Cub Football - Loyola's greatest football player(s) of all time . . . Who is it? Who are they?
Some of the greatest prep football players in California history played for Loyola
The Loyola Gridiron Vanguard wants to engage alumni, fans and friends of Cub Football in the process of selecting all-time Loyola teams, the best games and best players in the history of the school. And those subjects will be on the agenda at the organization's cocktail reception and dinner at Xavier Center on March 28. Yesterday's email received a great deal of response as to the greatest games of all time and the best players to don Cub Blue. So the discussions and debates have already begun.
What are the criteria for selecting the best player and players in Loyola grid history? Is pure, unequaled athleticism one of the criteria? Statistics? Productivity? Leadership? Contributions to a championship season? Will and grit? There are myriad factors that can be considered in the calculus of selecting the all-time best football players who competed for The High over the span of the last Century. Some of the best football players in California prep history competed for the Big Blue.
Certainly two time (1945-1946) CIF Large Schools Player-of-the-Year AL POLLARD, a running back dubbed "The Loyola Express" by the press, has to be in the conversation.
The gifted Callanan brothers, Howard 39, George '42, Jim '43, and Ed '45 have to be in the conversation.
Loyola quarterback/safety MATT WARE, the 2000 CIF Southern Section Div. I Player-of-the-Year and a prep All-American, was another athlete with incomparable skills, as was 1983 All-CIF Big Five Conference and All-American quarterback BRENDAN McCRACKEN.
Tailback STEVE GRADY, the 1962 CIF Southern Section CIF AAAA Player-of-the-Year, was the only man to be named both State Player of-the-Year (1962) and State Coach-of-the-Year (2003) in California history.
Two-time All-CIF AAAA single wing tailback MIKE BERGDAHL (1963-1964) was another incredibly talented back, who rushed for more yards than any back in Loyola annals.
All-CIF AAAA running back FREDDIE BROWN '75 is regarded by many as one of Loyola's all-time great runners. Pound for pound he may be the toughest Cub of all-time.
MYLES BRYANT '16, a multi-purpose player with unparalleled athletic skills, is another great Cub competitor who excelled as a defensive back, receiver and kick returner for Loyola's squad that was ranked 17th in the state at the conclusion of the 2015 campaign.
GEORGE KUNZ, a 1964 All-CIF AAAA offensive tackle, was not only one of the most talented athletes ever to play on Loyola's offensive line, he also was a consensus All-American at the University of Notre Dame and one of the best offensive linemen in NFL history with the Baltimore Colts and Atlanta Falcons.
Those are just a hand of the supremely talented athletes who have contributed to the championship legacy and rich history of Cub Football.
Who do YOU think the best Cub players of all-time were?
Join the conversation at the Loyola Gridiron Vanguard Cocktail Reception and Dinner Meeting on March 28.
RSVP NOW at the link below:
https://loyolahs.formstack.com/forms/gridironvanguardmeeting2017
The Loyola Gridiron Vanguard wants to engage alumni, fans and friends of Cub Football in the process of selecting all-time Loyola teams, the best games and best players in the history of the school. And those subjects will be on the agenda at the organization's cocktail reception and dinner at Xavier Center on March 28. Yesterday's email received a great deal of response as to the greatest games of all time and the best players to don Cub Blue. So the discussions and debates have already begun.
What are the criteria for selecting the best player and players in Loyola grid history? Is pure, unequaled athleticism one of the criteria? Statistics? Productivity? Leadership? Contributions to a championship season? Will and grit? There are myriad factors that can be considered in the calculus of selecting the all-time best football players who competed for The High over the span of the last Century. Some of the best football players in California prep history competed for the Big Blue.
Certainly two time (1945-1946) CIF Large Schools Player-of-the-Year AL POLLARD, a running back dubbed "The Loyola Express" by the press, has to be in the conversation.
The gifted Callanan brothers, Howard 39, George '42, Jim '43, and Ed '45 have to be in the conversation.
Loyola quarterback/safety MATT WARE, the 2000 CIF Southern Section Div. I Player-of-the-Year and a prep All-American, was another athlete with incomparable skills, as was 1983 All-CIF Big Five Conference and All-American quarterback BRENDAN McCRACKEN.
Tailback STEVE GRADY, the 1962 CIF Southern Section CIF AAAA Player-of-the-Year, was the only man to be named both State Player of-the-Year (1962) and State Coach-of-the-Year (2003) in California history.
Two-time All-CIF AAAA single wing tailback MIKE BERGDAHL (1963-1964) was another incredibly talented back, who rushed for more yards than any back in Loyola annals.
All-CIF AAAA running back FREDDIE BROWN '75 is regarded by many as one of Loyola's all-time great runners. Pound for pound he may be the toughest Cub of all-time.
MYLES BRYANT '16, a multi-purpose player with unparalleled athletic skills, is another great Cub competitor who excelled as a defensive back, receiver and kick returner for Loyola's squad that was ranked 17th in the state at the conclusion of the 2015 campaign.
GEORGE KUNZ, a 1964 All-CIF AAAA offensive tackle, was not only one of the most talented athletes ever to play on Loyola's offensive line, he also was a consensus All-American at the University of Notre Dame and one of the best offensive linemen in NFL history with the Baltimore Colts and Atlanta Falcons.
Those are just a hand of the supremely talented athletes who have contributed to the championship legacy and rich history of Cub Football.
Who do YOU think the best Cub players of all-time were?
Join the conversation at the Loyola Gridiron Vanguard Cocktail Reception and Dinner Meeting on March 28.
RSVP NOW at the link below:
https://loyolahs.formstack.com/forms/gridironvanguardmeeting2017
Don't miss what's next. Subscribe to Cub Football and Loyola athletics news: