Discussion: 60-51
Bob Long Q&A
Texas A&M Football
Aggie Football Top 100: Nos. 60-51
There was the Haskell Hurricane. There were the Blitz Brothers. There was Tank. Actually, there were two tanks.
There was DaMonster, Stonewall, Johnny Football and an array of Junction Boys.
In more than a century of college football, Texas A&M has produced hundreds of great — sometimes legendary — football players.
But who are the 100 best?
A TexAgs panel that includes coaches, former players, A&M football historians and media members were tasked with compiling the list of A&M’s 100 greatest players and ranking them in order. The Top 100 will be revealed in groups of 10 over the next two weeks.
60. Louis Cheek, 1984-87, T (377): A star of the Jackie Sherrill era, Cheek was a powerful tackle who played a key role on Southwest Conference championship teams in ’85, ’86 and ’87. He was named All-SWC in ’86 and ’87. Cheek was an eighth-round selection of the Miami Dolphins in the 1988 NFL Draft. He played four professional seasons.
TexAgs
Murphy set a standard for A&M receivers that took until recently to match, earning himself a place in Aggie lore.
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59. Terrence Murphy, 2001-04, WR (408): In the early 2000s the Aggies operated under Terrence Murphy’s Law: Whatever can go long will go long. A quarterback at Tyler’s Chapel Hill High School, Murphy transitioned to receiver and became A&M’s premier big-play threat. He earned All-Big 12 recognition in ’03 and ’04. He led the Aggies in receiving yardage both years. Murphy left A&M as the career leader with 2,600 receiving yards and 172 receptions — records since broken.
He was a second-round selection of the Green Bay Packers in the 2005 NFL Draft, but his career ended prematurely when he was diagnosed with spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spine). Undaunted, he returned to College Station and became tremendously successful in real estate.
58. Bob Long, 1966-68, WR (412): Also a baseball star, Long left A&M with a couple of receiving records. He was an All-SWC selection in 1967 when he caught 24 passes for 541 yards and eight touchdowns. He was a key member of A&M’s ’67 SWC championship team and briefly held the school record for career receiving yards with 1,298. He also set a school record with 19 touchdown catches, a mark that stood for four decades. He was a 17th-round selection of the Chicago Bears in the 1969 NFL Draft. He’s in the A&M athletic Hall of Fame.
57. Tony Franklin, 1975-78, K (448): Franklin wasn’t just an All-American kicker in the ‘70s — he was a national phenomenon. The barefoot-booting Franklin converted 56 of 101 career attempts, but would try field goals at distances that typically called for a punter. He kicked three field goals in excess of 60 yards and had two more from 57 yards or further. He converted from 65 and 64 yards in a victory over Baylor in 1976. He is the only college football player to ever kick two field goals of 60 yards in the same game. He set also 18 NCAA records during his career.
Franklin kicked 56 career field goals, including five in one game. He was a third-round selection of the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1979 NFL Draft and played 10 NFL seasons with three teams, appearing in a Pro Bowl.
56. Keith Mitchell, 1993-96, LB (453): An All-American in 1996, Mitchell was one of the few A&M players to be named all-conference in two conferences. He was an All-Southwest Conference selection in ’95 and an All-Big 12 pick in 1996. He was the defensive MVP in the 1995 Alamo Bowl victory over Michigan. Mitchell posted 14.5 sacks in 1996 and 13 in ’95 and finished with 34 career sacks, which is the fifth most in school history. He might have had even more except that A&M was absolutely loaded at linebacker in the ‘90s and he didn’t get into the starting lineup until his junior season.
Mitchell signed with the New Orleans Saints as an NFL free agent. He played seven NFL seasons with three teams and appeared in the 2000 Pro Bowl.
TexAgs
Webster, who later played for the Niners (pictured), was instrumental in furthering the legacy of elite Aggie cornerbacks that still must be matched.
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55. Jason Webster, 1996-99, CB (464): Webster didn’t post impressive statistics, but that might be explained by opponents refusing to throw in his direction. A perhaps underappreciated corner who rarely made mistakes, Webster was named All-Big 12 and All-American in 1999. A three-year starter, Webster posted 61 tackles and a team-high nine passes broken up as a sophomore. He had 72 tackles and seven passes broken up as a junior. He was named the team’s defensive MVP as a senior when he made 74 tackles and broke up 10 passes. He was also the recipient of the Aggie Heart Award.
Webster was a second-round selection of the San Francisco 49ers in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played nine NFL seasons with four teams.
54. Antonio Armstrong, 1991-94, LB (486): A product of Houston’s Kashmere High School, Armstrong arrived at Texas A&M known as Antonio Shorter. He changed to his father’s surname before his senior season. By then, he was already established as a leading member of the Wrecking Crew defense. As a junior he was named defensive player of the game against Notre Dame in the 1994 Cotton Bowl, in which he had three sacks. He posted 62 tackles, including 17 for losses, as a senior to earn All-American recognition. He was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award in 1994.
Twice Armstrong was an All-Southwest Conference pick. He was also a sixth-round selection of the San Francisco 49ers in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played six professional seasons in the NFL and the Canadian Football League, but recurring ankle injuries plagued his career.
53. Rolf Krueger, 1966-68, DT (498): A dominant defensive tackle on A&M’s 1967 Southwest Conference championship team, Krueger was All-American in ’68 and All-SWC in ’67 and ’68. Hailing from nearby Caldwell, Krueger followed in the footsteps of older brother Charlie to play for the Aggies. He was a team captain in ’68. Krueger was selected in the second round of the 1969 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He played six seasons in the NFL.
52. Yale Lary, 1949-51, DB/P (510): A versatile player who starred at defensive back and punter, Lary is the only Aggie who is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He led the Aggies with five interceptions in 1950 and earned All-Southwest Conference honors in ’51. He’s also a member of the A&M athletic Hall of Fame. Lary was a third-round selection by the Detroit Lions in the 1952 NFL Draft. He played 13 NFL seasons, was an All-Pro selection as a safety nine times and played on three championship teams.
51. Garth TenNapel, 1973-75, LB (517): A key figure on the ’75 defense, which remains perhaps the best in A&M history. TenNapel was named All-American in 1975 and All-Southwest Conference in ’74 and ’75. He posted 20 tackles against Clemson in ’74 and did it again the next week against LSU. TenNapel was selected in the seventh round of the 1976 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. He played two seasons there and was traded to Atlanta. His career was cut short because of severe injuries suffered in an automobile accident.
Rankings were compiled by a points list in which 100 points were awarded first place, 99 for second place, etc. After a 13-vote total was accumulated, the point values of the highest and lowest votes were eliminated to determine a final point score. Each individual’s final point score is in parentheses.
There was DaMonster, Stonewall, Johnny Football and an array of Junction Boys.
In more than a century of college football, Texas A&M has produced hundreds of great — sometimes legendary — football players.
But who are the 100 best?
A TexAgs panel that includes coaches, former players, A&M football historians and media members were tasked with compiling the list of A&M’s 100 greatest players and ranking them in order. The Top 100 will be revealed in groups of 10 over the next two weeks.
Today we reveal Nos. 60-51.
60. Louis Cheek, 1984-87, T (377): A star of the Jackie Sherrill era, Cheek was a powerful tackle who played a key role on Southwest Conference championship teams in ’85, ’86 and ’87. He was named All-SWC in ’86 and ’87. Cheek was an eighth-round selection of the Miami Dolphins in the 1988 NFL Draft. He played four professional seasons.
TexAgs
Murphy set a standard for A&M receivers that took until recently to match, earning himself a place in Aggie lore.
{"Module":"photo","Alignment":"right","Size":"large","Caption":"Murphy set a standard for A\u0026M receivers that took until recently to match, earning himself a place in Aggie lore.","MediaItemID":10119}
He was a second-round selection of the Green Bay Packers in the 2005 NFL Draft, but his career ended prematurely when he was diagnosed with spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spine). Undaunted, he returned to College Station and became tremendously successful in real estate.
58. Bob Long, 1966-68, WR (412): Also a baseball star, Long left A&M with a couple of receiving records. He was an All-SWC selection in 1967 when he caught 24 passes for 541 yards and eight touchdowns. He was a key member of A&M’s ’67 SWC championship team and briefly held the school record for career receiving yards with 1,298. He also set a school record with 19 touchdown catches, a mark that stood for four decades. He was a 17th-round selection of the Chicago Bears in the 1969 NFL Draft. He’s in the A&M athletic Hall of Fame.
57. Tony Franklin, 1975-78, K (448): Franklin wasn’t just an All-American kicker in the ‘70s — he was a national phenomenon. The barefoot-booting Franklin converted 56 of 101 career attempts, but would try field goals at distances that typically called for a punter. He kicked three field goals in excess of 60 yards and had two more from 57 yards or further. He converted from 65 and 64 yards in a victory over Baylor in 1976. He is the only college football player to ever kick two field goals of 60 yards in the same game. He set also 18 NCAA records during his career.
Franklin kicked 56 career field goals, including five in one game. He was a third-round selection of the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1979 NFL Draft and played 10 NFL seasons with three teams, appearing in a Pro Bowl.
56. Keith Mitchell, 1993-96, LB (453): An All-American in 1996, Mitchell was one of the few A&M players to be named all-conference in two conferences. He was an All-Southwest Conference selection in ’95 and an All-Big 12 pick in 1996. He was the defensive MVP in the 1995 Alamo Bowl victory over Michigan. Mitchell posted 14.5 sacks in 1996 and 13 in ’95 and finished with 34 career sacks, which is the fifth most in school history. He might have had even more except that A&M was absolutely loaded at linebacker in the ‘90s and he didn’t get into the starting lineup until his junior season.
Mitchell signed with the New Orleans Saints as an NFL free agent. He played seven NFL seasons with three teams and appeared in the 2000 Pro Bowl.
TexAgs
Webster, who later played for the Niners (pictured), was instrumental in furthering the legacy of elite Aggie cornerbacks that still must be matched.
{"Module":"photo","Alignment":"left","Size":"large","Caption":"Webster, who later played for the Niners (pictured), was instrumental in furthering the legacy of elite Aggie cornerbacks that still must be matched.","MediaItemID":17270}
Webster was a second-round selection of the San Francisco 49ers in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played nine NFL seasons with four teams.
54. Antonio Armstrong, 1991-94, LB (486): A product of Houston’s Kashmere High School, Armstrong arrived at Texas A&M known as Antonio Shorter. He changed to his father’s surname before his senior season. By then, he was already established as a leading member of the Wrecking Crew defense. As a junior he was named defensive player of the game against Notre Dame in the 1994 Cotton Bowl, in which he had three sacks. He posted 62 tackles, including 17 for losses, as a senior to earn All-American recognition. He was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award in 1994.
Twice Armstrong was an All-Southwest Conference pick. He was also a sixth-round selection of the San Francisco 49ers in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played six professional seasons in the NFL and the Canadian Football League, but recurring ankle injuries plagued his career.
53. Rolf Krueger, 1966-68, DT (498): A dominant defensive tackle on A&M’s 1967 Southwest Conference championship team, Krueger was All-American in ’68 and All-SWC in ’67 and ’68. Hailing from nearby Caldwell, Krueger followed in the footsteps of older brother Charlie to play for the Aggies. He was a team captain in ’68. Krueger was selected in the second round of the 1969 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He played six seasons in the NFL.
52. Yale Lary, 1949-51, DB/P (510): A versatile player who starred at defensive back and punter, Lary is the only Aggie who is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He led the Aggies with five interceptions in 1950 and earned All-Southwest Conference honors in ’51. He’s also a member of the A&M athletic Hall of Fame. Lary was a third-round selection by the Detroit Lions in the 1952 NFL Draft. He played 13 NFL seasons, was an All-Pro selection as a safety nine times and played on three championship teams.
51. Garth TenNapel, 1973-75, LB (517): A key figure on the ’75 defense, which remains perhaps the best in A&M history. TenNapel was named All-American in 1975 and All-Southwest Conference in ’74 and ’75. He posted 20 tackles against Clemson in ’74 and did it again the next week against LSU. TenNapel was selected in the seventh round of the 1976 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. He played two seasons there and was traded to Atlanta. His career was cut short because of severe injuries suffered in an automobile accident.
The Aggie Football Top 100
About the rankings
Panelists include: Jackie Sherrill, Jimmy Wright, Dave Elmendorf, Dennis Goehring, Hugh McElroy, Rusty Burson, Mike Henderson, Tom Turbiville, Brad Marquardt, Bob Spoede, Chip Howard, David Sandhop, Gabe Bock and Olin Buchanan.Rankings were compiled by a points list in which 100 points were awarded first place, 99 for second place, etc. After a 13-vote total was accumulated, the point values of the highest and lowest votes were eliminated to determine a final point score. Each individual’s final point score is in parentheses.
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