OCR Text |
Show SUSC Honors Leonard Walterscheid f 'l' - Leonard Walterscheid, a member of four "specialty teams" for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League, will be honored Saturday night at Southern Utah State College. As part of the ceremony honoring the four-year letterman, Walterscheid's number, 27 while playing for the Thuhderbirds, will be retired. ; Orville D. Carnahan, SUSC president, will award jersey number 27 to Walterscheid at halftime of theSUSC-Fort Lewis College basketball game. A plaque will also be presented to the two-year NFL veteran. Walterscheid played four seasons at SUSC; he graduated after the 1976-77 school year. As a senior, the 6-0, 185 pound Walterscheid received honrable mention status on the NAIA defensive All-American Team. After his junior year, the Moab (Grand County High School) native was given the rare honor of being selected to both the honorable mention NAIA ail-American offensive ., and defensive teams. "Because of one thing or another, we had to use Leonard where the need was greatest that year," former SUSC Head football coach Tom Kingsford explained. "His honors that year and his current solid status with the Chicago Bears indicate that he obviously responds well wherever he plays." Unusual versatility has led to Walterscheid's numerous honors on both offense and defense. He played his freshman fresh-man and sophomore years as a defensive back. As a junior, he was moved to split end receiver and return specialist. He played the first half of his senior year as a receiver and the last half as a defensive back while keeping his kickoff and punt return duties. Walterscheid led the NFL in yards gained per kickoff return until midway through the 1978 season when nagging injuries hampered his ability. For the Bears, Walterscheid plays on the kickoff team, the kickoff return team, the punt team, and the punt return team. He also sees action as a defensive back in obvious pass situations. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference record book is still sprinkled with Walterscheid marks. Probably the most significant is his 1976 kickoff return average record, 29.1 yards per return. Only one other football jersey number has been 'retired by Southern Utah State College. That number (50) was worn by the late Ron Mayne, a defensive lineman. He played from 1962 through 1965 when the Thunderbirds were moving from a two-year program to a full four-year athletic program. "We think this is most appropriate to honor Leonard," Kingsford says. "He meant a great deal to our program for four years as a player, now he is bringing well deserved recognition to himself and to his school, SUSC." Walterscheid and his wife, the former Corrine Ulevog, live in Cedar City during the off season. Leonard has assisted SUSC in its recruiting and football programs. ' LEONARD WALTERSCHEID & 1 |