“76 trombones led the big parade…” No, this isn’t a musical. It is a countdown. We are 76 days away from the college football kickoff. Today we have Warren Sapp, a Miami Hurricane, and Jerry Sisemore, a Texas Longhorn. Be sure to check back tomorrow for #75 in our countdown. to kickoff. Enjoy!
Warren Sapp Days Away From College Football Kickoff
Helluva Hurricane
Warren Sapp started his Miami football career as a tight end in 1991. By the time he entered the 1995 NFL Draft, he had become a standout defensive tackle and won several awards during his last season with the Hurricanes in 1994.
Sapp carried on the strong tradition of defensive tackles at Miami in the 1980s and early 1990s. He added his own mark to the program’s history. Sapp’s journey to becoming one of college football’s top defensive linemen started in his redshirt sophomore year in 1993. He earned second-team All-America honors as Miami finished with a 9-3 record. That year was Miami’s most losses since the team went 8-5 in 1985, Jimmy Johnson’s first season.
As a redshirt junior in 1994, Sapp improved even more. He finished the season with 10.5 sacks, was named a consensus first-team All-American, and won the Lombardi and Bill Willis Awards, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, and both the Big East and National Defensive Player of the Year honors.
With Sapp and first-team All-American linebacker Ray Lewis leading the Miami defense, the Hurricanes allowed just 11.9 points per game, ranking second among 107 Division IAA teams. The Hurricanes finished the season 10-2 and lost 24-17 to Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.
Sapp left Miami early, giving up his final year of eligibility to enter the NFL Draft. Although many thought he would be picked sooner, he was selected 12th overall in the first round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1995. That year, he started his career with Tampa Bay, playing in all 16 games and starting eight as a rookie.
In his rookie season, Sapp made 27 tackles, three sacks, recovered one fumble, and returned an interception for a touchdown. He earned a spot on the 1995 all-rookie team. In 1996, he became a full-time starter and, except for two games, started every game for the rest of his career.
Another Great # 76 Jerry Sisemore, Texas Longhorns
Back in high school, Jerry Sisemore was so highly valued by Coach Darrell Royal that the coach found Sisemore’s father working in a West Texas oil field to get his signature on the letter of intent, instead of waiting for the family to mail it.
Sisemore stood out as the best Texas lineman when teams were learning how to defend against the University of Texas’s wishbone formation. Strong line play, coupled with solid execution, became more important than trick plays.
As a sophomore, he was a regular starter on the 1970 Longhorn team that went on a 31-game winning streak. The following year, Sisemore became one of the top linemen in the country, earning the first of two straight seasons as both an all-conference and Unanimous All-America pick. In his senior year in 1972, Texas won its third consecutive Southwest Conference title and earned another Cotton Bowl appearance. Sisemore’s teammates showed their respect by electing him captain of the 10-1 team.
When it came time for the pros, Sisemore was picked third in the NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He went on to play 12 seasons with the team and appeared in three Pro Bowls.
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: USA TODAY Sports
