KA All-Time College Team
Jay Langhammer | 9/23/2003 With another exciting college season underway, we are pleased to present KA’s all-time college team, as selected by a distinguished panel of 11 alumni with diversified football backgrounds. The last time The Journal presented an all-time football team was the November,1964 issue. One of the two judges at that time returns as a member of our selection panel: longtime Los Angeles sportswriter Joe Jares (Beta Sigma ‘56 Southern California), who also wrote that football story for The Journal in 1964 and other sports features over the years.
To determine Kappa Alpha’s all-time first team, qualifications of the top players at each position were compiled. A ballot with each player’s college credentials (honors won, statistics) was mailed to our panel members, who then submitted their first team choices. The ballots were then tabulated. As part of this feature, an honorable mention list is also included and lists all players who got at least one vote from a judge. Three of the Order’s all-time greats, who played both ways, got the nod on both offense and defense from our judges.
We want to thank the following brothers who joined Joe Jares on our selection panel: Maryland offensive line coach Tom Brattan (Beta Epsilon ‘69 Delaware); Iowa State offensive coordinator Steve Brickley (Alpha Kappa ‘73 Missouri); former West Virginia, Texas Tech and South Carolina head coach Jim Carlen (Alpha Sigma ‘52 Georgia Tech); Tampa sportswriter/author Bill Chastain (Alpha Sigma ‘76 Georgia Tech); NBC-TV sportscaster Tom Hammond (Theta ‘63 Kentucky); and Tennessee Titans assistant head coach and former Tulsa head coach George Henshaw (Alpha Rho ‘67 West Virginia).
Also casting their votes as part of our selection panel were new Southeastern Louisiana head coach Hal Mumme (Delta Rho ‘99 Valdosta State), who was formerly the head coach at Valdosta State and Kentucky; College Football Hall of Fame standout Tommy Nobis (Omicron ‘63 Texas), director of marketing for the Atlanta Falcons; longtime NFL and college assistant coach Rex Norris (Gamma Upsilon ‘64 Texas A&M-Commerce); and former Baylor head coach Dave Roberts (Delta Alpha ‘67 Western Carolina).
Leading the offense at quarterback is Pat Trammell (Alpha Beta ‘59 Alabama), who took the Crimson Tide to the 1961 national title and placed fifth in the Heisman Trophy balloting. He was also a 1961 All-American, Academic All-American and SEC Player of the Year. College Football Hall of Famer Jon Arnett (Beta Sigma ‘54 Southern California) rushed for 1,898 career yards and scored 30 touchdowns. He was a 1955 All-American, two year Voit Trophy winner, 1956 Pop Warner Trophy winner and ranked 10th in the 1956 Heisman voting.
Two other Hall of Famers are in the backfield. Tucker Frederickson (Nu ‘63 Auburn) earned 1965 All-American honors and placed sixth in the Heisman voting. He was 1964 SEC MVP; won All-SEC honors twice; and was Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner twice. Two-time All-American Ernie Nevers (Alpha Pi ‘23 Stanford) was on the 1969 Football Centennial All-time Team and was called “the greatest football player of all time.”
Two receivers were chosen for the offensive first team. Hal Burnine (Alpha Kappa ‘52 Missouri) led the nation with 44 receptions in 1955 on the way to All-American honors. He had 75 career receptions for 1,145 yards and was chosen for the College All-Star Game, Senior Bowl and Blue-Gray Game. Tight end Marlin McKeever (Beta Sigma ‘58 Southern California) was an All-American in 1958-59; was a 1959 Academic All-American; and won All-Coast honors three times. A member of the USC All-Century second team, he played in the College All-Star Game, Hula Bowl and East-West Shrine Game.
Leading the offensive line are three members of the College Football Hall of Fame. At center is Hall of Famer Larry Morris (Alpha Sigma ‘54 Georgia Tech), who earned All-American honors in 1953 and was SEC Lineman of the Year in 1954. Winning All-American honors and the 1959 Outland Trophy was ACC Player of the Year Mike McGee (Alpha Phi ‘57 Duke). A two year All-SEC selection, he played in the College All-Star Game, East-West Shrine Game and Hula Bowl.
Our third offensive line Hall of Famer, tackle John Ferraro (Beta Sigma ‘44 Southern California), is a member of the USC All-Century first team. He earned All-American and All-Coast honors in three seasons (1944, 1946-47); is in the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame; and was named as an NCAA Silver Anniversary All-American. Also on the line are three-time All-ACC tackle and 1955 All-American Bob Bartholomew (Tau ‘54) Wake Forest) and guard Tommy O’Boyle (Gamma Beta ‘48 Southwest Missouri State), a 1939 All-American and All-SEC star for Tulane. He played in the College All-Star Game and East-West Shrine Game.
The defensive platoon is led by four of the best linebackers to ever play the game. College Hall of Famer Tommy Nobis (Omicron ‘63 Texas) was named to the Walter Camp All-Century Team and The Football News All-Time Team. He won the 1965 Outland and Maxwell Trophys and was seventh in the Heisman balloting. A three-time All-Southwest Conference selection, he played in the College All-Star Game and Hula Bowl. Also chosen as a linebacker (in addition to center on offense) was College Hall of Famer Larry Morris (Alpha Sigma ‘54 Georgia Tech), a 1953 All-American and 1954 SEC Lineman of the Year.
Also in the College Football Hall of Fame is linebacker Mike McKeever (Beta Sigma ‘58 Southern California). An All-American and All-Coast performer in 1959, he also earned Academic All-American honors in 1958-59. Named as the top player on the All-time Southland Conference Team selected in 1976 is linebacker Bill Bergey (Delta Eta ‘67 Arkansas State). An NCAA Division II All-American in 1968 and two-time All-SLC choice, he played in the College All-Star Game, Senior Bowl and North-South Game.
The defensive backfield features two more College Hall of Famers. All-American Tucker Frederickson (Nu ‘63 Auburn) excelled both ways, being named to the All-SEC Team for 1933-82 as a DB and to a 25 year All-SEC Team for his defensive skills. Allison “Pooley” Hubert (Alpha Beta ‘24 Alabama) was a 1925 All-American and two-time All-SEC selection. He was rated by sportswriters of his era as “a great defensive back.”
Jim Hardy (Beta Sigma ‘43 Southern California) was an All-American, Helms Player of the Year and NCAA interceptions leader (with eight) in 1944. He was 1945 Rose Bowl Player of the Game and had 13 career interceptions for 130 yards. Rounding out the backfield is John “Bubba” Phillips (Gamma Zeta ‘49 Southern Mississippi), a Division II All-American in 1949 who intercepted 25 passes for 490 yards before becoming a major league baseball player.
The defensive line is led by Ted Daffer (Pi ‘50 Tennessee), a member of the SEC Quarter Century Team (1950-74) and 1950 SEC Most Outstanding Lineman. He earned All-American honors in 1950 and was a two-time All-SEC pick. Tackle Loyd Wainscott (Omicron ‘66 Texas) was an All-American, Southwest Conference Defensive MVP in 1968 and two-time All-SWC selection. Marlin McKeever (Beta Sigma ‘58 Southern California) is the third KA to be named on both the offensive and defensive first team. The two-time All-American and three-time All-Coast end also played both ways in his NFL career.
Kicker Billy Bennett (Gamma ‘00 Georgia) is playing his final season this fall after earning All-American third team honors and scoring 130 points in 2002. A 2000 Freshman All-American, he has scored 278 points on 56 of 72 field goal attempts and 110 extra points in 112 attempts. Punter Brad Hill (Psi ‘95 Tulane) earned All-American and All-Conference USA honors in 1997 with a 46.19 average on 42 punts. Over his career, he had 160 punts for a 41.51 average.
In closing, it’s interesting to note that there were so many talented players to choose from that the first team didn’t have room for these four other KA College Hall of Famers: quarterback William Spears (Chi ‘25 Vanderbilt); running back Jimmy Leech (Beta ‘21 Virginia Military Institute); running back/defensive back Tom “Shorty” McWilliams (Beta Tau ‘45 Mississippi State); and halfback Henry Seibels (Alpha Alpha 1895 University of the South). The Order’s coaching representative in the Hall of Fame is longtime Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder (Alpha Rho ‘30 West Virginia), who assisted Joe Jares in the 1964 Journal all-time team selection. |
