Orlando Pace Days Away From College Football Kickoff
On Pace
Orlando Pace, nicknamed the “Pancake Man” for his outstanding blocking skills, finished fourth in the 1996 Heisman voting. That was the best result for a lineman since 1980.
Pace was a unanimous First-Team All-American in both 1995 and 1996. He became the first player ever to win the Lombardi Trophy twice, as a sophomore and junior. Pace also won the 1996 Outland Trophy and helped Ohio State share the Big Ten title. During his last two seasons, he didn’t allow a single sack while blocking for Eddie George and Bobby Hoying. Named the 1996 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, Pace started every game in his career and led the Buckeyes to three straight bowl games with coach John Cooper.
The St. Louis Rams picked Pace first overall in the 1997 NFL Draft. He played 13 seasons in the league and helped the Rams win Super Bowl XXXIV in 1999. Pace was named an All-Pro five times and made seven Pro Bowl teams.
Pace, who grew up in Sandusky, Ohio, has been a spokesman for Our Little Haven’s ‘Safe & Warm’ project since 1998. He also supports the Diversity Awareness Partnership and often buys NFL tickets for underprivileged kids.
Another Great # 75 Aaron Taylor, Notre Dame
Taylor was selected in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. He played for the Packers from 1994 to 1997 and helped them win Super Bowl XXXI. Taylor finished his professional career with the San Diego Chargers from 1998 to 1999.
Taylor volunteered for five months with Teaching and Projects Abroad, where he taught English to high school students in South America. He also funded a project in Sri Lanka that built a community center and 40 temporary houses in Kosgoda after a tsunami. Taylor helped start The Joe Moore Foundation for Teamwork to honor his offensive line coach at Notre Dame, and he created the Joe Moore Award, which goes each year to college football’s best offensive line. In 2007, he received the Harvey G. Foster Award from the Notre Dame Alumni Association for his civic service. Taylor also founded the Aaron Taylor IMPACT Fund and now works as a college football analyst for CBS Sports during the fall.
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: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
