to start at Oakland (Kansas City really blew it with Gannon)

I have seen no I-AA QB better than Gannon. There are many I would consider as equal in I-AA but none better. I believe that Gannon at GSU would have been the equal of Tracy Ham. Gannon was an excellent runner and knew how to run the option. He was also an extremely accurate passer.

Kurt Warner did some amazing things at UNI as well. I will leave it to my UNI friends to document his whole story. In I-AA Warner's story is also considerable.

[seeker]

Gannon came at a transitional time for UD. He was head and shoulders the best athlete on the field whenever UD took the field and this includes UD's matchup's with Navy. In College Gannon had 4.3 speed and no one caught him from behind. His speed and athleticism were the reasons why New England drafted Gannon as a Defensive Back!!!!

If Gannon had played on either the 2000 or 2003 UD teams nobody would have beaten UD. Gannon did not have a great supporting cast around him and was operating in what was a run oriented offense during the mid-80's.

The pro Gannon had 2 knee surgeries prior to finally getting a real chance to start at Oakland (Kansas City really blew it with Gannon)

I have seen no I-AA QB better than Gannon. There are many I would consider as equal in I-AA but none better. I believe that Gannon at GSU would have been the equal of Tracy Ham. Gannon was an excellent runner and knew how to run the option. He was also an extremely accurate passer.

Kurt Warner did some amazing things at UNI as well. I will leave it to my UNI friends to document his whole story. In I-AA Warner's story is also considerable.But Warner and Gannon don't even register as top 20 in any I-AA QB stats. Didn't Warner only play one year at UNI? How many years did Gannon play at I-AA UD?

[seeker]

How about Rashean, Jerome and Robert Mathis?

[SunCoastBlueHen]

But Warner and Gannon don't even register as top 20 in any I-AA QB stats. Didn't Warner only play one year at UNI? How many years did Gannon play at I-AA UD?

Gannon played most of three seasons at Delaware and stats don't always tell the whole story, Seeker. I have never seen as exciting a player as Gannon on the field. He carried on his shoulders an otherwise average team in 1986 to the playoffs. The line play that year was poor leaving Gannon to scramble for his life on most passing downs, which he did with amazing success. Keep in mind, Gannon was a scrambling, extremely athletic QB in college who also happened to be a very accurate passer. Gannon was named NFL MVP AFTER a number of knee surgeries took away what was once considered his biggest asset.

[seeker]

Gannon played most of three seasons at Delaware and stats don't always tell the whole story, Seeker. I have never seen as exciting a player as Gannon on the field. He carried on his shoulders an otherwise average team in 1986 to the playoffs. The line play that year was poor leaving Gannon to scramble for his life on most passing downs, which he did with amazing success. Keep in mind, Gannon was a scrambling, extremely athletic QB in college who also happened to be a very accurate passer. Gannon was named NFL MVP AFTER a number of knee surgeries took away what was once considered his biggest asset.I believe you when you say you have never seen such an exciting player as Gannon. What he did in the NFL doesn't matter in this thread. I'm just saying if he wasn't top 20 in ANY I-AA QB stat then he wasn't among the best in I-AA history. Let's move on.

[blukeys]

I believe you when you say you have never seen such an exciting player as Gannon. What he did in the NFL doesn't matter in this thread. I'm just saying if he wasn't top 20 in ANY I-AA QB stat then he wasn't among the best in I-AA history. Let's move on.


The thread is the best I-AA football player. Not the statistically best I-AA QB. Who are you to decide what the criteria of this thread should be?????

If you started the thread then define your criteria in the beginning instead making it up as you go along. :eyebrow: Gannon is better than any prospect you have mentioned and he remains in my first place. Anyone who actually saw him would agree with me. If you come up with a better nominee let me know. (I'm still waiting on this one.)


Anyone who actually saw Gannon In I-AA knows he was probably better in I-AA then he was as a Pro.

Ralph drop the Seeker moniker and just be yourself. It is more fun knowing it is you as I have more fun and no problem arguing with the guy who runs the board. I always welcome your disagreement and take nothing personally. :) :)

[blukeys]

But Warner and Gannon don't even register as top 20 in any I-AA QB stats. Didn't Warner only play one year at UNI? How many years did Gannon play at I-AA UD?

For the Record, Gannon Played 3 years starting as a sophomre. He would have started sooner but the UD Board of Trustees instituted a rule in 1984 that would forbid Freshmen from playing on the UD team.

[RadMann]

Blukeys: I agree. I would not call Gannon the best player ever to come out of I-AA but he was one of the top QBs from I-AA. To those who never saw him in college and only knew his play later in his NFL career, you can't really imagine how quick and elusive he was as a college QB.

I know how people say that Walter Payton does not qualify as I-AA, but he was the best player ever from I-AA in my opinion (technicalities aside). That's why the award is named after him. He was amazing.

[Superneck]

ok well, since there is confusion as to whether the thread is best while still in I-AA or best to come from I-AA I will still throw this name into the mix:

Rodney Harrison

Harrison holds the Western Illinois record for tackles by defensive back with 345 … Voted All-America first-team selection by Associated Press, Sports Network, and Kodak in 1993 … Earned first-team All-Gateway Conference … Set school record with 28 tackles versus Western Kentucky … All-America second-team pick by Associated Press and Sports Network in 1992 … First-team All-Gateway Conference choice … Second-team All-Gateway Conference pick as freshman in 1991

and here are but 2 achievements in NFL:

Harrison is the NFL's all-time leader in sacks by a defensive back, having recorded 27.5 sacks in his 11 seasons heading into 2005.

Harrison is the only player in NFL history to record at least 25 sacks and at least 30 interceptions in his career.

[blukeys]

Blukeys: I agree. I would not call Gannon the best player ever to come out of I-AA but he was one of the top QBs from I-AA. To those who never saw him in college and only knew his play later in his NFL career, you can't really imagine how quick and elusive he was as a college QB.

I know how people say that Walter Payton does not qualify as I-AA, but he was the best player ever from I-AA in my opinion (technicalities aside). That's why the award is named after him. He was amazing.


Still waiting on some Old Dave Nelson stories Radman. I started going to games when "the Admiral" was the coach and the Tub was just an assistant.

As for the best ever to come out of I-AA, I am not sure about Payton's timing. Was JSU a I-AA team during Payton's tenure? I know Rice qualifies.

By the way I saw John Taylor at DSU in the 80's, Talk about Men playing with boys. I COULD HAVE HAD I-AA HONORS AS A QB THROWING TO HIM IN THE MEAC!!!!! :hurray: :hurray:

[RadMann]

Blukeys: Agreed, that why I said "technicalities aside" regarding Payton. He just used to amaze me with his skills as a back.

[seeker]

ok well, since there is confusion as to whether the thread is best while still in I-AA or best to come from I-AA I will still throw this name into the mix:

Rodney Harrison

Harrison holds the Western Illinois record for tackles by defensive back with 345 … Voted All-America first-team selection by Associated Press, Sports Network, and Kodak in 1993 … Earned first-team All-Gateway Conference … Set school record with 28 tackles versus Western Kentucky … All-America second-team pick by Associated Press and Sports Network in 1992 … First-team All-Gateway Conference choice … Second-team All-Gateway Conference pick as freshman in 1991

and here are but 2 achievements in NFL:

Harrison is the NFL's all-time leader in sacks by a defensive back, having recorded 27.5 sacks in his 11 seasons heading into 2005.

Harrison is the only player in NFL history to record at least 25 sacks and at least 30 interceptions in his career.Since I started this thread I can tell you there is no confusion. This is about I-AA college football players. The NFL does not matter and neither does high school or anything else. Just play in I-AA.

[seeker]

Still waiting on some Old Dave Nelson stories Radman. I started going to games when "the Admiral" was the coach and the Tub was just an assistant.

As for the best ever to come out of I-AA, I am not sure about Payton's timing. Was JSU a I-AA team during Payton's tenure? I know Rice qualifies.

By the way I saw John Taylor at DSU in the 80's, Talk about Men playing with boys. I COULD HAVE HAD I-AA HONORS AS A QB THROWING TO HIM IN THE MEAC!!!!! :hurray: :hurray:Consider it confirmed. Neither Payton ('74) nor Buchanan ('62) played I-AA. http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfoot2/indexpic.htm

Taylor played I-AA.

[CrunchGriz]

I'll second Dave Dickenson, Montana QB from '93-'95. In '95, when he won the Payton, he led I-AA in total offense--by more than 1,000 yards! And that doesn't even count the 1,500 he passed for in the playoffs that year.

In the process he set I-AA career records for highest percentage of passes for TDs, lowest interception/pass ratio, and highest QB rating. Not to mention the 116 TD passes he threw in his career for the Griz, even though he probably only averaged three quarters of play per game, because the Griz were often so far ahead of their opponents that the scrubs were put in.

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

People, we are talking about their college careers. The most hyped college players don't always become the best pro players, and just because someone was a big standout in the pros does not mean that they were big legends in college. We're talking about their college careers here.

And of course, I am going to go with Tracy Ham. It was inhuman the way he could watch everything on the field at once. He is like Vince Young, except with more awareness (as hard as that is to believe), more speed, a better throwing arm, a tricky "hambone offense" that he perfected, and a larger heart.

Also, many of Adrian Peterson's stats are completely unmatched in all of Division I.

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Shannon Sharpe either. I saw the guy play and he was a standout in college that was prolific in the NFL too.

[GAD]

Patrick Bonner from FAMU this kid was probably the most accurate passer I have ever seen

[JMU1992]

Charles Haley.

[RadMann]

I'm not sure.... From my perspective, if a player can excel over the competition in the NFL that tells me that he is simply a great player. What I'm saying is that sometimes a college player can come from an overall great college team with high skill levels at many positions and that high profile player (often the leading skill position player) will appear to be awesome, but the true test is when he gets thrown into the NFL and his true, stand-alone skills are either revealed as being great (as they appeared to be in college) or he falls down.

In other words, the NFL tells us if the player we thought was great in college is truly a great player.

[pete4256]

People, we are talking about their college careers. The most hyped college players don't always become the best pro players, and just because someone was a big standout in the pros does not mean that they were big legends in college. We're talking about their college careers here.

And of course, I am going to go with Tracy Ham. It was inhuman the way he could watch everything on the field at once. He is like Vince Young, except with more awareness (as hard as that is to believe), more speed, a better throwing arm, a tricky "hambone offense" that he perfected, and a larger heart.

Also, many of Adrian Peterson's stats are completely unmatched in all of Division I.

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Shannon Sharpe either. I saw the guy play and he was a standout in college that was prolific in the NFL too.

Shannon Sharpe played in Division II. Savannah State still had some credibility as a collegiate program at that time.

[seeker]

I'm not sure.... From my perspective, if a player can excel over the competition in the NFL that tells me that he is simply a great player. What I'm saying is that sometimes a college player can come from an overall great college team with high skill levels at many positions and that high profile player (often the leading skill position player) will appear to be awesome, but the true test is when he gets thrown into the NFL and his true, stand-alone skills are either revealed as being great (as they appeared to be in college) or he falls down.

In other words, the NFL tells us if the player we thought was great in college is truly a great player.Same can be said for a player on a pro team. Sometimes a pro player can be on an overall great pro team with high skill levels at many positions and that high profile player (often the leading skill position player) will appear to be awesome. Anyway we are talking about college performance in I-AA.

[blur2005]

Charles Haley.
Definitely don't forget about him.

[GannonFan]

Throwing my two cents in for Gannon, and as someone who actually saw him play, not to mention seeing many Tracey Ham games and Steve McNair games, I think you have to include him in that grouping. Stats are tough to look at, as Gannon was a passing and scrambling QB on a Wing-T team, and on a team that was really bereft of major talent outside of Gannon. He also only played 3 years due to a freshman rule at UD at the time that kept him from playing as a freshman (he was a stud on the freshman team though!). The quarterfinal game against Arkansas St stands out as a good example - Ark St crushed the Hens at home that year, and it was men amongst boys, except for Gannon, who almost single handedly scored UD's 14 points that day. Ham and McNair were great players, but Ham had a tremendous team around him on both sides of the ball, and McNair was kinda like Gannon in terms of carrying the team but he got better press. I never saw Warner in college so I can't comment much there. But if we're talking QB's, I think a threesome of Gannon, Ham, and McNair (and should throw in Dickenson as well actually), is a pretty good place to start.

[seeker]

Still looking around at the record book for other names...
QBs
John Friesz, Idaho
Neil Lomax, Portland St.
Bruce Eugene, Grambling
Michael Payton, Marshall
Matt Cannon, Southern Utah

RBs
Charles Roberts, Sacramento St.
Marcel Shipp, Massachusetts
Archie Amerson, Northern Ariz.

[GannonFan]

Still looking around at the record book for other names...
QBs
John Friesz, Idaho
Neil Lomax, Portland St.
Bruce Eugene, Grambling
Michael Payton, Marshall
Matt Cannon, Southern Utah

RBs
Charles Roberts, Sacramento St.
Marcel Shipp, Massachusetts
Archie Amerson, Northern Ariz.

Forgot about Lomax, but what kind of competition did he play against while he was there? Port St was bad for his first two years, so if he put up stats during that time that would be a testament to rising above his team. But in the 1980 season, they did play a fair amount of DII's (if they were DII), and he had chances to put up some reall gaudy numbers against Cal Poly Pomona (won 93-7), Del St (won 105 - 0) and Weber St (won 75-0). How much of his stats came from games like those? Heck, even Puget Sound played Port St closer that year than the other 3.

As for RB, Roberts is a decent choice - don't know anything about Amerson. But I would leave Shipp out - I thought his contemporaries (Peterson from GSU and Westbrook from nova) were better than he was so I can't see him being all-time if he wasn't even the best of his time.

[jmuroller]

Our best entry would be Gary Clark.

On a side note, we have two players with some of the best/hardest records to acheive.

Charles Haley-only man w/ 5 Super Bowl Rings

Delvin Joyce-1 of only 2 players to have 1,000 yards in 4 categories (rushing, receiving, punt return, and kickoff return)

[FlyYtown]

Jeff Wilkins of Youngstown State.

Has played 12 years with Eagles(1) Niners(2) and Rams(9 Years)
Here are his stats.... He has converted 82% of his Field Goal Attempts in his career(251 of 306) and 99.3% of his extra point attempts(435 of 438)

You guys pretty much got the others right but I thought he was one hell of a kicker who was not mentioned.

[seeker]

Jeff Wilkins of Youngstown State.

Has played 12 years with Eagles(1) Niners(2) and Rams(9 Years)
Here are his stats.... He has converted 82% of his Field Goal Attempts in his career(251 of 306) and 99.3% of his extra point attempts(435 of 438)

You guys pretty much got the others right but I thought he was one hell of a kicker who was not mentioned.Regardless of his pro career (in this thread anyway), Wilkins is in the I-AA record book for 69% of FGs and 15th scorer all-time among kickers.

[FlyYtown]

Regardless of his pro career (in this thread anyway), Wilkins is in the I-AA record book for 69% of FGs and 15th scorer all-time among kickers.
That I guess is pretty good for I-AA... Remember he had that big kick vs. Villanova at the Ice Castle in '91.... I think 45 yarder which he nailed..... for the 17-16 victory...
---All that after the big forth down conversion in which the WR for YSU made a remarkable diving catch despite Pass Int. not being called.

Anyways he does a lot for YSU and has done one hell of a job at the pro level.

[Kill'em]

If you count kickers then you must include Tim Foley. Guy had a wicked powerful leg. At one time, and still may, co-hold the record for the longest fieldgoal (63 yards).

[grizband]

If you count kickers then you must include Tim Foley. Guy had a wicked powerful leg. At one time, and still may, co-hold the record for the longest fieldgoal (63 yards).
If you are going to count kickers you have to count Chris Snyder, from Montana. He has 397 career points (first place all-time I-AA), and at one point made over 100 consecutive extra points.

[SactoHornetFan]

Hands down, Charles Roberts. 6,553 career yards rushing. 2,260 yards in 1998 alone.

GO HORNETS!!

[Kill'em]

I still have to go with my first choice, Adrian Peterson.

[pete4256]

I still have to go with my first choice, Adrian Peterson.

As far as I'm aware, he's the only player to be named first team all-american four different years and to be a Payton finalist (as in top three) all four years.

Also, his playoff resume is unsurpassed, unless perhaps by Tracy Ham.

[blueballs]

Hands down, Charles Roberts. 6,553 career yards rushing. 2,260 yards in 1998 alone.

GO HORNETS!!

Adrian Peterson. Counting playoff games, over 9,000 yards and over 100 TD's.

2,704 yards, 40 TD's, and 248 total points in 1999 alone.

Just wanted to give a little perspective here...

[CrunchGriz]

Adrian Peterson. Counting playoff games, over 9,000 yards and over 100 TD's.

2,704 yards, 40 TD's, and 248 total points in 1999 alone.

Just wanted to give a little perspective here...

Okay, if we're gonna go to the Department of Outrageous Statistics, how about these:

1995--
431 for 624 (69.1%) for 5676 yards, with 51 TDs and only 11 Int.

DD, of course.

Mind you, I wouldn't have urged the coaches not to offer a scholarship from UM to AD had he wanted to go there, believe me. A real warrior. I can't understand why he doesn't get a better opportunity in the NFL.

DD never made it in the NFL because he was deemed too small, and with insufficient arm strength. All I have to say to that is this: Beware QBs who look like accountants--I know of one who will make you pay dearly for that assumption (as the CFL has learned the hard way).

Both are players to whom those that have followed at their respective schools, despite being great in their own right, cannot possibly measure up.

[blueballs]

Okay, if we're gonna go to the Department of Outrageous Statistics, how about these:

1995--
431 for 624 (69.1%) for 5676 yards, with 51 TDs and only 11 Int.

DD, of course.

Mind you, I wouldn't have urged the coaches not to offer a scholarship from UM to AD had he wanted to go there, believe me. A real warrior. I can't understand why he doesn't get a better opportunity in the NFL.

DD never made it in the NFL because he was deemed too small, and with insufficient arm strength. All I have to say to that is this: Beware QBs who look like accountants--I know of one who will make you pay dearly for that assumption (as the CFL has learned the hard way).

Both are players to whom those that have followed at their respective schools, despite being great in their own right, cannot possibly measure up.

I wish you Montana folks would stop reminding me of Dickinson. I had been successful in repressing the bad memories until this thread. :smiley_wi

He was as good as it gets in our division, and a winner to boot...

[Kill'em]

Adrian Peterson. Counting playoff games, over 9,000 yards and over 100 TD's.

2,704 yards, 40 TD's, and 248 total points in 1999 alone.

Just wanted to give a little perspective here...
Don't forget the consecutive 100 yard streak, possibly the NCAA football equivalent of the MLB hit streak.

[SavannahEagle]

Adrian Peterson. His NFL Stats show he averages 4.7 yards per carry (including 5.1 per carry in '05), so the problem there is they are not playing him enough. If he's traded to a team that needs a running game, he'll turn heads. As for his GS career, well that speaks for itself.

Tracy Ham. 6 National Championships, The first in their second year of 1-AA ball. I was there, and if there was no Tracy Ham at Georgia SOuthern, there would be no such tradition in Statesboro.

[Kill'em]

Point made, point taken! Tracy was a wizard with the football. He had some of the best footwork I've ever seen.

[UNH 40]

Other than Rice and Payton the best NFL player to come from a I-AA school was Howie Long, a graduate of Villinova and became one of the most feared Defensive lineman in NFL history.

[SunCoastBlueHen]

Other than Rice and Payton the best NFL player to come from a I-AA school was Howie Long, a graduate of Villinova and became one of the most feared Defensive lineman in NFL history.


I believe Villanova was IA when Howie played.

[UNH 40]

I believe Villanova was IA when Howie played.
Jackson state was D II when Payton played

[GannonFan]

Adrian Peterson. His NFL Stats show he averages 4.7 yards per carry (including 5.1 per carry in '05), so the problem there is they are not playing him enough. If he's traded to a team that needs a running game, he'll turn heads. As for his GS career, well that speaks for itself.



It's not quite as easy as that - there's no guarantee that he'd maintain that average if all of a sudden he was the featured back, got most of his carries on running downs, and carried 20-25 times a game. Sure he's been decent in a few, short looks, but that doesn't automatically translate to long-term success. I agree that maybe he should get more of a look, but he's certainly not a sure thing.

[SactoHornetFan]

Adrian Peterson never had 13 200-yard rushing games like Charles Roberts did. But of course, Chuck only played on two winning season teams (99,00)

[pete4256]

Adrian Peterson never had 13 200-yard rushing games like Charles Roberts did. But of course, Chuck only played on two winning season teams (99,00)

Roberts probably played in a lot more 4th quarters than AP, who usually played the whole game about 3 or 4 times a year.

Charles Roberts never ran for 100+ yards in 48 straight games.
Charles Roberts never was named first-team all american 4 times
Charles Roberts never was a Payton finalist (top three) 4 times
Charles Roberts never compiled almost 600 yards in I-AA championship games.

To quote BlueShockAggie/BlueDeathGear or whatever his name was, "AP is better and you know it" :lmao:

[GannonFan]

I agree, Charles Roberts probably isn't up with AP - but I think Westbrook, for instance, can rightly be considered a back of at least equal quality as AP.

[pete4256]

I agree, Charles Roberts probably isn't up with AP - but I think Westbrook, for instance, can rightly be considered a back of at least equal quality as AP.

Westbrook was/is one of the greatest backs in the history of the division. AP probably has a better resume if you want to talk about I-AA "greatest of all-time."

I'm not even gonna lie and say that at least part of AP's claim rests on the "Notre Dame factor."

That being said, on a hypothetical all-time team I think AP and Westbrook might be your two selections at runningback. All you have to do is look at the record books.

[GrizFamily]

Call me a homer but DD was the best I ever saw. Maybe not the most talented or gifted but he just new how to win.

Adrian Peterson killed us in 2000, as did Randy Moss in 96. But I'm taking RM off the list as punishment for wearing those horid green stripped socks in the chipper.

[blukeys]

Westbrook was/is one of the greatest backs in the history of the division. AP probably has a better resume if you want to talk about I-AA "greatest of all-time."

I'm not even gonna lie and say that at least part of AP's claim rests on the "Notre Dame factor."

That being said, on a hypothetical all-time team I think AP and Westbrook might be your two selections at runningback. All you have to do is look at the record books.


As much as I love dominant fullbacks, Westbrook was a much scarier back every time he touched the ball than AP. That being said, AP and BW would be a defensive nightmare. AP was a very solid blocker when I saw him and Westbrook's explosiveness would have made for an OC's dream team.

[Kill'em]

Roberts probably played in a lot more 4th quarters than AP, who usually played the whole game about 3 or 4 times a year.

Charles Roberts never ran for 100+ yards in 48 straight games.
Charles Roberts never was named first-team all american 4 times
Charles Roberts never was a Payton finalist (top three) 4 times
Charles Roberts never compiled almost 600 yards in I-AA championship games.

To quote BlueShockAggie/BlueDeathGear or whatever his name was, "AP is better and you know it" :lmao:
If you added AP's quarters on the sideline due to blowouts he would have missed 12 full games. Multiply those 12 games by his career ypg and his career totals would be staggering. Westbrook is a great runner, but AP, as much as he helped make Georgia Southern successful I think was hurt by his team's success.

[GannonFan]

Call me a homer but DD was the best I ever saw. Maybe not the most talented or gifted but he just new how to win.

Adrian Peterson killed us in 2000, as did Randy Moss in 96. But I'm taking RM off the list as punishment for wearing those horid green stripped socks in the chipper.

I agree - that was during that stupid Cat in the Hat phase that lasted for about 2 minutes but long enough to see Moss wear them - Marshall destroyed UD that year in the first round and I had to watch that garish outfit. Thank god that went away as soon as it came.

[GannonFan]

If you added AP's quarters on the sideline due to blowouts he would have missed 12 full games. Multiply those 12 games by his career ypg and his career totals would be staggering. Westbrook is a great runner, but AP, as much as he helped make Georgia Southern successful I think was hurt by his team's success.

I don't think you'll get much argument that AP and Westbrook would be the starting backfield for a IAA team. AP was a solid runner with surprising speed, and Westbrook was a terror coming out of the backfield (still is). You can't go wrong with either guy.

[seeker]

Who were/are the best linemen from I-AA history?

[trueblue47]

Call me a homer, but as far as WR's go you have to throw Eddie Conti into the hat. He has 25 UD records, and has the all-time 1-AA record for receiving yards in a season. And as dynamic a receiver as he was, he was even more dangerous as a return man. I remember sitting in my seat and almost expecting Eddie to do something amazing. It's a shame he was too small for the pros.

[Catmendue2]

Purely personal, but Randy Moss and Adrian Peterson best two I've seen in person.

You must be blind then or at least blinded by love.

[Freightliner]

This is one some of the old Southland Conference guard might have missed:

Bobby Hebert (QB Northwestern State)
Larry Centers (RB Stephen F. Austin)

And one of the more later players

Jeremiah Trotter (LB Stephen F. Austin)