HBCU Scoreboard Vol. XIV & Superbowl History

By: G. Napier Barnes, III

Super Bowl LVII is now in the record books.  The AFC Champions Kansas City Chiefs   Williams played primarily on special teams (kick-off, punt).  He was accredited with 3 solo tackles and 1 assist. At 6’3” 193 lbs. Williams is a big lock down corner.  He saw considerable action on the defensive side of the ball in this big game.  They put him on an island against the Eagle’s shifty receivers.  He did not allow a catch or a target while on the field. Matter of fact, Williams was on the field both times the Chief defense caused an Eagle turnover. Bronco Pride is Nationwide.

I didn’t have a dog in that fight.  I was pulling for the two HBCU alumni that had the opportunity to compete in America’s greatest sporting event.  The Eagles had seven-year veteran Javon Hargrave (South Carolina State University, MEAC) playing the nose tackle position.  Hargrave was drafted by my Pittsburgh Steelers but moved on to the City of Brotherly Love.  I am not mad at him; he has to do what is best for himself and his family. The Chiefs had rookie Joshua Williams on their game day roster.  Williams, a defensive back, played at my FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY (CIAA) He was the first Division II HBCU student/athlete to be drafted by an NFL team in the last two decades. Ok, maybe I did have a dog in this fight.  I was hoping that our Bronco played well and won a championship.

Hargrave, a starter on the Eagle defense, played well being credited with 5 tackles, four unassisted.  Williams played primarily on special teams (kick-off, punt).  He was accredited with 3 solo tackles and 1 assist. At 6’3” 193 lbs. Williams is a big lock down corner.  He saw considerable action on the defensive side of the ball in this big game.  They put him on an island against the Eagle’s shifty receivers.  He did not allow a catch or a target while on the field. Matter of fact, Williams was on the field both times the Chief defense caused an Eagle turnover. Bronco Pride is Nationwide.

I am some what of a history buff.  While doing research for another publication I discovered that the 1969 Kansas City Chief team had 15 HBCU alumni playing in Super Bowl IV.  Those of us that are old enough to remember may recalled the merger of the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL). The NFL was more established. Only certain players from certain schools were allowed to play in that league.  There was also a limit on the number of non-white players that could be on a team.  The AFL was flashier.  They didn’t care where you went to school, or what you looked like. After all, a football player is a football player is a football player.  The AFL was willing to go to smaller schools to find talent.  Many came from HBCUs.

HBCU Alumni on the winning 1969 Kansas City Chiefs Team (Super Bowl IV) are:

Caesar Belser                        DB       University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Buck Buchanan                      DT       Grambling State University

Robert “Tank” Holmes           RB       Southern University

Jim Kearney                           SS        Prairie View A&M

Willie Lanier                          MLB    Morgan State University

Jim Marsalis                           DB       Tennessee State University

Willie Mitchell                       DB       Tennessee State University

Frank Pitts                               WR      Southern University

Gloster Richardson                 WR      Jackson State University

Goldie Sellers                         DB       Grambling State University

Nolan Smith                            WR      Tennessee State University

Morris Stroud                          TE       Clark-Atlanta University

Otis Taylor                              WR      Prairie View A&M

Emmitt Thomas                      DB       Bishop College

Did anyone notice that most of these guys play what we now call “skill” positions?

Finishing up on the Super Bowl, several Super Bowl records are still being held by HBCU alumni.

L.C. Greenwood (University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff.)  This Steelers great had four sacks against the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl X.  He has 5 overall sacks in the big game. Officially, Charles Haley and Von Miller are tied for the most Super Bowl sacks (4.5 in their Super Bowls during their careers.) Greenwoods’ 5 sacks happened before the NFL officially recognized tackling a QB for a loss as a sack.  He played in the 1970’s. Sacks became a statistic after 1982.  I am going with this HBCU great as the record holder in this statistic. 

John Stallworth’s (Alabama State University) record of 40.3 yards per reception (three catches for 121 yards) in Super Bowl XIV is still in the books.  He also holds the career record of yardage per catch in the Super Bowl netting 24.4 yards per catch during four Super Bowl appearances. In Super Bowl XIII, this Steeler wide receiver averaged 38.3 yards per catch (3 for 115 yards) which is third best in Super Bowl history. 

The G.O.A.T (greatest of all time) of wide receivers is Jerry Rice.(Mississippi Valley State University.)  In Super Bowl XXIII Rice had a record 220 yards from scrimmage (215 yards via passes) in route of being named the game’s MVP.  Twice Rice scored three touchdowns in Super Bowls (Super Bowl XXIV and XXIX) the later giving him a record six Super Bowl touchdown receptions. Jerry Rice also holds the Super Bowl records for career receptions (33) receiving total touchdowns (8) and total yards from scrimmage (604) Rice at the age of 40 is also in the record books for being the oldest player to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl.