Anderson leaps over the line to block a kick against Air Force in 1967.
Photo by: CUBuffs.com
Four Buff Alumni Mentioned For Respective Hall of Fames
October 18, 2024 | Football, General, Alumni C Club
Anderson, Dowler, Hall and Solder Recognized
BOULDER — Four University of Colorado Buffaloes recently have been honored, two into the state's High School Hall of Fame and two others advancing in consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Dick Anderson and Boyd Dowler have been selected as two of 60 seniors to advance to the next stage in the voting process for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Seniors category. To be considered, each former player last could have appeared in a professional football game in the 1999 season.
Each member of the Seniors Screening Committee, a new entity created this year to add additional input around the overall selection process, cast a ballot for 50 individuals from a list of 182 nominees consisting of 100 offensive players, 77 defensive players and five special teamers. The separate nine-person Seniors Blue-Ribbon Committee will make additional reductions in increments over the next several weeks. In late fall, this committee will select three seniors as finalists for possible induction.
Anderson was a key player on defense (safety) on CU's 1967 Bluebonnet Bowl champion team, when he was a consensus first-team All-American as a senior (Associated Press, NEA). A first-team All-Big Eight performer as a senior as well, when he was first in the Big Eight and sixth in the nation with a still school record seven interceptions. One of 10 Buffaloes in the College Football Hall of Fame, as he was the third to be elected when chosen in 1993. A member of the Big Eight Hall of Fame (inducted 1978), the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (inducted 1980) and CU's All-Century team that was selected in 1989, he was inducted into CU's Athletic Hall of Fame in the school's fourth class in 2002. When he ended his CU career, he was the school's all-time leader in interceptions (14), tackles (266, 123 solo) and second in pass deflections (13).
A third-round draft pick of the Miami Dolphins in 1968 AFL-NFL draft (73rd overall), Anderson played for Dolphins from 1968-77 (121 career games). He won two Super Bowl rings with the Dolphins (1972-73), as he was a member of the only undefeated Super Bowl champion team in history (17-0). He made 34 interceptions in his 10-year career, returning three for touchdowns. An All-Pro performer, he played in Pro Bowl three times (1972-73-74), and at one was a regular participant for years on the Celebrity Golf Tour.
Dowler lettered three seasons in the single-wing formation under coach Dal Ward from 1956 through 1958, and was a member of CU's '57 Orange Bowl champion team. Most versatile playing quarterback and receiver on offense, he caught 41 passes for 628 yards and six touchdowns, passed for 727 and six scores, and rushed for 76 and three more TDs.
Green Bay selected him in the third round (25th player overall) in the '59 NFL Draft, and he would proceed to play 11 seasons with the Packers and a 12th with the Washington Redskins before retiring after the '71 season; mainly a receiver, he played defensive and also punted. He made 474 career receptions for 7,270 yards with 40 touchdowns. He was a member of the first two Super Bowl champion teams won by Green Bay, over Kansas City in '67 and Oakland in '68.
On Sept. 25, it was announced that David Hall and Nate Solder would be CU's latest inductees into the Colorado High School Activities Association's (CHSAA) Hall of Fame in its 35th class; 222 have been inducted previously beginning in 1989. The class will be inducted Feb. 25 in Douglas County.
Hall, who prepped at Denver South High School, lettered four years under the late Irv Brown as a pitcher for the Buffs' baseball team. A spot starter and key reliever, he had a 10-4 record with seven saves in his career, with a sparkling 2.90 earned run average. In 133.2 innings, he struck out 127 batters. He led the team as a sophomore with a 1.82 ERA, with his most action during his senior year in 1976, when he started seven games, finishing with a 6-2 mark and 2.70 ERA, striking out 78 in 70 innings.
Hall would become one of the nation's most respected basketball referees, having officiated numerous high school and collegiate games. The latter includes more than 45 NCAA Division I conference tournament championship games, 33 NCAA Division I Tournaments, two NCAA Final Fours and the 2000 NCAA National Championship game. In addition to his collegiate experience, he's conducted over 100 camps in four western states and trained over 7,000 officials.
Solder, a 2006 graduate of Buena Vista High School, as a senior in 2010 was the first offensive tackle at Colorado to earn All-America honors since Stan Brock in 1979, and was the first-ever to garner consensus All-America honors at the position for the Buffaloes. He was one of three finalists for the Outland Trophy that season, with his year starting off being named to the prestigious Playboy Preseason All-America team. He was a unanimous first-team All-Big 12 Conference performer in his junior and senior seasons, the league coaches selected him as the league's Offensive Lineman of the Year for the latter, when he was named the Male College Athlete of the Year by the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. He was also one of 16 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athletes for 2010 and a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy (considered the "Academic" Heisman). A four-time Academic All-Big 12 team member and two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree, he played 2,540 out of a possible 2,542 plays on offense his sophomore through senior seasons. A Colorado Chapter/NFF Scholar-Athlete as a senior in 2005 at Buena Vista, he was selected on the organization's Silver Anniversary Team in 2017.
He was selected in the first round by the New England Patriots in the 2011 draft (the 17th overall pick), and won Super Bowl rings with the Patriots in 2014 and 2016. After seven years with New England, he finished his career with four seasons with the New York Giants.
Hall and Solder join 18 CU alumni, staff and/or coaches previously inducted into CHSAA's Hall of Fame: Gil Cruter (Denver; inaugural inductee 1989); Dave Logan (Wheat Ridge; 1992); Joe Romig (Lakewood; 1993); Bill Fanning (Grand Junction; 1994); Barry Helton (Simla; 1996); Byron White (Wellington; 1998); Irv Brown (Broomfield; 2003); Hale Irwin (Boulder; 2005); Carol Callan (Fairview/USA Basketball; 2006); Larry Brunson (Montezuma-Cortez; 2007); Bobby Anderson (Boulder; 2011); Chauncey Billups (George Washington; 2012); Duane Lewis (Burlington; 2012); Chuck Williams (Denver East; 2015); Jeff Campbell (Battle Mountain; 2016); Bobbi Brown (Boulder; 2017); Terri Ward (Niwot; 2018); and Scott Yates (Kent Denver; 2019)
Dick Anderson and Boyd Dowler have been selected as two of 60 seniors to advance to the next stage in the voting process for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Seniors category. To be considered, each former player last could have appeared in a professional football game in the 1999 season.
Each member of the Seniors Screening Committee, a new entity created this year to add additional input around the overall selection process, cast a ballot for 50 individuals from a list of 182 nominees consisting of 100 offensive players, 77 defensive players and five special teamers. The separate nine-person Seniors Blue-Ribbon Committee will make additional reductions in increments over the next several weeks. In late fall, this committee will select three seniors as finalists for possible induction.
Anderson was a key player on defense (safety) on CU's 1967 Bluebonnet Bowl champion team, when he was a consensus first-team All-American as a senior (Associated Press, NEA). A first-team All-Big Eight performer as a senior as well, when he was first in the Big Eight and sixth in the nation with a still school record seven interceptions. One of 10 Buffaloes in the College Football Hall of Fame, as he was the third to be elected when chosen in 1993. A member of the Big Eight Hall of Fame (inducted 1978), the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (inducted 1980) and CU's All-Century team that was selected in 1989, he was inducted into CU's Athletic Hall of Fame in the school's fourth class in 2002. When he ended his CU career, he was the school's all-time leader in interceptions (14), tackles (266, 123 solo) and second in pass deflections (13).
A third-round draft pick of the Miami Dolphins in 1968 AFL-NFL draft (73rd overall), Anderson played for Dolphins from 1968-77 (121 career games). He won two Super Bowl rings with the Dolphins (1972-73), as he was a member of the only undefeated Super Bowl champion team in history (17-0). He made 34 interceptions in his 10-year career, returning three for touchdowns. An All-Pro performer, he played in Pro Bowl three times (1972-73-74), and at one was a regular participant for years on the Celebrity Golf Tour.
Dowler lettered three seasons in the single-wing formation under coach Dal Ward from 1956 through 1958, and was a member of CU's '57 Orange Bowl champion team. Most versatile playing quarterback and receiver on offense, he caught 41 passes for 628 yards and six touchdowns, passed for 727 and six scores, and rushed for 76 and three more TDs.
Green Bay selected him in the third round (25th player overall) in the '59 NFL Draft, and he would proceed to play 11 seasons with the Packers and a 12th with the Washington Redskins before retiring after the '71 season; mainly a receiver, he played defensive and also punted. He made 474 career receptions for 7,270 yards with 40 touchdowns. He was a member of the first two Super Bowl champion teams won by Green Bay, over Kansas City in '67 and Oakland in '68.
On Sept. 25, it was announced that David Hall and Nate Solder would be CU's latest inductees into the Colorado High School Activities Association's (CHSAA) Hall of Fame in its 35th class; 222 have been inducted previously beginning in 1989. The class will be inducted Feb. 25 in Douglas County.
Hall, who prepped at Denver South High School, lettered four years under the late Irv Brown as a pitcher for the Buffs' baseball team. A spot starter and key reliever, he had a 10-4 record with seven saves in his career, with a sparkling 2.90 earned run average. In 133.2 innings, he struck out 127 batters. He led the team as a sophomore with a 1.82 ERA, with his most action during his senior year in 1976, when he started seven games, finishing with a 6-2 mark and 2.70 ERA, striking out 78 in 70 innings.
Hall would become one of the nation's most respected basketball referees, having officiated numerous high school and collegiate games. The latter includes more than 45 NCAA Division I conference tournament championship games, 33 NCAA Division I Tournaments, two NCAA Final Fours and the 2000 NCAA National Championship game. In addition to his collegiate experience, he's conducted over 100 camps in four western states and trained over 7,000 officials.
Solder, a 2006 graduate of Buena Vista High School, as a senior in 2010 was the first offensive tackle at Colorado to earn All-America honors since Stan Brock in 1979, and was the first-ever to garner consensus All-America honors at the position for the Buffaloes. He was one of three finalists for the Outland Trophy that season, with his year starting off being named to the prestigious Playboy Preseason All-America team. He was a unanimous first-team All-Big 12 Conference performer in his junior and senior seasons, the league coaches selected him as the league's Offensive Lineman of the Year for the latter, when he was named the Male College Athlete of the Year by the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. He was also one of 16 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athletes for 2010 and a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy (considered the "Academic" Heisman). A four-time Academic All-Big 12 team member and two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree, he played 2,540 out of a possible 2,542 plays on offense his sophomore through senior seasons. A Colorado Chapter/NFF Scholar-Athlete as a senior in 2005 at Buena Vista, he was selected on the organization's Silver Anniversary Team in 2017.
He was selected in the first round by the New England Patriots in the 2011 draft (the 17th overall pick), and won Super Bowl rings with the Patriots in 2014 and 2016. After seven years with New England, he finished his career with four seasons with the New York Giants.
Hall and Solder join 18 CU alumni, staff and/or coaches previously inducted into CHSAA's Hall of Fame: Gil Cruter (Denver; inaugural inductee 1989); Dave Logan (Wheat Ridge; 1992); Joe Romig (Lakewood; 1993); Bill Fanning (Grand Junction; 1994); Barry Helton (Simla; 1996); Byron White (Wellington; 1998); Irv Brown (Broomfield; 2003); Hale Irwin (Boulder; 2005); Carol Callan (Fairview/USA Basketball; 2006); Larry Brunson (Montezuma-Cortez; 2007); Bobby Anderson (Boulder; 2011); Chauncey Billups (George Washington; 2012); Duane Lewis (Burlington; 2012); Chuck Williams (Denver East; 2015); Jeff Campbell (Battle Mountain; 2016); Bobbi Brown (Boulder; 2017); Terri Ward (Niwot; 2018); and Scott Yates (Kent Denver; 2019)
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