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Kern County's All-Time Greatest Football players
Sports fans we need your help.
The sports department is putting together a "Kern County's All-Time Most Wanted Team," for its upcoming high school football preview. We're looking for Kern County players that went on to have outstanding/ prolific college careers. Carr at Fresno State, Porter at Colorado, etc. We're NOT looking the greatest Kern County football players in H.S. or the Pros. We want college careers only. Some of those players will likely be among the group but we're looking for some of the top college players that might not have made it in the NFL or pros. Either comment on the board or send your nominations to me at: rpriest@bakersfield.com. 20 comments from 12 users
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posted by
tonyh
on Jul 31, 2007 at 06:02 PM
Dick Witcher - UCLA David Turner - Bakersfield College / San Diego State posted by
OldBlue56
on Jul 31, 2007 at 07:09 PM
When David "Deacon" Turner returned to Bakersfield in the early 1980's, after his brief NFL job, he got heavily involved smoking PCP, and later rock cocaine. He lived and frequented the Lakeview Ave. area, and he hated the police. Whenever we tried to arrest him, he always ran away and resisted. Picture a former NFL running back jumping over fences, ect., and fighting when the police finally caught him, (and we always did). Those were the days...
posted by
tonyh
on Jul 31, 2007 at 07:46 PM
I never said that he was Einstein. I went to hIGH School with him. He had a Wife and kid when he was a Senior in High School. I put him up, because he played good College Football. He blew his NFL career by getting the big head and refusing to show up for camp without a renegotiated contract. That was STUPID, for no longer than he'd been in the pros................The cut him. posted by
tkozy
on Jul 31, 2007 at 08:03 PM
Brent McClanahan, Arizona State.
posted by
adampayne
on Jul 31, 2007 at 08:16 PM
Jeff Siemon, was one of the very best football players to have come out of Bakersfield. He's even being inducted into the Collegiate Hall of Fame for his All-American career at Stanford. He was a force at BHS.
posted by
JustAThought
on Jul 31, 2007 at 09:17 PM
Corey Costello-Tehachapi (now with KERN 1410) posted by
RoyTullis
on Jul 31, 2007 at 10:40 PM
Frank Gifford, No contest
posted by
Emigree
on Jul 31, 2007 at 11:39 PM
ditto on brent maclanahan, add randy rich from north high.
posted by
fivehole
on Aug 1, 2007 at 12:35 AM
Rodney Leisle - UCLA posted by
antiextremism
on Aug 1, 2007 at 10:09 AM
the best.......off the top of my head..... Frank Gifford - NFL Hall of Fame Jeff Siemon - Minnesota's all time best MLB and College Hall of Fame Joey Porter - All Pro LB and named N.F.L.'s meanest player. Louis Wright - Several all pros and Denver's all time best CB Ken Ruttgers - All Pac 10 at USC and one of Green Bay's best ever OLs Brent McClanahan - starting FB for Vikes in heyday, 4? super Bowl appearances Dick Witcher - Shafter native who excelled for 49 ers David Carr - Heisman Candidate at Fresno State and Houston's first QB Theo Bell - 3 time Super Bowl winner, back up to Lynn Swan and John Stallworth for legendary Steelers Brock Marion - great DB who comes from legendary athletic family in Bakersfield Deacon Turner - great RB who could have had a lot more success John Tarver - Former Arvin and BC star and Starting RB for patriots. Brothers Larry and Bernard (USC) were also talented Steve Neal - How does a guy who never played college football end up starting for a great team like New Michael Stewart - hard hitting Safety for the Rams. Played LB at BC Charlie Smith - Raider go to guy during Oaklands glory years who played at B.C. Rocky Rasley - South High and Oregon State star who played about 5 seasons in the NFL and is in Oregon's Sports Hall of Fame. Jeremy Statt - BC star and Pat Tillman's best friend at Arizona Rodney Leslie - Ridgewiew grad was a monster at UCLA Doug Rogers - Son of politician Don Rogers was journeyman DL in N.F.L. Rodney Wright - Fresno State star just won the Arena Bowl Randy Rich - Too small for NFL, but the little midget almost out long jumped me in High School. Hard hitter. Matt Cercone -TE - Minnesota Rashan Shehee - Talented RB for Washington Huskies Ted Roberson - All everything at East High, Back of the Year, valley champion basketball, and starting DB for USC Cory Hall - DB out of Tehachapi Jeff Buckey - big smart kid from Stanford who played with Miami Billy Mackey - Legendary athlete who won the state hurdle championship, and went on to play with the Rams. Wilie Mills - Diminutive black belt instructor was returner for Rams Mitchell True - BC and UOP star RB who left Cowboy camp early...because he was homesick.....for Arvin. Pat Skrable- extremely gifted all around athlete who was all conference WR at Utah. He chose baseball instead, playing in the minors for the Red Sox. Pat did it all for B.H.S., and in the middle of a pitching start, he would switch from throwing right handed to throwing left handed! James McGill, Ronnie Lott type hitter who starred at BC and Kansas State. Inability to break down well on tackles kept him from making the Raiders. ? Nichols,(drawing a blank on first name), WR out of East High who started for Lions. Nichols comes from a highly athletic family who were all track stars. In fact, John Nichols was so fast, he got a scholarship to Cal when he didn't even start for the Blades. Gotta go....I'll try to remember some more names. posted by
LastRites
on Aug 1, 2007 at 10:15 AM
Thank you everyone who's jotted down a name. And antiextremism...that's a great list. I've printed out a copy and passed around the office so we can get our Top 10.posted by
tkozy
on Aug 1, 2007 at 10:27 AM
Rocky Rasley,
How did you ever remember how to spell his name. Great wrestler also.
From: http://www.beckys-place.com... Becky, Sincerely
posted by
antiextremism
on Aug 1, 2007 at 10:34 AM
I didn't notice that you wanted College athletes primarily.. Duane Williams - North - Cal all conference - organizer of Japan Bowl Mike Ariey - Packers Randy Jordan - DB - Kansas State (with Mcgill) Alex Wallace - DB - San Jose State- Bakersfield Blitz Jack Harrison - Garces - Guard at Cal
Cornell Jordan - East High - San Jose State - recently passed on. Cornell was the greatest physical specimen (pre steroids) I ever saw play high school ball. At 6'3 and 230, he could dunk a basketball, ran a 10.3 hundred (yds), and I remember that when he got to you, you were going down. His tackled much like Butkus, just bear hugged you to the ground. Mike Mangrum - played FB and LB at East, and was a prolific RB at UOP Russel Grimes (East) was all conference receiver at Cal Poly.
That was a tremendous year for local High School football. East, Foothill, and South tied for the SYL Championship, and Foothill beat the southern sections #1 team Anaheim, behind hard running Jim Wooster. posted by
takiitheguru
on Aug 1, 2007 at 11:04 AM
Steve Wofford is the greatest local high school player to ever set foot on a gridiron in Bakersfield. His stats destroy Giffords. He was the best back in the state at the time. Gifford was great, but he played in a different era. Gifford never had to face schools like Bishop Amat (spelling ?). Steve had trouble performing at an NFL level due to his size in my opinion. He's still one of the best high school running backs that I have ever seen. Here's an old link from the Californian. Some of the best football players in California played high school ball right here in Kern County. But who was the best football player to ever play in Kern County? The overwhelming top choice seems to be Steve Wofford from Bakersfield High. Wofford had a state-record 107 touchdowns and rushed for 7,100 yards in three varsity years for the Drillers. He was a three-time Californian first-team All-Area selection and he rushed for 2,761 yards and 43 TDs his senior year. He was a Parade Magazine All-American in his senior year of 1994. Wofford went on to star at Division I-AA Southern University in Baton Rouge, La. He set a school record for career rushing yards, getting 3,475 in three years. He later starred for the Bakersfield Blitz in arenafootball2.
posted by
tkozy
on Aug 1, 2007 at 11:13 AM
Wallace Williams from South. Did he do well in college? posted by
LastRites
on Aug 1, 2007 at 12:16 PM
Did you say William Wallace? I'm guessing he played for the Highland Scots.
posted by
tkozy
on Aug 1, 2007 at 12:20 PM
Wallace Williams, Class of 68. South High.. Also Heavy weight wrestler under Joe Seay.. posted by
antiextremism
on Aug 1, 2007 at 02:17 PM
Although Wofford should also be on the list, he pales in comparison to Gifford. Gifford was one of the best all around athletes in the N.F.L. He wasn't a QB, yet threw for 14 TDs. He punted for the Giants, he kicked off for the Giants, and he played BOTH ways in a 12 year season. The game had a lot less finesse then, so statistics were not high for anyone back then. Wofford on the other hand, had good moves and was fast, but you can in no way compare Gifford to Wofford. You can't even compare him to Rashan Sheehee, Brent McClanahan, the Tarvers, or Deacon Turner talent wise. Wofford was too light and not physical enough to compete with those guys....but he was a very exciting runner. Turner would have made yards against Bishop Amat on his own, because the Drillers could not block what was obstensibly an All Star team. Here's a tidbit of info about BHS football. When UCLA started playing football way back when, B.H.S. beat them in a game! posted by
antiextremism
on Aug 1, 2007 at 03:36 PM
Here's a list of some of the Bakersfield College players that went on to the NFL Bundra, Mike (1962 - 1965) posted by
NancyII
on Aug 3, 2007 at 06:38 AM
Wait a few years and you can add Ryan Mathews to your lists. :-)
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