Calvin O'Neal explained

Calvin O'Neal
Number:51
Position:Linebacker
Birth Date:6 October 1954
Birth Place:Osceola, Arkansas, U.S.
Height Ft:6
Height In:1
Weight Lbs:235
High School:Saginaw (MI)
College:Michigan
Draftyear:1977
Draftround:6
Draftpick:163
Pastteams:
Highlights:
Pfr:ONeaCa20

Calvin O'Neal (born October 6, 1954) is a former professional American football linebacker who played for the Baltimore Colts in 1978 and was an All-American and team co-captain for the University of Michigan Wolverines in 1976.

Amateur career

O'Neal is a 1972 graduate of Saginaw High School,[1] where he won All-State and All-Saginaw Valley honors in football and was named Most Valuable Player of the Saginaw Valley Conference, after averaging 14 tackles per game. He was also a standout in basketball and track and field at Saginaw High from 1969-71. O'Neal was teammates with quarterback Tom Slade both at Saginaw High School and at the University of Michigan.[2]

He attended the University of Michigan on a football scholarship. He served as co-captain along with Rob Lytle and Kirk Lewis.[3] The 1976 team was ranked #1 for eight weeks, but lost two of its last four games including a Rose Bowl loss to the USC Trojans. However, the team had four All-Americans (O'Neal, Lytle, Jim Smith, and Mark Donahue) as well as nine All Big Ten Conference players.[3] O'Neal made ten tackles in his first game for the Wolverines,[4] was twice named an All-Big Ten linebacker and was a Consensus All-American and team co-captain in 1976. He was a team leader on defense, setting a season record with 151 tackles in 1975, and had a record 378 tackles for his career.[5] O'Neal combined strength and speed from his inside linebacking spot, and had three interceptions in 1976 for 60 return yards and a touchdown.[5]

Professional career

O'Neal was selected by the Baltimore Colts in the sixth round (163rd pick) of the 1977 NFL Draft.[6] He played in 15 games for the Colts in 1978.[1]

O'Neal lives in Shreveport, Louisiana.[7] He is the founder of Lifestyle Business Affairs, an enrichment program for high school and collegiate student-athletes.[8] O'Neal was inducted into the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.[4]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Calvin O'neal . databaseSports.com . databaseFootball.com . 2007-12-04 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070210164448/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=ONEALCAL01 . 2007-02-10 .
  2. Web site: Mid-Michigan football legend needs help . ABC Inc., WJRT-TV/DT Flint, MI . 2007-12-04 . 2006-06-08 . Camp, Terry . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060831080857/http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=local&id=4251720 . August 31, 2006 .
  3. Web site: 1976 Football Team. 2007-12-04. The Regents of the University of Michigan. 2007-03-31.
  4. Web site: Calvin O'Neal . 2007-12-04 . Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame . saginawcountysports.org . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090106130129/http://www.saginawcountysports.org/oneal.html . 2009-01-06 .
  5. Web site: University of Michigan Football All-American, 1976, Team Co-Captain, 1976: Calvin O'Neal. The Regents of the University of Michigan. 2007-02-10.
  6. Web site: History:Full Draft – Alphabetically. 2007-12-04. NFL Enterprises LLC. 2007.
  7. Web site: Former Colts: Where are they now?. 2007-12-04. ColtPower.com and Scout.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20140104213037/http://ind.scout.com/3/wherearetheynow.html. 2014-01-04. dead.
  8. Web site: Lifestyle Business Affairs. 2007-12-04. Lifestyle/Business Affairs. 2007.