I asked this on the NIU board - since we're all still waiting patiently or impatiently for the season to start (the calm before the storm), who is your all-time favorite football player (not necessarily the one that ended up with the best NFL career) from your school? If you can't decide, mention the top few.

My favorite is still Garrett Wolfe, other NIU fans have mentioned Lynch, Harnish, Michael Turner, Leshon Johnson, Stacey Robinson, and several others including a few that were before my time.

Greg Jennings

I was a little surprised at his parting swipes at Aaron Rodgers a couple years ago, but he's generally been a class act and fun to watch since his college freshman days.

Big Ben.

(08-15-2014 02:06 PM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  Greg Jennings

I was a little surprised at his parting swipes at Aaron Rodgers a couple years ago, but he's generally been a class act and fun to watch since his college freshman days.

Oh, honorable mention to ex-Bronco Terry Crews.

Jack Lambert

Greg Jennings all the way!!!!!
NFL Greats!!!1

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3gj-8MnFSQ
http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMmZEzvA4ro

Diyral Briggs from BG had a brief but successful NFL career. Front page SI Green Bay Super Bowl and then waived the next year. #99, DE at BG a few years back. Great pass rusher and great hustle.

I have to give a shout out to my home town boy, Chip "Tater" Otten, BG RB from the early 80s. Now HS Coach Otten of the best tiny town football conference in Ohio, the MAC (Midwest Athletic Conference) at Coldwater.

So I'lll say its a tie.

(08-15-2014 02:15 PM)Slinkin Street Flash Wrote:  Jack Lambert

But seeing Dri Archer fly through defenses, running in an gear that no one else had, was beautiful to watch.

Kind of a generational thing for me and a tough decision because I really love Jennings as a player. I'll pick a player from my own student era, even though he never played at the next level.

MAC Oldtimers might hop in the wayback machine to the mid-70s and remember WMU RB Jerome Persell. All American, shifty and explosive runner. Fun to watch. Much like Wolfe, could break one on any one play.

http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/play...ell-1.html

Persell was the last player to wear jersey number 44, which is now retired and one of the best players to ever take the field for WMU.

During his career (1975-1978), Jerome Persell ran for 4,190 yards and 39 touchdowns. It was the second most rushing yards in a career and his 39 rushing TDs ranks top three for a career. He is top three in rushing yards in a single season (1,505), single game yardage (241 vs. Eastern Michigan, 1976) and rushing TDs in a season with 19. His 842 rushing attempt are a career record while his 309 rushing attempts in a single season ranks in the top three.

Persell earned an Associated Press Third Team All American selection in 1976 and 1977. For those that didn't click the stats link, Persell was MAC offensive POY in 1976, '77 and '78 and first team All MAC all three years.


Can't wait till FB season starts. Until then.....

Ran across this. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-America...ual_awards

Interesting link. Kudos to the folks that compiled it.

Chuck Ealey. He never lost. I'm a big fan of Chip Otten as well. His goal-line fumble on a Marlin Russell hit led to a Rocket victory at BG. I can still recall seeing Otten dive in for the winning score, then looking up in despair to see the football, rampant against a gorgeous NW Ohio sky and watching it gently settle into Rocket hands.

Can I add in LEAST favorite player? Bruce Gradkowski. That guy picked us apart. Not fair.

Favorite opposing player: Rob Carpenter. He killed us but he was sooo tough you had to admire him. His crawl back to the Houston huddle after being injured in an NFL game confirmed just how tough he was.in an

Barry Church

First off, I had no idea Terry Crews went to WMU, that's legit. I always find it awesome when you find out about successful or famous people from the MAC. I remember when someone said an Ohio alum does. Bart Simpsons voice and that was cool because the rest of the voices were NIU alum, always cool.

Mine is a toss up. I became an NIU fan because my brother went there during. Turners years. But being a senior the year NIU went to the OB with Lynch puts him up there.

Charlie Frye. We've had some great defensive players but there's nothing like watching a QB that can light it up.

Hard to decide between Wasean Tait & Chester Taylor!!!

I have a few from Miami (all players I have seen play in person):

1) Rob Carpenter-bruising RB on the great Miami teams of the mid-late 70's....was a short yardage specialist with Giants in NFL and had a very good pro career.
2) Big Ben
3) Sherm Smith-great option QB on the '73-74 teams (who could also throw bullet passes) who converted to RB ini pro's and had a very good career with SeaHawks.
4) Brad Cousineau-great undersized LB from the great Miami defenses of those same 70's....Miami held Florida to 7 points in one Tangerine Bowl, and Georgia to 10 points in another and our defenses from that era were statisticallly among the nation's best.

Other those that deserve special mention from past years (even before my time!), you have All American LB Bob Babich, and some great RB's of the 50's like John Pont and Ara Parseghien.

Josh Harris ran that Urban Meyer version of the spread offense about as good as anyone this side of Tebow. The quick turnaround BGSU saw during Meyer's first year would not have been possible had Gary Blackney not recruited Harris the prior year.

RB Bernard White was a heck of back in the Brian McClure years and he was a good dude...played hoops with him a number of times at that Rec Center. He could have played PG for Coach Weinert had the football thing not worked out.