Doug Dennison
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Position: | Kutztown | ||||||||||
Undrafted: | 1974 | ||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||
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Player stats at NFL.com · PFR |
William Douglas Dennison (born December 18, 1951) is an American former
Early years
Dennison attended
He accepted a
As a junior in 1972, he began playing football as a two-way starter at
In 1978, he was inducted into the Kutztown Athletic Hall of Fame.
Professional career
Dallas Cowboys
Dennison was signed as an
In 1975, when Calvin Hill left to join the WFL, he was used in combination with Preston Pearson and Charley Young. He started his first three games, finishing the season with 383 rushing yards (third on the team) and 7 rushing touchdowns (led the team).
Head coach Tom Landry once said: "Doug Dennison is the best guy I know to give a football to on the goal line or short yardage," "if you want to make it, you give it to Doug. Dennison is going to give you everything he's got." and "Doug Dennison is a warrior,", "If you had to go to war, you'd want to go with Doug Dennison".[3]
In 1976, he was named the starter after Pearson missed most of the season with an injury, leading the team in rushing (542 yards) and also scoring 6 touchdowns. He started 10 out of 14 games, alternating later at running back when Pearson returned.
In
On August 21, 1979, he was waived to make room for Ron Springs. He finished his Cowboys career with 19 touchdowns on 309 carries and 1,112 rushing yards.[5]
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns signed him on October 13, 1979, to replace Greg Pruitt, who was lost for the season with an injured knee.[6] At the end of his one-year contract, the Browns didn't re-sign him after drafting Charles White.[7]
Toronto Argonauts (CFL)
On March 21, 1980, he signed with the Toronto Argonauts.[8] After injuring his left knee on the first day of camp, he announced his retirement.[9][10] He later changed his mind and rejoined the team in August, but was waived on September 11, 1980.[11]
Chicago Blitz (USFL)
After being out of football for three years, head coach George Allen signed him to the Chicago Blitz in 1983, to provide depth behind Tim Spencer.[12] He finished the season with 134 rushing yards on 42 carries and 15 receptions for 166 yards and one touchdown.
Arizona Wranglers (USFL)
In 1984, the Chicago Blitz and the Arizona Wranglers engineered a swap of assets in which Allen, the Blitz coaching staff and most of the Blitz players moved to Phoenix, while most of the Wranglers roster moved to Chicago, with the exception of Alan Risher, who stayed in Arizona to back up Greg Landry. The agreement allowed the team to move, while keeping a strong roster. Dennison remained a backup before retiring at the end of the season.[13]
References
- ^ "Kutztown State Has Iron Men; Staff Pleased With Attitude". Reading Eagle. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ "Kutztown Gets 12 Grid Spots". Reading Eagle. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ "Need Short Yardage ?, Call Doug Dennison". Reading Eagle. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ "Cowboys Activate Larry Brinson". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ "Dallas Waives Doug Dennison". Reading Eagle. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ "Cellar-dwelling Seahawks on road". Ellensburg Daily Record. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ "NFL free agents unlikely to be nomads". Lakeland Ledger. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ "Dennison an Argonaut". Reading Eagle. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ "Argos' Metcalf sidelined for first exhibition game". The Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ "Transactions". Ellensburg Daily Record. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ "Transactions". Star-News. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ "Doug Dennison takes another shot at pros". Reading Eagle. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ "Transactions". Ellensburg Daily Record. Retrieved 6 January 2018.