We are 50 days away from college football kickoff. Happy Football Friday all y’all. Today, we have Dick Butkus and Bob Pellegrini. Another two outstanding players ready for you to read all about them. Be sure to check back tomorrow as we start the 40s and our players for #49 in our countdown to kickoff. Enjoy!
Dick Butkus (50) Days Away From College Football Kickoff
Dick Butkus was a two-time All-American, earning unanimous honors in 1963 and consensus honors in 1964. He became known at Illinois for his intense and determined play as a linebacker. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 237 pounds, Butkus played both center on offense and linebacker on defense. He helped lead the Fighting Illini to an 8-1-1 record, a Big Ten title in 1963, and a 17-7 Rose Bowl win over Washington, where he made a key interception.
Butkus ended his Illinois career with 374 tackles. His 145 tackles in 1963 set a school record that lasted until 1976. In a 1963 game against Ohio State, he made 23 tackles, which was also a school record at the time. Butkus finished third in the 1964 Heisman Trophy voting and was named Player of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association. Butkus was also a three-time All-Big Ten selection and won the 1963 Silver Football Award as the Big Ten’s Most Valuable Player. In 1986, Illinois retired his No. 50 jersey, an honor shared only with Hall of Famer Red Grange.
Butkus was the third overall pick in the 1965 NFL Draft and played linebacker for the Chicago Bears from 1965 to 1973. He was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year twice and was selected as an All-Pro six times. From 1965 to 1972, he made eight straight Pro Bowls. Butkus was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979, and the Bears retired his No. 51 jersey.
Butkus ended his Illinois career with 374 tackles. His 145 tackles in 1963 set a school record that lasted until 1976. In a 1963 game against Ohio State, he made 23 tackles, which was also a school record at the time. Butkus finished third in the 1964 Heisman Trophy voting and was named Player of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association. Butkus was also a three-time All-Big Ten selection and won the 1963 Silver Football Award as the Big Ten’s Most Valuable Player. In 1986, Illinois retired his No. 50 jersey, an honor shared only with Hall of Famer Red Grange.
Butkus was the third overall pick in the 1965 NFL Draft and played linebacker for the Chicago Bears from 1965 to 1973. He was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year twice and was selected as an All-Pro six times. From 1965 to 1972, he made eight straight Pro Bowls. Butkus was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979, and the Bears retired his No. 51 jersey.
Butkus was named to the Big Ten Diamond Anniversary Team in 1970, The Sporting News College Coaches All-Time Team, and the University of Illinois All-Century Team. He joined the Walter Camp Foundation All-Century team in 1989 and was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1995. In 2001, Sports Illustrated ranked Butkus as the best middle linebacker ever.
In 2017, Butkus was part of Illinois Athletics’ first Hall of Fame class, and in 2019, a statue of him was placed at the entrance of Illinois’ Smith Football Performance Center. In 1985, the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando created the “Butkus Award” for the best college linebacker each year, which has become one of college football’s most sought-after honors.
After his football career, Butkus worked as a TV commentator and actor. He also hosted a national golf tournament to raise money for cystic fibrosis treatment.
After his football career, Butkus worked as a TV commentator and actor. He also hosted a national golf tournament to raise money for cystic fibrosis treatment.
Another Great #52, Bob Pellegrini, Maryland
Bob Pellegrini went to Shannock Valley High School, where he played several positions on the football team, including end, tackle, guard, center, and fullback. He then attended the University of Maryland, where coach Jim Tatum moved him to center, though he also played linebacker. During Pellegrini’s three varsity years, Maryland had a 27-4-1 record and ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll in 1953, No. 8 in 1954, and No. 3 in 1955. Pellegrini was 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 225 pounds. In 1955, he was named a unanimous All-American at center and won the Jacobs Trophy as the top blocker in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Pellegrini played in the 1956 College All-Star Game and was chosen as the college team’s Most Valuable Player. Pellegrini played professionally for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1956 and from 1958 to 1961, and for the Washington Redskins from 1962 to 1965. In 1957, he served in the U.S. Army. After his playing career, Pellegrini worked as an assistant coach for the Miami Dolphins.
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: Illinois Athletics
