Jerry Tagge

Last updated

Jerry Tagge
No. 8, 14, 17
Born: (1950-04-12) April 12, 1950 (age 74)
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Career information
CFL status American
Position(s) QB
Height6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight215 lb (98 kg)
College Nebraska
High school Green Bay West (Green Bay, Wisconsin)
NFL draft 1972, Round: 1, Pick: 11
Drafted by Green Bay Packers
Career history
As player
1972–1974 Green Bay Packers
1975 San Antonio Wings
1977–1979 BC Lions
Career highlights and awards
CFL All-Star 1977
CFL West All-Star 1977
Career stats
Cmp–Att136–281
Passing Yards1,583
Touchdowns 3
Interceptions 17

Jerry Lee Tagge (born April 12, 1950) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL), World Football League (WFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, leading them to consecutive national championships in 1970 and 1971. Tagge played professionally with the Green Bay Packers of the NFL from 1972 to 1974, the San Antonio Wings of the WFL in 1975, and the BC Lions of the CFL from 1977 to 1979.

Contents

Early life

Tagge was born at Offutt Air Force Base south of Omaha, Nebraska, the third child and second son of William Robert (Billy) Tagge and Lois Jurczyk Tagge.

As a teenager in the mid-1960s in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Tagge sold concessions at Lambeau Field, the home of the Green Bay Packers, then coached by Vince Lombardi. He graduated from Green Bay West High School in 1968. [1]

College career

Tagge played college football at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln under head coach Bob Devaney. In his sophomore year in 1969, Tagge rose to second-string quarterback for the Cornhuskers. His playing time increased until midway through his junior year when he took over the starting position from Van Brownson, leading the team to a 10–0–1 season and a matchup with LSU in the 1971 Orange Bowl. Tagge scored the game-winning touchdown in a 17–12 victory over the Tigers on a quarterback sneak, earning himself Most Valuable Player honors, and the Huskers the AP national championship for 1970. Both #1 Texas and #2 Ohio State lost their bowl games on New Year's Day. (Through the 1973 season, the final UPI coaches' poll was released in December, before the bowls.)

In his senior season in 1971, Tagge quarterbacked the Huskers for the entire season, including the "Game of the Century" against the undefeated Oklahoma Sooners in Norman, a 35–31 victory on Thanksgiving Day. Nebraska crushed undefeated Alabama, 38–6, in the 1972 Orange Bowl, earning Tagge MVP honors for the second time. The Huskers finished 13–0 in 1971 and were a consensus choice, earning consecutive national titles. Nebraska had defeated the next three teams in the final AP poll: Oklahoma, Colorado (31–7 in Lincoln), and Alabama. Tagge then played in the Hula Bowl in Honolulu, leading the North to a 24–7 win over the South.

Tagge was the first of three Nebraska Cornhuskers selected in the first round of the 1972 NFL Draft, along with running back Jeff Kinney and defensive tackle Larry Jacobson. The eleventh overall pick, Tagge was the first quarterback selected.

Professional career

Tagge's performance earned the notice of Dan Devine, head coach of the Green Bay Packers. Devine was formerly the head coach at Missouri in the Big Eight Conference, through the 1970 season. On his recommendation, the Packers selected Tagge in the first round of the 1972 NFL Draft (11th overall). Tagge did not enjoy the success in his hometown that he had at Nebraska, completing only three touchdown passes in 17 games played during three seasons from 1972 to 1974. Following the 1974 season, Devine left the Packers for Notre Dame. The Packers' new head coach was Bart Starr, who released Tagge during the 1975 preseason, in early September. [2] [3]

Tagge signed with the San Antonio Wings of the short-lived World Football League. He started in the Wings' final game on October 19, 1975 and was intercepted five times; he ran for two touchdowns and threw for another. [4] The Wings folded three days later with the rest of the WFL on October 22. [5]

Tagge then moved north to Canada to the CFL, joining the BC Lions in 1977. He finally saw plenty of playing time as a starter, and was awarded the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy in his first season. He played three seasons with BC, until a knee injury ended his career in 1979.

Post-football career and life

In 1981, Tagge moved to St. Louis, where he sold apartment buildings. He also met his future wife, Betty, whom he married the following year. He returned to Nebraska in 1986, initially selling life insurance, then founded Tagge-Rutherford Financial Services in Omaha, for which he serves as executive vice president.

Career highlights

As the Nebraska Cornhuskers' quarterback, he led his team to national titles in 1970 and 1971, was named Orange Bowl Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1971 and 1972 and shared honors as Hula Bowl MVP with Walt Patulski of Notre Dame, the first selection in the 1972 Draft. Additionally, Tagge was an All-American in 1971 and is a member of the University of Nebraska Hall of Fame.

At Nebraska, Tagge threw for 5,071 yards, completing 377 of 637 passes (59.2%), 32 for touchdowns. He was a first-round draft choice, 11th overall, of the Green Bay Packers in 1972.

In three years with the Packers, Tagge played 17 games completing 136 of 281 passes for 1583 yards,3 TDs, and 17 interceptions. In 1975, he played briefly for the Wings in the WFL, where completed 18 of 34 passes for 265 yards, 1 TD, and 5 interceptions.

In 1977, he moved north to Canada, where he was named a CFL all-star and winner of the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy and runner-up for the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award. In 1977, he completed 232 of 405 passes for 2787 yards, and in 1978, he hit 243 of 430 passes for 3134 yards. He played part of the 1979 season before injuries forced him to retire.

As a professional quarterback, Tagge had 718 completions in 1,304 attempts for 9,277 yards and 38 TDs.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ahman Green</span> American gridiron football player (born 1977)

Ahman Rashad Green is an American former football running back who played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, earning second-team All-American honors in 1997. Green was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 1998 NFL draft, playing there for two seasons before being traded to the Green Bay Packers, with whom he played for eight of the next ten seasons. Green also played for the Houston Texans, and was a four-time Pro Bowl selection with the Packers, where he holds the franchise record for rushing yards. He was the head esports coach at Lakeland University until the end of 2022.

Eric Eugene Crouch is an American former college football player who was a quarterback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He won the Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Award, and Davey O'Brien Award in 2001. Running Nebraska's option offense that year, he completed 105 of 189 passes for 1,510 yards and seven touchdowns, while also rushing for 1,115 yards and 18 touchdowns. He had brief stints playing professionally in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and United Football League (UFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vince Ferragamo</span> American gridiron football player (born 1954)

Vince Anthony Ferragamo is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears and Nebraska Cornhuskers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willie Wood</span> American football player (1936–2020)

William Vernell Wood Sr. was an American professional football player and coach. He played as a safety with the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League (NFL). Wood was an eight-time Pro Bowler and a nine-time All-Pro. In 1989, Wood was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Clements</span> American gridiron football player and coach (born 1953)

Thomas Albert Clements is an American football coach and a former Canadian Football League (CFL) quarterback who is the quarterbacks coach for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He also served as an assistant coach for the Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints and the University of Notre Dame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team</span> American college football season

The 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and was the national champion of the 1995 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Tom Osborne and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Cornhuskers scored 638 points while only allowing 174. Their average margin of victory was 38.7 points, and their lowest margin of victory, against Washington State, was 14 points. The Cornhuskers successfully defended their 1994 national championship by defeating 2nd ranked Florida 62–24 in the Fiesta Bowl, at the time the second largest margin of victory ever between a No. 1 and No. 2 school. The team is widely regarded as the greatest college football team of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zac Taylor</span> American football coach (born 1983)

Zachary William Taylor is an American football coach who is the head coach for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). Beginning his NFL career as an offensive assistant, Taylor was the quarterbacks coach for the Los Angeles Rams when they appeared in Super Bowl LIII. Taylor was named Cincinnati's head coach the following season in 2019, where he went 6–25–1 in his first two years. In 2021, Taylor led the Bengals to their first playoff win since 1990, ending the longest active drought in the four major North American sports, en route to an appearance in Super Bowl LVI. Taylor followed this up with 12 wins and a trip to the AFC Championship Game in 2022. During his time with the Bengals, Taylor has won five postseason games, matching the franchise win total prior to his hiring as head coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommie Frazier</span> American gridiron football player and coach (born 1974)

Tommie James Frazier Jr. is an American former college football player who was a quarterback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He earned consensus All-American honors in 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Mira</span> American gridiron football player (born 1942)

George Ignacio Mira is an American former football quarterback who played in eight National Football League (NFL) seasons for four teams. He then played five seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the World Football League (WFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Frost</span> American football player and coach (born 1975)

Scott Andrew Frost is a former American football coach and player. He was the head football coach at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln from 2018 to 2022. Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, Frost played college football as a quarterback for the Stanford Cardinal and the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the latter of which he led to a shared national championship in 1997. He played six years in the NFL, mostly on special teams.

Jeffrey Bruce Kinney is a former American football player. He played professional as a running back for the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills for five seasons in the National Football League (NFL). At 6'2" and 215 lb., Kinney was selected by the Chiefs in the first round of the 1972 NFL Draft with the 23rd overall pick. He is an alumnus of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Calvin D'Wayne Jones is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders and the Green Bay Packers. In his only season with the Packers, they won Super Bowl XXXI against the New England Patriots.

The 1971 Nebraska vs. Oklahoma football game was the 51st edition of the rivalry, one of several labeled as a "Game of the Century." The Big Eight Conference matchup was held on Thursday, November 25, 1971, in Norman, Oklahoma.

The 1972 Orange Bowl was the 38th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, on Saturday, January 1. The final game of the 1971–72 bowl season, it matched the top-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers of the Big Eight Conference and the #2 Alabama Crimson Tide of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). This was a rematch of the 1966 Orange Bowl, where Alabama defeated Nebraska to win the national championship. Both teams were undefeated; Nebraska, the defending national champion, built a large lead in the first half and won 38–6.

The 1971 Orange Bowl was the 37th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, on Friday, January 1. Part of the 1970–71 bowl season, it matched the third-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers, champions of the Big Eight Conference, and the #5 LSU Tigers, champions of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

The 1969 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska in the 1969 NCAA University Division football season. The team was led by eighth-year head coach Bob Devaney and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. In his first year as offensive coordinator, Tom Osborne instituted the I formation.

The 1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska in the Big Eight Conference during the 1971 NCAA University Division football season. The Cornhuskers were led by tenth-year head coach Bob Devaney and played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.

The 1970 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 1970 NCAA University Division football season. The team was coached by Bob Devaney and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. The Huskers went 11–0–1 to win the first of two consecutive national championships.

Steve Taylor is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Taylor had signed a four-year contract with the Edmonton Eskimos just one month after finishing his senior season of college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The dual-threat quarterback was selected in the 12th round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts in April, but Taylor was already committed to playing in the CFL.

The 1969 Sun Bowl was the 36th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, on Saturday, December 20. It featured the Georgia Bulldogs of the Southeastern Conference and the fourteenth-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers of the Big Eight Conference.

References

  1. ↑ Hendricks, Martin (October 7, 2009). "Years later, Tagge is finally at peace". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Retrieved November 10, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Tagge cut by Packers". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. September 5, 1975. p. 17.
  3. ↑ Hofmann, Dale (September 6, 1975). "Packers cut Tagge, but he won't give up". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 1, part 2.
  4. ↑ "Steamer, 41-31". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. October 20, 1975. p. 6C.
  5. ↑ "WFL finally drowns in its own red ink". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. October 23, 1975. p. 6C.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.