Friesz vs. Dickenson

[CrunchGriz]

I was just browsing the web and came upon the Wikipedia page for John Friesz, the former great Idaho QB, who was a three-time Big Sky MVP, and had his number retired by Idaho after winning the Walter Payton Award his senior season.

Does any of this sound vaguely familiar? It certainly does to Montana fans. Dave Dickenson was similarly named Big Sky MVP three times, had his jersey retired by Montana, and won the Payton his senior season.

So what? Well, the interesting fact that jumped out at me while reading the Friesz Wikipedia page was this: Friesz was just elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

If Friesz, why not Dickenson? On top of the similar credentials noted above, Dave also led his senior team to the national championship, and threw more touchdown passes, had a higher career completion percentage and passing yardage, and led I-AA in total offense his senior season by a remarkable 1000+ yards over his nearest competitor.

The only thing Friesz had over Dave is that he played some in the NFL, but certainly not with great distinction. While the CFL is not the caliber of competition of the NFL, Dave has had a very distinguished career in the CFL. He was named the MOP once, led another team to the Grey Cup title, and he will almost certainly be a CFL Hall of Famer and have the highest career passer rating and completion percentage in CFL history.

If the College Football Hall of Fame is about those who performed at the highest level in college football, and John Friesz is considered one of those who did, Dave Dickenson certainly should be considered one as well.

Hey, I'll admit that I'm a Griz homer, but this one's a no-brainer.

[Tod]

Could it be that Friesz graduated in 1989 and DD not until 1995? :confused:

[Mr. C]

In my opinion, Dave Dickenson may have been the best passing QB in I-AA history.

[citdog]

In my opinion, Dave Dickenson may have been the best passing QB in I-AA history.

On that note, why is Jack Douglas not in the College Football HOF Mr. C?

[pete4256]

On that note, where's Tracy Ham?

[Mr. C]

You're preaching to the choir. I know the significance of all three of those guys, Ham, Douglas and Dickenson.

Anybody around here have any videotapes, or DVDs of these guys, particularly the Douglas years at The Citadel?

[NZNCRZY]

In my opinion, Dave Dickenson may have been the best passing QB in I-AA history.
1995, Dave Dickenson, QB, Montana

I am a bid Dave Dickenson fan, even went to Canada to watch him play a couple of time but I would have to argue that Steve McNair is the best in 1-aa history, not much better. I wish Dave had more of a chance at the NFL than he did.



-- Dickenson became the fourth Big Sky quarterback to win the Payton Award in its nine-year history, and was the second Payton winner to lead his team to a I-AA national championship. The senior threw for a nation-leading 4,176 yards and 38 touchdowns, with the former mark still ranking atop Big Sky Conference annals. The Grizzlies defeated Marshall, 22-20, to win their first-ever I-AA title. For his career, Dickenson tossed for 11,080 yards and 96 scores, and ranks second in I-AA history in career passing efficiency (166.3). The Great Falls, MT native has enjoyed a successful professional career in Canada, starring for the Calgary Stampeders and B.C. Lions of the CFL.


1994, Steve McNair, QB, Alcorn State University
-- Perhaps the most storied Payton winner to date, McNair set the college football world alight during the 1994 season. The Mt. Olive, MS native completed 356 of 612 passes for 5,377 yards and 47 touchdown passes, and led Alcorn to a SWAC title and NCAA playoff berth. McNair graduated with 14,496 career passing yards and 119 touchdowns, and his 16,823 career yards of total offense is the top all-divisions mark in NCAA history. Besides winning the Payton Award, McNair finished third in balloting for the Heisman Trophy, behind Colorado’s Rashaan Salaam and Penn State’s Ki-Jana Carter. McNair has gone onto a successful pro career with the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans, and currently serves as the Baltimore Ravens starter in his 12th season. In 11 years with Houston and Tennessee, McNair passed for 27,141 yards and 156 touchdowns, completing over 59-percent of his passes.

[Mr. C]

If you just consider their college success, you can argue that Dickenson was better. He does have a ring. There have been some great QBs that have made their marks in Canada, Warren Moon, Doug Flutie, Damon Allen, for example. Dickenson is right in that class.

Steve McNair was great. I wrote a column in 1994, saying he should win the Heisman. But Dickenson was great, too. Some other names that immediately come to my mind are Neil Lomax at Portland State (part of his career at D-II and part at I-AA, still holds some NCAA records) and Willie Totten from Mississippi Valley State (Totten to Jerry Rice is one of the all-time best I-AA pass-catch duos).

[Outsider]

In order to be considered for induction in the Collge Football Hall of Fame:

Each player nominated must have: (1) received major first-team All-America recognition; (2) played his last intercollegiate game at least 10 years previously; (3) retired from playing professional football; and (4) proven himself worthy as a citizen after his football career, carrying the ideals of football forward into his community.


Dickenson is still playing in the CFL, so he's not eligible yet.

A coach becomes eligible three years after retirement, providing he: (1) was a head coach for at least 10 years; (2) coached at least 100 games; and (3) won at least 60% of his games.

[CrunchGriz]

In order to be considered for induction in the Collge Football Hall of Fame:

Each player nominated must have: (1) received major first-team All-America recognition; (2) played his last intercollegiate game at least 10 years previously; (3) retired from playing professional football; and (4) proven himself worthy as a citizen after his football career, carrying the ideals of football forward into his community.


Dickenson is still playing in the CFL, so he's not eligible yet.

A coach becomes eligible three years after retirement, providing he: (1) was a head coach for at least 10 years; (2) coached at least 100 games; and (3) won at least 60% of his games.

Good info. With these requirements in mind, I expect DD to be inducted the year after he finishes rewriting the CFL record books.

Then I hope to see him prowling the sidelines in Wash-Griz on fall weekends for a few years.

He's probably too smart a guy to put up with spoiled Griz fans or the relatively small FCS coaching paychecks, but hey, a guy can hope, right?

[89Hen]

Played golf with John Friesz a couple of times. Called him 'tasty' Friesz which I figured he must have gotten a lot of, but the other players with us laughed their arses off because they hadn't heard it. Don't know if it ever stuck.