Team Of The Century

Close your eyes and envision a college football dream team on
which John Elway could hand off to Earl Campbell or Barry
Sanders or rifle a pass to Ozzie Newsome or Randy Moss. A team
on which Doug Atkins and Billy Ray Smith would knock offensive
tackles into the quarterback while coach Tom Osborne watched
intently from the sideline. A team for the ages, yes--but a
two-touchdown underdog to the squad you are about to meet.

SI molded its Team of the Century by employing the methods
current coaches use. Not only did we adhere to the
85-scholarship limit, but we also selected more offensive
players than defensive ones. We took transfers (Doc Blanchard,
from North Carolina to Army; George Connor, Holy Cross to Notre
Dame; and O.J. Simpson, City College of San Francisco to USC).
We even suspended a player, having caught George Gipp in the
poolroom more often than the classroom.

Because passing styles have changed over the course of the
century, we threw tight ends, flankers and wide receivers into a
single pool and made our selections without regard to exactly
what receiver's position they played. We took quarterbacks who
had winning records and a flair for the unexpected: Tommie
Frazier overcame career-threatening blood clots in his right leg
to win two national championships; Doug Flutie threw the Pass
and took an ordinary team to the Cotton Bowl. Sammy Baugh? He
merely invented the passing game.

We also took athletes who were versatile. Our defensive
backfield reserves include two Heisman Trophy winners better
known for their offensive skills. In the one-platoon days John
Lattner and Ernie Davis intercepted 17 passes between them.

As our coach we tapped the fellow with the houndstooth hat. We
gave him nine assistants, the current limit, with Gen. Bob
Neyland handling the defense and Knute Rockne taking care of the
pregame talks. Woody Hayes gets to oversee the yard markers.

For anyone who squawks that their favorite player or coach
should have been included, we simply ask: In place of whom?

--Ivan Maisel

ALL-CENTURY TEAM OFFENSE

RECEIVER
Jerry Rice, MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE, 1981-84
Mike Ditka, PITTSBURGH, 1958-60
Pat Richter, WISCONSIN, 1960-62
Johnny Rodgers, NEBRASKA, 1970-72
Tim Brown, NOTRE DAME, 1984-87
Raghib Ismail, NOTRE DAME, 1988-90

TACKLE
Bill Fralic, PITTSBURGH, 1981-84
Ron Yary, USC, 1965-67
Dan Dierdorf, MICHIGAN, 1968-70

GUARD
Jim Parker, OHIO STATE, 1954-56
Bob Suffridge, TENNESSEE, 1938-40
Aaron Taylor, NEBRASKA, 1994-97

CENTER
Dave Rimington, NEBRASKA, 1979-82
Alex Wojciechowicz, FORDHAM, 1934-37
Dwight Stephenson, ALABAMA, 1977-79

GUARD
John Hannah, ALABAMA, 1970-72
Bill Fischer, NOTRE DAME, 1945-48
Dean Steinkuhler, NEBRASKA, 1981-83

TACKLE
Orlando Pace, OHIO STATE, 1994-96
George Connor, NOTRE DAME, 1946-47
Bob Gain, KENTUCKY, 1947-50

RECEIVER
Don Hutson, ALABAMA, 1932-34
Bennie Oosterbaan, MICHIGAN, 1925-27
Howard Twilley, TULSA, 1963-65
Ted Kwalick, PENN STATE, 1966-68
Anthony Carter, MICHIGAN, 1979-82
Keith Jackson, OKLAHOMA, 1984-87
Desmond Howard, MICHIGAN, 1989-91

QUARTERBACK
Sammy Baugh, TCU, 1934-36
John Lujack, NOTRE DAME, 1943, 1946-47
Roger Staubach, NAVY, 1960-62
Doug Flutie, BOSTON COLLEGE, 1981-84
Tommie Frazier, NEBRASKA, 1992-95

RUNNING BACK
Red Grange, ILLINOIS, 1923-25
Ernie Nevers, STANFORD, 1923-25
Jay Berwanger, CHICAGO, 1933-35
Doc Blanchard, ARMY, 1944-46

RUNNING BACK
O.J. Simpson, USC, 1967-68
Doak Walker, SMU, 1945, 1947-49
Jim Brown, SYRACUSE, 1954-56
Archie Griffin, OHIO STATE, 1972-75

RUNNING BACK
Tony Dorsett, PITTSBURGH, 1973-76
Glenn Davis, ARMY, 1943-46
Herschel Walker, GEORGIA, 1980-82
Ricky Williams, TEXAS, 1995-98

ALL-CENTURY TEAM DEFENSE

END
Bubba Smith, MICHIGAN STATE, 1964-66
Leon Hart, NOTRE DAME, 1946-49
Peter Boulware, FLORIDA STATE, 1994-96

TACKLE
Bronko Nagurski, MINNESOTA, 1927-29
Buck Buchanan, GRAMBLING, 1959-62
Mike Reid, PENN STATE, 1966, 1968-69

TACKLE
Rich Glover, NEBRASKA, 1970-72
Lee Roy Selmon, OKLAHOMA, 1972-75
Randy White, MARYLAND, 1972-74

END
Hugh Green, PITTSBURGH, 1977-80
Jack Youngblood, FLORIDA, 1968-70
Ross Browner, NOTRE DAME, 1973, 1975-77

LINEBACKER
Tommy Nobis, TEXAS, 1963-65
Lawrence Taylor, NORTH CAROLINA, 1977-80
Brian Bosworth, OKLAHOMA, 1984-86

LINEBACKER
Dick Butkus, ILLINOIS, 1962-64
Jerry Robinson, UCLA, 1975-78
Mike Singletary, BAYLOR, 1977-80

LINEBACKER
Lee Roy Jordan, ALABAMA, 1960-62
Chuck Bednarik, PENN, 1945-48
Chris Spielman, OHIO STATE, 1984-87

CORNERBACK
Deion Sanders, FLORIDA STATE, 1985-88
Rod Woodson, PURDUE, 1983-86
Charles Woodson, MICHIGAN, 1995-97

SAFETY
George Webster, MICHIGAN STATE, 1964-66
Tommy Casanova, LSU, 1969-71
Ronnie Lott, USC, 1977-80
Bennie Blades, MIAMI, 1985-87

SAFETY
Jack Tatum, OHIO STATE, 1968-70
Ernie Davis, SYRACUSE, 1959-61
Kenny Easley, UCLA, 1977-80
Terry Kinard, CLEMSON, 1979-82

CORNERBACK
Nile Kinnick, IOWA, 1937-39
Jim Thorpe, CARLISLE, 1908, 1911-12
John Lattner, NOTRE DAME, 1951-53

PUNTER
Ray Guy, SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI, 1970-72
Reggie Roby, IOWA, 1979-82

PLACEKICKER
Kevin Butler, GEORGIA, 1981-84
Jason Elam, HAWAII, 1989-92

SUSPENDED
George Gipp, NOTRE DAME, 1917-20

COACH
Paul Bryant, ALABAMA

ASSISTANTS
Red Blaik, ARMY, Woody Hayes, OHIO STATE, Frank Leahy, NOTRE
DAME, Robert Neyland, TENNESSEE, Joe Paterno, PENN STATE, Eddie
Robinson, GRAMBLING, Knute Rockne, NOTRE DAME, Pop Warner,
STANFORD, Bud Wilkinson, OKLAHOMA

GATEFOLD COLOR ILLUSTRATION: ILLUSTRATION BY KADIR NELSON Bubba Smith Bill Fralic Bronko Nagurski Tommy Nobis Jim Parker Deion Sanders Jerry RiceGeorge Webster Lee Roy Jordan Hugh Green Nile Kinnick Jack Tatum Don Hutson O.J. Simpson Orlando Pace Rich GloverJohn Hannah Dave Rimington Red Grange Dick Butkus Sammy Baugh Tony Dorsett