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Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Riggins headed to KU football Ring of Honor

By J-W Staff Reports

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John Riggins, Kansas University's sixth all-time leading rusher and one of three former Jayhawks enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, will have his named added to the Ring of Honor at Memorial Stadium on Oct. 13 when KU hosts Baylor.

Riggins will be the second former KU gridder added this fall, joining linebacker Willie Pless, whose name will be unveiled on Sept. 1 in the Jayhawks season opener.

Riggins played at KU from 1968-70, finishing his career with 2,659 yards. In 1968, he helped the Jayhawks to a co-Big Eight Championship, a berth in the Orange Bowl and a 9-2 record.

His biggest fame came in the NFL, however, where the Centralia native racked up 11,352 yards and 116 touchdowns in a 14-year career spent with the New York Jets and Washington Redskins. He was the MVP of Super Bowl XVII with the 'Skins, totaling what at the time was a Super Bowl record with 166 yards and a memorable 43-yard go-ahead score to knock off Miami late, 27-17.

Riggins is the second of KU's three Pro Hall of Fame inductees to be put in the Ring of Honor, atop the North bowl of Memorial Stadium, joining Gale Sayers in that mention.

For more on this story, read tomorrow's Journal-World and log back onto KUSports.com.

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Comments

Toto_the_great (anonymous) says...

Why isn't he in there now? Why the wait? Too young to remember him at KU, but I remember him with Washington. He's stud.

August 21, 2007 at 3:39 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

KoolKeithFreeze (anonymous) says...

In a previous article on this subject it was assumed that he hadn't been included because he never graduated from the University... or something along those lines.

August 21, 2007 at 6:04 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

bmcmich1 (anonymous) says...

It seems that the person or persons responsible for deciding who gets added to the ring of honor have loosened the reigns on their guidelines, which I think is a fantastic idea because a guy like Riggins 100% belongs in the KU ring of honor.

August 21, 2007 at 6:10 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Jimmy_Dean (Alan Halvorsen) says...

I've heard many'a'stories about how much of a jerk Riggins is! From my dad, (a KU alum) and his brother who actually both lived in his home town....Senica, KS I think.

Not that being a jerk should keep him out of the ring of honor or anything...

August 21, 2007 at 6:58 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

oldalum (anonymous) says...

He's from Centralia according to the article above.

August 21, 2007 at 8:19 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

hometownhawk (anonymous) says...

"Senica", KS does not exist. And Riggins is a god. You say jerk; I say badass.

August 21, 2007 at 10:12 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

seattlehawk_78 (anonymous) says...

I don't understand the evaluation process but they apparently are not considering players in chronological order. Maybe Riggins notoriety is based primarily on his NFL career, but isn't that career a reflection of his college days. That's the equivalent of not acknowledging a KU alum who excels in his or her profession because they are no longer attending classes. Waiting 15 years after his induction into the NFL Hall of Fame seems like a glaring omission to me.

August 22, 2007 at 2:20 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Jimmy_Dean (Alan Halvorsen) says...

Senica does exist, I was born there. Nice try though.

August 22, 2007 at 9:04 p.m. ( | suggest removal )