Indiana Football Legend Antwaan Randle El Named Senior Bowl 75th Anniversary Team Finalist
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Antwaan Randle El is one of the greatest players in the history of Indiana football.
On Tuesday, Randle El's greatness was further recognized by the college football world when he was announced as a Senior Bowl 75th Anniversary Team Finalist.
Each and every year, the Senior Bowl recognizes college football players at all levels of the sport who have just completed their final year of college eligibility. It's a chance for those with aspirations of pursuing an NFL career to show out and prove themselves in front of a national audience and a myriad of NFL decision makers.
Randle El, of course, took that opportunity in stride. After playing four spectacular seasons in Bloomington from 1998-2001, the Indiana quarterback turned wide receiver was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft with the 62nd overall pick.
Randle El played for both Pittsburgh and Washington from 2002-2010, and accumulated 4,467 receiving yards and 15 receiving touchdowns in his nine-year NFL career.
However, by far his most famous play was a call back to his time as quarterback at IU. Late in Super Bowl XL, with the Steelers leading the Seattle Seahawks 14-10, Pittsburgh and coach Bill Cowher turned to Randle El on a gadget play. What resulted was a picture perfect 43-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward, essentially clinching the Steelers' fifth Super Bowl victory.
Speaking of his time as a quarterback, Randle El was pretty good at that too.
Under coach Cam Cameron, Randle El won the starting quarterback as a mere freshman in 1998, and never looked back. Though his passing numbers from the 1998 season were bleak — just 1,745 yards and a 6:11 touchdown-to-interception ratio — Randle El still shined in the Indiana offense due to his elite dual-threat ability.
He ran for 873 yards and a ludicrous 10 touchdowns in his debut season of college football. In total, Randle El would finish his time at Indiana with 3,895 career rushing yards and 44 rushing touchdowns. Despite playing the quarterback position for all four of his seasons with the Hoosiers, Randle El is second all-time in Indiana football history in both career rushing touchdowns and rushing yards. He only trails legendary IU running back Anthony Thompson in both categories, whose 64 career rushing touchdowns are the ninth-most in college football history.
But as a passer, Randle El gradually progressed throughout his career in Bloomington, and finished his tenure with 7,469 yards and 42 touchdowns through the air. Randle El left Indiana as the school's all-time leader passer, but has since been surpassed by Nate Sudfeld.
As a senior in 2001, Randle El was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and finished sixth in Heisman voting.
Whenever someone wants to discuss who is the all-time greatest player in Indiana football history, his name has to be brought up. Few players have been more dynamic and exciting to watch than the former Hoosier quarterback.
To help Randle El make the Senior Bowl 75th Anniversary Team, Indiana football fans can vote at this link, CLICK HERE.
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