We are 81 days away from college football kickoff. Today we have two more record breaking athletes. We are almost through the 80’s as the countdown keeps moving. We hope you are enjoying reading more about these college football players in our countdown to kickoff.
Michael Westbrook Days Away From College Football Kickoff
Miracle at Michigan
As a freshman, Michael Westbrook helped the Buffs share the Big Eight title and earn a No. 20 ranking, followed by No. 13 in 1992 and No. 16 in 1993. He ultimately made his mark on college football history with the “Miracle at Michigan” and set numerous records during his time at Colorado.
In 1994, Westbrook was named a consensus First Team All-American and won the Paul Warfield Trophy as the nation’s top wide receiver. That year, he led Colorado in receiving and helped the team finish with an 11-1 record and a No. 3 ranking. Westbrook caught the famous 64-yard pass from Kordell Stewart in the “Miracle at Michigan,” giving the Buffs a 27-26 win over the Wolverines.
Westbrook was a two-time First Team All-Big Eight selection, becoming the first Colorado receiver to earn the honor twice. He was also an AP Second Team All-American in 1992 and helped the Buffs reach four bowl games, including victories in the 1993 Aloha Bowl against Fresno State and the 1995 Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame.
By the end of his college career, Westbrook held school records for receptions with 167 and 2,548 receiving yards. He also set a school record with 19 career touchdown catches and still holds the Buffs’ bowl-game records for 14 receptions and 283 yards. In 1992, Westbrook won the John Mack Award as Colorado’s top offensive player, leading the team in both receiving and scoring with a then-record 76 catches. Westbrook, who was named MVP of the 1995 East-West Shrine Game, had eight games with over 100 receiving yards while playing for Hall of Fame coach Bill McCartney.
By the end of his college career, Westbrook held school records for receptions with 167 and 2,548 receiving yards. He also set a school record with 19 career touchdown catches and still holds the Buffs’ bowl-game records for 14 receptions and 283 yards. In 1992, Westbrook won the John Mack Award as Colorado’s top offensive player, leading the team in both receiving and scoring with a then-record 76 catches. Westbrook, who was named MVP of the 1995 East-West Shrine Game, had eight games with over 100 receiving yards while playing for Hall of Fame coach Bill McCartney.
Another Great #81 Torry Holt
Torry Holt was a standout player at North Carolina State, setting new records for both the school and the conference during his remarkable career in Raleigh.
In 1998, Holt was named a consensus First Team All-American and was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award. He was also the only receiver to finish in the top 10 of the Heisman Trophy voting that year. Holt earned both ACC Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year honors in 1998, and he still holds NC State records for career yards with 3,379, single-season 1,604 in 1998, and single-game with 255 vs. Baylor, 1998 receiving yards. Holt also set records for single season with 88 receptions in 1998 and single game with 15 receptions vs. Wake Forest in 1998. He was a two-time First Team All-ACC pick at wide receiver, earned first team all-conference honors as a punt returner in 1998, and helped lead the Wolfpack to the MicronPC Bowl.
Holt, who served as team captain for two years. He set the single-season all-purpose yards record with 1,979 yards in 1998 and scored 16 touchdown receptions in 1997. Holt also set the single-game record with five touchdown catches against Florida State that year.
Holt’s career receiving yards were once the ACC record and now rank sixth. He still holds conference records for single-season receiving yards, single-season receiving yards per game at 145.8, and single-game touchdown receptions. Holt is a member of the NC State Athletic Hall of Fame. The school retired his No. 81 jersey and named its Offensive MVP award after him. In 2012, he was honored as an ACC Football Legend.
In 1999, the St. Louis Rams picked Holt sixth overall in the NFL Draft. He played for the Rams from 1999 to 2008, then spent his last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2009. Holt made the Pro Bowl seven times and helped the Rams win Super Bowl XXXIV as a rookie. He was named to the NFL All-Decade Team for the 2000s and retired with the tenth most receiving yards in league history.
Holt stays active with Holt Brothers Inc., a company he started with his brother Terrence, who also played at NC State. Their businesses include Holt Brothers Construction, where Torry is vice president, Holt Brothers Football Camps, and the Holt Brothers Foundation. Torry is president of the foundation, which helps children whose parents have cancer. He also appears on SiriusXM’s NFL Radio and Fantasy Sports Radio stations.
Holt stays active with Holt Brothers Inc., a company he started with his brother Terrence, who also played at NC State. Their businesses include Holt Brothers Construction, where Torry is vice president, Holt Brothers Football Camps, and the Holt Brothers Foundation. Torry is president of the foundation, which helps children whose parents have cancer. He also appears on SiriusXM’s NFL Radio and Fantasy Sports Radio stations.
Editor’s Note: The countdown to college football kickoff has been a series on the Last Word on College Football social media platforms for the past 9 years. They consisted of a photo and a small blurb for each player, with the jersey corresponding to the number of days until kickoff. The rank of the players is sourced from articles by Bleacher Report, Fox Sports, and The Athletic. There are also some favorite players of the Last Word on College Football writers. Their bios are sourced from multiple online sources, including but not limited to the College Football Hall of Fame, their Heisman profiles, and school websites.
Main Photo: University of Colorado Athletics
