Greatest high school football player in Connecticut history

[huskyrob1]

I know he didn't turn out to be the best pro, but the thing about Pinnock was that when he finished his career he was the all time rushing leader (I know he's been passed by) but he was probably playing only half a game. We've never had a player with his size and speed. I believe he was at least 260lbs and ran a 4.6 - 4.7ish 40. Those who could actually tackle him couldn't catch him and vice versa. If you were a 185 cornerback you just got out of his way or carried off the field. his team was scoring 50+ a game.

If you're talking only about running backs there was a player named Joe Addison at Fitch High in Groton some years back who was really really good and fun to watch.

 

[cubuff]

Scott Burrell could have been the greatest if he played his senior year... think Vince Young with a cannon. I once saw him throw a rope down field at least 40 yards. Even with a high school ball, it's the most impressive throw I've seen from anybody in my life.

Scott got a lot of flack for "quitting" football his senior year to focus on baseball and basketball but there was a lot more to that story. His senior year, Hamden went from a traditional set to the option because they lost a ton of players from the year before. I'm not sure Scott quite saw it in these terms but the option was an enormous risk to his sports career even if they returned their entire o-line. At 6'6", he would be exposed to constant hits to the knees and ankles. He was already a guaranteed MLB draft pick and heavily recruited in basketball. Why remotely consider that risk?

 

[huskyrob1]

If you're talking only about running backs there was a player named Joe Addison at Fitch High in Groton some years back who was really really good and fun to watch.

Huge apologies to Nick Giaquinto, totally forgot about him. From high school to UCONN and the NFL. I'm even more embarrassed because I still see him now and then at the barber shop. Geez, can't believe I left him out.

 

[storrsbred1]

Was Phil Tinsley from CT? He played at UConn in the early 50's (I think).

 

[huskyrob1]

Was Phil Tinsley from CT? He played at UConn in the early 50's (I think).

Tinsley was from Berlin, CT.

 

[KennyD]

Burrell was a highly touted QB, a FIRST ROUND baseball pitching draftee and, of course a hoops great who got to the NBA. I never saw him play football, but supposedly he was a terrific football player.

A guy from my era and my hs (Weaver) was a great all around hs athlete named John Lee. He was 1st team all-state in the 3 major sports, went on to play minor league football and baseball. He was as good a hs passer as you can imagine and had a great attitude. He had a football scholarship to Arizona State which for reasons which need not be discussed here and for which it would not be the slightest concern in today's world, the scholarship was pulled before he played a down and he wound up going to a small college out west. For that matter, Lee's peer at Hartford High, Eddie Griffin, was a super basketball player and very good running back, not sure if he played baseball. But recruiting was a bit different in the 1960s and a lot of good athletes did not wind up at "major" programs.

 

[KennyD]

As a former beaver and husky football player i watched Lee and Griffin throughout their carrers. They were a few years ahead of me. They wouldn't rank as the best ever although they made all-state. What sets them apart is that they were both tremendous 3 sport athletes (football, basketball, and baseball). They both went on to star at Linfield College in Oregon. They were also cousins.

 

[huskyblooz]

Arkeel has to be included now with the HS greats.

 

[cohenzone]

As a former beaver and husky football player i watched Lee and Griffin throughout their carrers. They were a few years ahead of me. They wouldn't rank as the best ever although they made all-state. What sets them apart is that they were both tremendous 3 sport athletes (football, basketball, and baseball). They both went on to star at Linfield College in Oregon. They were also cousins.

Lee went to Linfield, but I'm pretty sure Griffin went to school in VA, maybe Norfolk State. They were a year ahead of me. Where did you live? I lived on Branford St. between Cornwall and Palm.

 

[CL82]

I don't think he's the winner but Nick Gianquinto ought to get a shout out.

 

[SECONN]

I don't think he's the winner but Nick Gianquinto ought to get a shout out.

Garry Cobb, Stamford High School, USC, Detroit Lions; I believe Ken Bell, St Marys BC, Denver Broncos are a couple I did not see..if i missed them my apologies

 

[HuskDawg]

Phil Puzzuoli who played for Stamford Catholic in the late 70's was a beast and played on a great Pitt team with Marino, Hugh Green, Mark May and Russ Grimm then went on to the Browns where he played 5 years. His dad played for the Huskies.

 

[FAIRTIDES]

Good contribution. I think we get a little off track when we judge by college or the pros. I didn't see a lot of Steve Young, but when we played against them it was really a team effort on their part (and some terrible red zone play calling on ours) that allowed them to steal one. He was a heck of a QB no doubt, but not superman until later.

Very true! Steve was an option QB at Greenwich who averaged less than three passes a game. Personnel-wise, Steve's GHS teams were some of the weakest of the Ornato era.

Jay mentions Jimmy Henry (above) who played for Greenwich in the late 90's. I think he was CT Running Back of the Year in 1999. Jimmy was a really good HS back and great kid, by the way, who used football to get a scholarship and degree. However, the Lewis kid from Bloomfield was beyond good, as anyone who saw him at Iowa will attest. Unfortunately, Lewis lost votes because of who his coach was. I say that having seen damn near every game Henry played.

 

[FAIRTIDES]

Garry Cobb, Stamford High School, USC, Detroit Lions; I believe Ken Bell, St Marys BC, Denver Broncos are a couple I did not see..if i missed them my apologies

Bell played for Greenwich, as a senior, on the team I feel is the best Greenwich ever had. Bit of worthless trivia: Bell and Steve Young opposed each other in a Super Bowl.

 

[SECONN]

Bell played for Greenwich, as a senior, on the team I feel is the best Greenwich ever had. Bit of worthless trivia: Bell and Steve Young opposed each other in a Super Bowl.

Garry Cobb was not the best, but quite a career

A 1975 graduate of Stamford High School in Stamford, Connecticut, he was a standout for the Black Knights and a two-sport All-American in baseball and football. He also lettered in basketball.

College career[edit]
Cobb practiced football and baseball (two years) at the University of Southern California. He played on two Rose BowlChampionship teams and one National Championship team.

Although he played as an outside linebacker in his first three years, he was moved to defensive end as a senior and earned Honorable-Mention All-Pac-10 in 1978. He graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Sociology. After graduation, Cobb was offered contracts by the California Angels and Chicago Cubs baseball teams, but opted to play in the National Football League instead.

Professional career[edit]
Dallas Cowboys (first stint)[edit]
Cobb was selected in the ninth round (247th overall) of the 1979 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He was waived on August 21.[1]

Detroit Lions[edit]
He signed as a free agent with the Detroit Lions on October 24, 1979.[2] He played mainly on the special teams units during his first two years, until becoming a full-time starter at strongside linebacker in 1981, while recording 127 tackles (second on the team), 3 interceptions , 2.5 sacks and 2 fumble recoveries.

In 1982, he missed three games with a knee injury and finished with 26 tackles, 2 interceptions and four passes defensed. The next year he registered 109 tackles (fourth on the team), 4 interceptions (tied for second on the team), 2 fumble recoveries, 3 forced fumbles and one sack.

Cobb was a three-time defensive captain and also helped the Lions reach the playoffs in 1982 and 1983.

After holding out during the 1985 offseason, the Lions started discussing trading him to the Miami Dolphins for the rights to Anthony Carter.[3] After the deal fell through,[4] he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for the Eagles then all-time leading rusher Wilbert Montgomery, who was also in the middle of a contract dispute.[5]

Philadelphia Eagles[edit]
While with the Philadelphia Eagles, he started 39 of 44 games mostly at weakside linebacker. He was a teammate of quarterback Randall Cunningham and played in one of coach Buddy Ryan's most dominant defensive units which included Jerome Brown, Clyde Simmons, Seth Joyner and Hall of Famer Reggie White.

In 1986, he was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week. While playing against the Atlanta Falcons in week five, he registered 9 tackles, 4 sacks (team record), a pass defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in a shutout win (16-0).[6] He held the franchise single game sack record, until Clyde Simmons surpassed it with a 4.5 sack effort in 1991. He was released on August 22, 1988.[7]

Dallas Cowboys (second stint)[edit]
On August 25, 1988, he signed with the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent, because they were experiencing several injuries at the linebacker position to players that included Jeff Rohrer, Mike Hegman, Ken Norton Jr., Jesse Penn and Jeff Hurd.[8] That season he started 14 games at weakside linebacker and tied with Danny Noonan for the team lead with 7.5 sacks. After experiencing problems with his left knee and missing most of the season, he was cut on December 18, 1989.[9]

 

[HuskyPete]

I grew up in Meriden, the best football player we had back in my day was Bob Biestek, a 1979 graduate of Maloney High School where he excelled in three sports. He started his freshmen year on the varsity teams in football, basketball and baseball. Playing football, he was named the Stoddard Bowl M.V.P. and was named to the Connecticut All State Team. He graduated from Boston College in 1984. While playing football at B.C. he was named the Chevrolet Player of the Game when they played Alabama in 1983. After college, he played in the U.S.F.L. for the Denver Gold for two seasons. He was a Man Among Boys, he was the best natural athlete we had back in late 70's.

 

[Jax Husky]

George Tarasovic, from bridgeport/harding, went to LSU and played for Pittsburgh ....Got this from my dad

Tarasovic played with my grandfather at LSU. He was the qb when Tarasovic was there. Good stuff, but that is going wayyyy back.

 

[whaler11]

In my decade of officiating easily the best player I saw was Aaron Hernandez.

 

[NEforceUConn]

Did anyone mention Tony Ortiz from Waterbury. I think he played 2 years of HS football. Huge star. this comes from his Nebraska Cornhusker page:

By the time Tony Ortiz completed his first full season of varsity football as a junior at Crosby High, colleges throughout the Northeast began showing an interest in his raw talent. Once he put a little more polish to his game as a senior, coaches everywhere coveted the state’s best player.

By the time his senior season was over, he had rushed for more than 3,000 yards and 52 touchdowns in his career, but he was also a state and New England track champion in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles.

He may not be the the same league of Rico, but should be in the top 10.

 

[epark88]

Did anyone mention Tony Ortiz from Waterbury. I think he played 2 years of HS football. Huge star. this comes from his Nebraska Cornhusker page:

By the time Tony Ortiz completed his first full season of varsity football as a junior at Crosby High, colleges throughout the Northeast began showing an interest in his raw talent. Once he put a little more polish to his game as a senior, coaches everywhere coveted the state’s best player.

By the time his senior season was over, he had rushed for more than 3,000 yards and 52 touchdowns in his career, but he was also a state and New England track champion in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles.

He may not be the the same league of Rico, but should be in the top 10.

From my alma mater. One of the greats, definitely on Rico's level.

Before his arrival, to say that the Bulldogs were moribund was being kind. In his two years there, the team went 7-3 and 9-1. Kid had some monster games (his 333 yard, 4 TD rushing effort vs. Seymour was legendary). Only a 14-8 loss to Naugatuck kept them out of the '94 playoffs (they finished ranked 3rd; the playoffs expanded to four teams the next year).

The kid single-handedly revived Crosby High's football program - because of the success the school had while he was there, the city fixed up Jimmy Lee Stadium and installed lights, the parents association was formed and they started selling concessions there. Before Mr. Ortiz, Jimmy Lee was a dustbowl filled with rocks and the kids had to schlep to Municipal Stadium to play their home games.

Whether the kid was/is as good as Rico is up for debate, but you can't deny that very few CT kids were as big a 'program builder' as Tony Ortiz was for Crosby - and oh by the way, he won two NC rings to boot while at Nebraska...

 

[Danzz]

The best HS running back I've seen or played against was Don Barrows from New Britain HS. Big, strong and fast. Went to Yale and was the featured running back until he got injured and had to play a blocking back for Calvin Hill.
I played with John Lee when I was a sophomore and he was a senior. He could throw the ball 70 yards with a flick of the wrist and in 3 years playing 1B never had an error. He was also an all state basketball player and went to Linfield College with his good friend Eddie Griffin from Hartford Public.

 

[J187Money]

I played with Craig Murray in HS - he ended up a fullback at UCONN. Unbelievable athlete. Big / strong / fast. Sub 11 sec 100M guy, did everything on track / field. Was probably the best all around athlete I ever played with. Died too young at 38.

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/050708aab.html

 

[Greathusky]

Just throwing one name that I have not seen mentioned.
John Pagliaro from Derby who played for Yale.

 

[kris1]

Some on this board might be surprised with Bobby Valentine, but he was the only CT high school football player to ever make 1st team all-state 3 years in a row and Rippowam HS won the state championship 1 or 2 years when BobbyV played there.

Bobby V was the only player to make 1st team all-state 3 years in a row, until Arkeel Newsome became the second to achieve it.

 

[kris1]

I scrimmaged against Doug in high school and he was the best running back I have ever seen in Connecticut. He had excellent speed and great moves.
Coached against Rico Brogna for my old high school. He is without a doubt the best overall player I have seen in high school including Steve Young. He just had it all and would have been a star at Clemson, but played pro baseball instead.
One play I can't forget is him being chased by three players stopped and fired the ball across his body over fifty yards complete for a touchdown. Just incredible play to see in person.

I believe Clemson recruited Brogna as a place kicker.