Ten Greatest Seasons
May 27, 2004 04:07 PM | General
May 28, 2004
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Last week we picked the 10-best individual offensive performances in recent West Virginia University history. Many of you agreed; some of you didn’t. This week we’ve taken on any even tougher task: trying to pick the 10-best individual defensive performances.
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| Defensive tackle Mike Fox produced an impressive 10 sacks in 1989. (WVU Sports Communications photo) |
Unlike offense where statistics can easily help measure players from different eras, we have no such luxury with defensive players. West Virginia didn’t begin keeping official defensive statistics until the early 1970s and some of the figures represented in the record books are more than likely questionable. Tackles are very much objective. One coaches’ idea of an assisted tackle may be completely different than another’s.
And quarterback sacks for the longest time were lumped together with tackles for losses until it became an official statistic in the early 1980s. Who’s to say that Carl Crennel, for instance, didn’t have more sacks during his terrific 1969 season than Canute Curtis did in 1996? In reality, he probably didn’t considering teams passed far fewer times back then.
Also, the passing game in the 1950s and 1960s was very much in its primitive form, meaning there were much higher interception totals for some out-of-position defensive backs lucky enough to have their heads up when the ball was in the air.
In an effort to try and pull all of this together, we weighed West Virginia’s national defensive rankings heavily into the equation. For instance, the 1955 WVU defense with All-Americans Bruce Bosley and Sam Huff finished the year ranked eighth in both rushing defense and total defense. Considering both were terrific players, it’s safe to assume they had a lot to do with that lofty ranking so it would be hard not to include them even though we have no statistics to measure their individual performances. The same goes for Carl Crennel in 1969.
It is also safe to assume that any West Virginia defensive player who made consensus All-America had to have had a pretty good season. Again, where the team finished in the national defensive ratings played a big part in where they were placed as does individual NCAA leaders.
Therefore, at the risk once again of making some blatant omissions, here is our attempt at coming up with the 10-best individual defensive performances in recent WVU history. Keep in mind, we only considered efforts after World War II because of more accurate records.
The Top Ten
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| Stills |
Tie 10. Gary Stills, 1997
After spending a year learning the rush linebacker position playing behind All-American Canute Curtis in 1996, Gary Stills blossomed with a career-high 12 sacks as a junior in 1997. Stills tied a school mark with four sacks against Marshall in the ’97 season opener and finished fourth in total tackles with 67. A well-known freelancer who sometimes took himself out of plays trying to get to the quarterback, Stills used superior speed to earn first-team all-Big East honors. The Trenton, N.J., native finished 1997 with 21 negative yardage plays that included nine tackles for losses. A variety of injuries in 1998 during his senior season limited Stills to playing just eight games, though he finished second on the school’s career sack list with 26. He was drafted in the third round by the Kansas City Chiefs in 1998 and is still a member of that organization.
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| Huff |
Tie 10. Sam Huff, 1955
It’s hard to come up with any individual defensive list without including Hall of Fame linebacker Sam Huff. The Farmington, W.Va., native makes the list at No. 10 though he didn’t really develop into an impact player until he reached the pro ranks when New York Giants defensive coordinator Tom Landry devised a defense to take advantage of Huff’s talents as a middle linebacker. In college at WVU, Huff played tackle during his senior season in 1955 though Mountaineer coach Art “Pappy” Lewis admitted later that he should have switched Huff to guard to take advantage of sophomore Chuck Howley’s 9.7 speed at linebacker. Huff teamed with Bruce Bosley to help West Virginia finish eighth in the country in both rushing (126.7) and total defense (194.8). Opponents managed just 3.2 yards per rush and WVU produced shutout wins over Wake Forest and Marquette in 1955. The Huff-Bosley duo led West Virginia to back-to-back Top 20 finishes including a Sugar Bowl berth as juniors in 1954. Huff played in the College Football All-Star Game in Chicago and was an All-American by four different sources that season.
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| Howley |
9. Chuck Howley, 1957
Injuries kept Chuck Howley from becoming one of college football’s most dominant defensive players. Despite missing half his senior season in 1957 with a broken jaw, it was Howley’s play fighting through double and triple teams that helped West Virginia rank 19th in rushing defense (147.8) and produce shutout wins over Virginia Tech, William & Mary and Syracuse. WVU’s three shutouts that year were the most in a season by a WVU defense since 1942. Not only did the Wheeling native letter in football, but he was also a letterman in track, gymnastics, swimming and wrestling. His 100-yard dash time of 9.7 was faster than most running backs. Howley’s phenomenal athletic ability earned him invitations to play in the Senior Bowl, College Football All-Star Game in Chicago and the East-West Shrine Game. He was the 11th overall player drafted in 1958 by the Chicago Bears and after sitting out the entire 1960 season because of a serious knee injury, became an all-pro linebacker with the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960s. He was the first defensive player in Super Bowl history to win MVP honors and remains the only player from a losing team to be honored.
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| Fox |
8. Mike Fox, 1989
To produce 10 sacks in a single season is a fabulous accomplishment for any player. To generate 10 sacks as a defensive tackle is something almost out of this world and that’s exactly what Mike Fox accomplished in 1989. Fox came to WVU as a skinny 215-pound tight end from Akron and left Morgantown five years later as one of the country’s top defensive linemen. Fox is the only non-defensive end/linebacker to finish a season with more than 10 sacks. He had multi-sack games against Syracuse, Ball State and South Carolina with his Syracuse effort probably being the best overall performance of his career. In that game, a WVU win in the Carrier Dome, Fox collected nine tackles, two sacks and two tackles for losses. In addition to his 10 sacks, he also made 71 total tackles in helping West Virginia to the Gator Bowl where he earned game MVP honors. Fox was invited to play in the East-West Shrine game and was picked in the second round of the 1989 NFL draft by the New York Giants. He appeared in one Super Bowl with the Giants as a rookie in 1990 and also played with the Carolina Panthers before retiring in 1998.
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| Hathaway |
7. Steve Hathaway, 1983
Outside linebacker/rush end Steve Hathaway set the standard for WVU pass rushers in 1983. The Beaver Falls, Pa., native, produced a school-record 15 sacks that lasted for 13 seasons. In addition to impressive sack total, Hathaway also generated seven tackles for losses totaling 22 negative yardage plays for the season. He established a school mark with four sacks against Virginia Tech and had four tackles for losses in a win against Rutgers. Hathaway also helped the Mountaineers limit Pitt’s powerful offense to just 197 total yards in a 24-21 victory at Mountaineer Field. With Hathaway anchoring the WVU defense in 1983, West Virginia blanked Virginia Tech and also held Ohio U. to just a field goal. As a team, WVU ranked seventh in the nation in rushing defense (99.1) and 10th in total defense (284.3). WVU reached as high as No. 6 in the national rankings and went on to defeat Kentucky in the Hall of Fame Bowl. Hathaway was a 12th round pick of the Indianapolis Colts in the 1984 NFL draft and played one season for the organization.
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| Wiley |
6. Grant Wiley, 2003
It was evident to all who watched Grant Wiley play as a freshman in 2000 that he was going to be a very special player for West Virginia University during the course of his four-year career. The Trappe, Pa., native’s exceptional promise turned into reality in 2003 when he became the school’s ninth consensus All-American after leading the nation in forced fumbles (seven), ranking third in tackles per game (7.6) and 11th in solo tackles per game (7.6). Wiley broke Darryl Talley’s career record for tackles with 492 and is also tops on the list in tackles for losses (47.5) and solo tackles (298). Wiley had 29 double-figure tackle games during his career including a fabulous 18-tackle effort at Miami in 2003. His impressive 2003 season statistics read: 158 tackles, 14 tackles for losses, two interceptions, nine forced fumbles, 17 pass breakups and a sack. Wiley, who helped WVU to a tie with Miami for the Big East regular season championship and a berth to play Maryland in the Gator Bowl, was invited to play in the Senior Bowl and signed a free agent contract with the Minnesota Vikings. Wiley was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award as the nation’s top defensive player for 2003.
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| Crennel |
5. Carl Crennel, 1969
Carl Crennel was the unquestioned leader of one of West Virginia’s best-ever defenses in 1969. A middle guard in coordinator Richard Bell’s 5-2 alignment, Crennel helped the Mountaineers to a 10-1 overall record and a spot in the nation’s Top 20. The Lynchburg, Va., native produced unofficial tackle totals of 22 against Penn State, 21 versus Syracuse and 17 against Tulane in helping WVU rank 11th in scoring defense (11.0), 12th in total defense (241.0) and 15th in rushing defense (108.0). His play was so exceptional against Penn State a year earlier that Coach Joe Paterno devised a different offensive strategy to compensate for Crennel’s aggressive and athletic play. Crennel, who didn’t even play organized football until his junior year of high school, had seven key tackles and a first quarter fumble recovery to help West Virginia completely shut down South Carolina in the 1969 Peach Bowl. Opposing teams averaged just 2.5 yards per rush in 1969 and West Virginia held VMI and William & Mary scoreless. Crennel earned first team Playboy All-America honors and was a second-team pick by AP, UPI and NEA. Crennel was invited to play in the Coaches’ All-American Football Game and the Hula Bowl and he was drafted in the ninth round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1970. However, because he was undersized as a defensive lineman, Crennel was forced to play linebacker in the pros. He made a name for himself as a linebacker in the CFL after spending one season with the Steelers in 1970.
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| Bosley |
4. Bruce Bosley, 1955
Bruce Bosley set the standard for West Virginia University defensive players by becoming the school’s first football consensus All-American in 36 years and the first defensive player ever honored. Bosley was named to a total of 12 different All-America teams in 1955 following a terrific season in which he helped West Virginia’s defense to top 10 national rankings in total defense (194.8) and rushing defense (126.7). Bosley teamed with Sam Huff to give West Virginia perhaps its best-ever one-two defensive duo. The Green Bank, W.Va., native earned AP “lineman of the week” honors for his efforts as a junior in helping West Virginia win at Penn State in 1954, making tackles on five straight plays and recovering a blocked punt for a touchdown. West Virginia’s stout defense during Bosley’s senior campaign in 1955 held opponents to just 3.2 yards per rush. West Virginia finished ranked in the Top 20 during both Bosley’s junior and senior seasons including a trip to the Sugar Bowl to play Georgia Tech in 1954. Bosley was invited to play in both the Senior Bowl and College Football All-Star Game in Chicago and was picked in the second round of the 1956 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Bosley earned pro bowl honors four times during his long NFL career with the 49ers and Atlanta Falcons. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
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| Beasley |
3. Aaron Beasley, 1994
Defensive back Aaron Beasley led the nation with 10 interceptions in 1994 in one of the most productive seasons in school history. His interception total is also a WVU single-season record. The Pottstown, Pa., native got an early start on his career seeing time as a true freshman in 1992 and playing a prominent role in WVU’s defensive secondary as a sophomore in 1993 when the Mountaineers posted a perfect 11-0 regular season and was invited to play Florida in the Sugar Bowl. Beasley’s breakout season came as a junior in 1994 when he nabbed at least one interception in six straight games that season, including a career-high three picks against Virginia Tech. In all, Beasley intercepted 19 career passes and returned three of them for touchdowns. His 1994 statistics read: 10 interceptions, 57 tackles, 15 pass breakups and three tackles for losses. In one of the best defensive performances of the decade, Beasley helped WVU shutout nationally ranked Syracuse, 13-0 at Mountaineer Field in the final regular season game of 1994. A year later in 1995, primarily on the reputation of his wonderful 1994 season, Beasley became the school’s seventh consensus All-American. The Jim Thorpe Award and Football News defensive player of the year semifinalist was invited to play in the Blue-Gray All-Star game and was drafted by the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. In addition to playing for Jacksonville, Beasley also spent time with the New York Jets before catching on this spring with the Atlanta Falcons.
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| Talley |
2. Darryl Talley, 1982
Darryl Talley used to walk around campus with a jacket that read ‘Assassin.’ That moniker couldn’t have been more fitting for one of the most dominant defensive players in WVU history. The first crack of light revealing Talley’s amazing football skills came during his sophomore season in 1980 when he produced five tackles for losses in a near upset against Penn State. Two year later in 1982, Talley was one of college football’s top defensive players. He earned Sports Illustrated and ESPN “defensive player of the week” honors after producing 15 tackles in a victory against Boston College, but it was his all-around play in a three-point loss to No. 1-ranked Pitt that will be most remembered by WVU fans. In that game Talley blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown, intercepted a Dan Marino pass and was all over the field making tackles. His 1982 defensive figures read: 135 total tackles, seven sacks and two fumble recoveries. West Virginia’s 1982 defense finished 11th in the nation in total defense (299.4), 11th in scoring defense (13.7) and 12th in pass defense (147.5). The Mountaineers also led the country with a plus-2.1 turnover margin. Talley became the school’s third-ever consensus All-American and was invited to play in the 1983 Hula Bowl. He was the 38th overall player taken in the 1983 NFL draft considered one of the deepest in NFL history. He played in four Super Bowls with the Buffalo Bills and was a two-time pro bowl selection.
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| Curtis |
1. Canute Curtis, 1996
No defensive player in West Virginia University history had a more dominant season than rush linebacker Canute Curtis in 1996. Curtis was one of the primary reasons West Virginia had the nation’s top-ranked defense in 1996, holding opposing offenses to just 217.5 yards and 61.5 rushing yards per game. The Amityville, N.Y., native set the WVU single-season sack record with 16.5 and also accumulated 11 tackles for losses for a staggering 28 negative yardage plays. Curtis also produced 67 tackles, broke up six passes, forced two fumbles and picked off a pass against Purdue. In addition to its No. 1 ranking in total defense, WVU finished second in rushing defense, second in turnover margin (plus-1.27) and fourth in scoring defense (12.4). Curtis, who finished his career as the school’s all-time career sack leader with 35.5, was one of three finalists for the Dick Butkus Award presented to the nation’s top collegiate linebacker and was one of five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Award presented to college football’s top defensive player. Curtis helped WVU to shutout wins against rivals Pitt and Maryland in 1996 and led the Mountaineers to the Gator Bowl where they faced North Carolina. The Big East defensive player of the year was invited to play in the Senior Bowl and was later drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals where he played six seasons.
In the Team Picture
Renaldo Turnbull, 1988
Renaldo Turnbull earned honorable mention AP All-America in 1988 after leading the team with 12 sacks. West Virginia finished the year 17th in the nation in total defense (285.8) and 13th in pass defense (146.9).
Barrett Green, 1998
Any player who seeks out Miami players and hits them out of bounds has to get a vote in my book. At any rate, Barrett Green was a terrific college linebacker who used fabulous sideline-to-sideline speed to track down a WVU-record 107 solo tackles in 1998.
Tom Pridemore, 1977
Tom Pridemore ranks as one of West Virginia’s top playmaking defensive backs, hauling in 15 interceptions during a three-year career from 1975-77. He tied an NCAA record with a 100-yard interception return of a Chuck Fusina pass at Penn State and helped the Mountaineer defense to two shutout wins in ’77 – the first time that happened in eight years.
Dale Farley, 1969
Dale Farley was the prototypical middle linebacker of the late 1960s and early 1970s made popular by players like Dick Butkus and Sam Huff. Farley stood 6-foot-3 and weighed more than 240 pounds and used his size to help West Virginia rank 11th in scoring defense, 12 in total defense and 15th in rushing defense on the way to a 10-1 season in 1969.
Steve Dunlap, 1974
WVU’s tackling machine produced a school-record 28 stops in a game against Boston College in 1974 that still exists today. Dunlap finished the year with a school-record 190 total tackles.
Rick Sherrod, 2001
Rick Sherrod produced an NCAA-record 10.2 solo tackles per game in 2001 and led the country in tackles that year with an average of 15.6 tackles per game. Unfortunately, WVU's defense that year wasn't very good and Sherrod wound up making most of the tackles from his free safety position.
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