An inspiration for Kueter?

[Mendoza77]

I was watching the Air Force football game tonight and wondered who were the best QBs in Air Force history. I came across a webpage that listed the best QBs in military academy history (Army, Navy, Air Force). Staubach is #1, but the guy listed at #5 caught my attention.

The write-up reads: "Terry Isaacson's legacy as an Air Force graduate spans far past his performance on the football field. Isaacson was the first significant quarterback to play for the Falcons. But, once football season was over, he quickly began cutting weight so he could wrestle at 167 pounds. He was a three-time All-American wrestler with his best performance being in the 1962 NCAA Tournament where he finished in second place. Sports in the 1960s were obviously much different than what we know today. But, for his era, Isaacson was doing at Air Force what Joe Bellino and Roger Staubach were doing at Navy. Isaacson went on to have a decorated career in the Air Force."

I love reading about wrestling history, and casually follow Air Force football, so was suprised that I had never heard about Isaacson. However, as the write-up says, college athletics in the early 1960s was VERY different from today, so I wouldn't make an analogy between Isaacson and Kueter. But I thought this was interesting enough to post.

 

[Grip220]

This is some great history of the sport and some extraordinary athletes. I also think Ben has to look no farther than Stephen Neal and Carlton Haselrig.
Ben could be the next on a very very short list of athletes that were Div 1 national champions and also played in the NFL. Neal was the last to do it in 1999 and there have only been 4 others, The legend Haselrig! I still think D2 and 3 should be pigtails in the D1 nationals, Jim Nance, Curley Culp and Art Baker and they were in the 60's.
Im willing to bet Ben knows these histories and has it cleary imbedded in his mind. Let's make some history Ben, we will be watching intently!

 

[AFHawk86]

Dee Dowis (#3 on the list) was a classmate of mine. It was a truly incredible experience to watch him run the option. He only weighed in the 150’s but he finished as the all-time rushing leader at AFA and was 5th in Heisman voting his senior year. He was a really great guy as well. Dee died in a car accident in 2016…RIP.

 

[Mendoza77]

Dee Dowis (#3 on the list) was a classmate of mine. It was a truly incredible experience to watch him run the option. He only weighed in the 150’s but he finished as the all-time rushing leader at AFA and was 5th in Heisman voting his senior year. He was a really great guy as well. Dee died in a car accident in 2016…RIP.

I went to a lot of AFA games when Dee was QB -- loved it! (AFHawk, did I see you doing pushups in the end zone??). One memorable game I went to was against Notre Dame, night game on ESPN. The offensive line of ND dwarfed the Air Force D line, but the Falcons almost pulled out the victory! Dowis was definitely my favorite QB at AFA - his senior year he ran for 1286 yards and passed for 1285 -- only five QBs have ever passed and run for 1000+ in a season.

If any of you has a chance to go to an Air Force home football game, don't miss it! They still run an amazing option offense -- last night they ran for 400 yards (main RB had 33 carries!), and passed TWO TIMES! Unbelievable in this age of 50 pass attempts per game.

Last comment: FIsher DeBerry was one of my all-time favorite coaches, and I love this quote of his: "All I ask of my players is that they be humble in victory and a man in defeat."

 

[AFHawk86]

Yes, I was in the end zone many times knocking out the push ups!

Btw, I think AFA beat ND 3 times in a row. Unfortunately that trend ended the year I arrived thanks in part to Tim Brown.

 

[merr6267]

I don't meant to hijack the thread, but since ya'll mention AF football, I just have to brag a bit . . . a kid I helped coach in HS wrestling is the starting fullback, Owen Burk. I don't follow football, but I watched a few games lately, seems he's doing pretty well.

His dad was my HS football coach.
My FIL, myself, and Burk's dad all helped coach the HS wrestling team.

Fun story to bring it back to Iowa Wrestling a bit. For about 7 years our modest team from Western Michigan did volunteer work at the Gable Museum in Waterloo and then spent a day splitting firewood and doing property work for Dan Gable, and the house where Ben Kueter lived at the time.

Small world.

Pics for proof. lol

 

[Iron Doc]

Since the Ferentzi are running the FB program into the ground, maybe Kueter will concentrate on wrestling.

That would be a Best Case Scenario.

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

I believe Don Buzzard played football and wrestled for Iowa State. And Nebraska had a guy, I believe he was from Davenport, Lavern Allard, I think his name was.
Edit: Allers(thanks Google)