Football's Top-10 Best Two-Way Players
11/1/2020 9:55:00 PM | Football
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Four modern era players- Marcellus Wiley, Des Werthman, Austin Knowlin, and Johnathan Reese- make the list!
NEW YORK—This is the 15th feature in a #CUFootball150 series on Top-10 Historical Lists for Columbia Football. Below is a list of Columbia Football's all-time best Two-Way Players. Criteria for these top two-way players including high-level achievement on offense, defense, and special teams. There are many players, especially in the early days of football, who stood out on offense, defense, and special teams, but these Columbia Lions took it to the highest level.
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12. Johnathan Reese (1998-2001)
A running back, Reese was a threat to score every time he touched the ball. Over his four-year career, Reese scored 37 touchdowns including 30 rushing TDs, six receiving TDs, and one on a 92-yard kickoff return. In all, he set 42 career school-records and 31 rushing records, including those for all-purpose yardage (5,360) and rushing yards (3,321). He concluded his career with six plays of over 50 yards and he is the only player in school history with a rushing play, reception, and kickoff return of 70 yards or more.
11. Paul Kaliades (1970-72)
Kaliades earned national acclaim as a hard-hitting middle linebacker on Columbia's 1971 team, but he also handled placekicking duties as one of Columbia's last straight-ahead kickers. Tackles were not an official statistic in the early 1970s, but if they were, Kaliades would have been ranked among school leaders. As a kicker, he is ranked among virtually all school placekicking records as he converted seven field goals, 47 of 52 career extra points, and scored 68 points on placekicking alone. His key field goal was a 34-yarder in the final minute against Dartmouth that gave the Lions a 31-29 upset win over the Big Green.
10. Austin Knowlin (2006-09)
Knowlin was also a threat to score every time he touched the ball as a receiver or on a return. Knowlin is Columbia's all-time career receiving leader with 2,484 yards, 210 receptions, and 24 touchdowns. He was equally as dangerous in the return game as Knowlin is one of only three players in school history to score on two punt returns as he accumulated 366 career punt return yards and totaled 1,311 kickoff return yards. He concluded his career with 4,356 all-purpose yards.
9. Des Werthman (1990-92)
The NCAA recordholder in tackles per game (14.97), Werthman made 449 tackles in 30 career games at Columbia. Over this three-year career, Werthman also rushed for 10 touchdowns, including a pair of three-touchdown games, and he also kicked field goals and extra points.
8. Richard Carr (1952-53)
Nicknamed the "Iron Man," Carr never came off the field in three years for Columbia. As a quarterback, Carr threw for 1,746 career yards and 15 touchdowns and set a school-record for most yards per completion (17.1). He also played several other positions on offense including halfback and end. In 1953 alone, Carr threw for 1,367 yards and 13 touchdowns. On defense, was a terror as he intercepted eight passes, including a three-interception game vs. Harvard in 1953.
7. Cliff Montgomery (1931-33)
The quarterback and captain of the 1933 Rose Bowl-winning team, Montgomery led the Lions to a 25-3-1 overall record during his career. He scored 177 points during his three-year career, a mark that still ranks No. 5 among school scoring leaders. Montgomery was also one of the program's best punters and also played on defense.
6. Paul Governali (1940-42)
The 1942 Maxwell Award winner as college football's player of the year and runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, Governali was regarded as the greatest passer of his time, but he also made an impact on defense and special teams. He is ranked among Columbia's all-time best punters with a 38.58 career average (155 punts). On offense, he completed 175 passes for 2,513 yards and 25 touchdowns. In the return game, Governali totaled 514 punt return yards.
5. Eugene Rossides (1945-48)
As one of the "Goal Dust" Twins, quarterback Rossides is ranked among all kinds of statistical categories. In his four-year career, Rossides totaled 2,863 all-purpose yards, 3,737 total offensive yards, and was responsible for 49 total touchdowns. On offense, he was one of the best rushing quarterbacks in school history as he ran for 1,110 yards and 17 touchdowns, threw for 2,632 yards and 29 touchdowns, and also caught passes. Rossides was also especially dangerous on punt returns where he totaled four returns of 50 yards or more and owns the school-record for most punt return yards (713). He also added 809 kickoff return yards, and on defense, intercepted nine passes.
4. Sid Luckman (1936-38)
Luckman was Columbia's do-everything player for three years from 1936-38. He played quarterback, defensive back, punted, kicked all the field goals and extra points, and ran back kicks and punts. As a passer, he threw for 2,413 yards and 20 touchdowns, as a runner he ran for nine career touchdowns and two 100-yard rushing games, and on defense, he played safety. He was also a superb punter who averaged nearly 40 yards per punt. Luckman went on to a 12-year NFL career and is the only Columbia player inducted into the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
3. Marcellus Wiley (1993-96)
In an era of specialty players, Wiley stood out as an outstanding performer in all three phases of the game: offense, defense, and special teams. Wiley came to Columbia as a running back, but over time transformed himself into a defensive lineman and eventually became one of the best and dominating two-way players in modern Ivy League history. Following his career at Columbia, Wiley went on to a 10-year NFL career on defense. As a running back, Wiley rushed for 736 yards and scored 18 touchdowns. As a defensive lineman, he made 97 career tackles, 26 for loss, 12.0 sacks, broke up 13 passes and recovered six fumbles. On special teams, he blocked four field goals, including three in 1996 while leading Columbia to an 8-2 record and second-place finish in the Ivy League at 5-2.
2. Louis Kusserow (1945-48)
As a halfback, fullback on offense, full-time safety on defense and dangerous return man on special teams, Kusserow set all kinds of Columbia school records in a variety of statistics. As a senior in 1948, Kusserow led college football in both scoring (108 points) and all-purpose yards per game (193.0) as he totaled 1,737 all-purpose yards (766 rushing, 463 receiving, 19 on interceptions, 130 on punt returns, and 359 on kickoff returns). For his four-year career, Kusserow totaled 4,015 all-purpose yards, scored 282 points on 47 touchdowns, rushed for 2,051 yards and a school-record 41 touchdowns, threw passes, registered 719 receiving yards, 666 kickoff return yards, 368 punt return yards, and 211 yards off interception returns. As a defensive back, the other "Goal Dust Twin" also owns school-records for most interceptions in a career (16) and most interceptions in a game (4).
1. Archie Roberts (1962-64)
Roberts did it all for Columbia as a running, passing and return threat. As a quarterback, he threw for 3,704 yards and 29 touchdowns, completed 59 percent of his passes and also ran for 475 yards and 16 touchdowns. On defense, he intercepted nine career passes. On special teams, he was a dangerous return man as teams tried to contain his punt and kickoff returns. He also held all placement kicks and served as Columbia's punter, where he averaged 34 yards per punt. From 1962-64, he led Columbia in virtually every statistical category. His all-around game was the reason why Roberts was named the runner-up for the Ivy League's Silver Anniversary Player of the Era in 1981.
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12. Johnathan Reese (1998-2001)A running back, Reese was a threat to score every time he touched the ball. Over his four-year career, Reese scored 37 touchdowns including 30 rushing TDs, six receiving TDs, and one on a 92-yard kickoff return. In all, he set 42 career school-records and 31 rushing records, including those for all-purpose yardage (5,360) and rushing yards (3,321). He concluded his career with six plays of over 50 yards and he is the only player in school history with a rushing play, reception, and kickoff return of 70 yards or more.
11. Paul Kaliades (1970-72)
Kaliades earned national acclaim as a hard-hitting middle linebacker on Columbia's 1971 team, but he also handled placekicking duties as one of Columbia's last straight-ahead kickers. Tackles were not an official statistic in the early 1970s, but if they were, Kaliades would have been ranked among school leaders. As a kicker, he is ranked among virtually all school placekicking records as he converted seven field goals, 47 of 52 career extra points, and scored 68 points on placekicking alone. His key field goal was a 34-yarder in the final minute against Dartmouth that gave the Lions a 31-29 upset win over the Big Green.
10. Austin Knowlin (2006-09)
Knowlin was also a threat to score every time he touched the ball as a receiver or on a return. Knowlin is Columbia's all-time career receiving leader with 2,484 yards, 210 receptions, and 24 touchdowns. He was equally as dangerous in the return game as Knowlin is one of only three players in school history to score on two punt returns as he accumulated 366 career punt return yards and totaled 1,311 kickoff return yards. He concluded his career with 4,356 all-purpose yards.
9. Des Werthman (1990-92)
The NCAA recordholder in tackles per game (14.97), Werthman made 449 tackles in 30 career games at Columbia. Over this three-year career, Werthman also rushed for 10 touchdowns, including a pair of three-touchdown games, and he also kicked field goals and extra points.
8. Richard Carr (1952-53)
Nicknamed the "Iron Man," Carr never came off the field in three years for Columbia. As a quarterback, Carr threw for 1,746 career yards and 15 touchdowns and set a school-record for most yards per completion (17.1). He also played several other positions on offense including halfback and end. In 1953 alone, Carr threw for 1,367 yards and 13 touchdowns. On defense, was a terror as he intercepted eight passes, including a three-interception game vs. Harvard in 1953.
7. Cliff Montgomery (1931-33)
The quarterback and captain of the 1933 Rose Bowl-winning team, Montgomery led the Lions to a 25-3-1 overall record during his career. He scored 177 points during his three-year career, a mark that still ranks No. 5 among school scoring leaders. Montgomery was also one of the program's best punters and also played on defense.
6. Paul Governali (1940-42)
The 1942 Maxwell Award winner as college football's player of the year and runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, Governali was regarded as the greatest passer of his time, but he also made an impact on defense and special teams. He is ranked among Columbia's all-time best punters with a 38.58 career average (155 punts). On offense, he completed 175 passes for 2,513 yards and 25 touchdowns. In the return game, Governali totaled 514 punt return yards.
5. Eugene Rossides (1945-48)
As one of the "Goal Dust" Twins, quarterback Rossides is ranked among all kinds of statistical categories. In his four-year career, Rossides totaled 2,863 all-purpose yards, 3,737 total offensive yards, and was responsible for 49 total touchdowns. On offense, he was one of the best rushing quarterbacks in school history as he ran for 1,110 yards and 17 touchdowns, threw for 2,632 yards and 29 touchdowns, and also caught passes. Rossides was also especially dangerous on punt returns where he totaled four returns of 50 yards or more and owns the school-record for most punt return yards (713). He also added 809 kickoff return yards, and on defense, intercepted nine passes.
4. Sid Luckman (1936-38)
Luckman was Columbia's do-everything player for three years from 1936-38. He played quarterback, defensive back, punted, kicked all the field goals and extra points, and ran back kicks and punts. As a passer, he threw for 2,413 yards and 20 touchdowns, as a runner he ran for nine career touchdowns and two 100-yard rushing games, and on defense, he played safety. He was also a superb punter who averaged nearly 40 yards per punt. Luckman went on to a 12-year NFL career and is the only Columbia player inducted into the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
3. Marcellus Wiley (1993-96)
In an era of specialty players, Wiley stood out as an outstanding performer in all three phases of the game: offense, defense, and special teams. Wiley came to Columbia as a running back, but over time transformed himself into a defensive lineman and eventually became one of the best and dominating two-way players in modern Ivy League history. Following his career at Columbia, Wiley went on to a 10-year NFL career on defense. As a running back, Wiley rushed for 736 yards and scored 18 touchdowns. As a defensive lineman, he made 97 career tackles, 26 for loss, 12.0 sacks, broke up 13 passes and recovered six fumbles. On special teams, he blocked four field goals, including three in 1996 while leading Columbia to an 8-2 record and second-place finish in the Ivy League at 5-2.
2. Louis Kusserow (1945-48)
As a halfback, fullback on offense, full-time safety on defense and dangerous return man on special teams, Kusserow set all kinds of Columbia school records in a variety of statistics. As a senior in 1948, Kusserow led college football in both scoring (108 points) and all-purpose yards per game (193.0) as he totaled 1,737 all-purpose yards (766 rushing, 463 receiving, 19 on interceptions, 130 on punt returns, and 359 on kickoff returns). For his four-year career, Kusserow totaled 4,015 all-purpose yards, scored 282 points on 47 touchdowns, rushed for 2,051 yards and a school-record 41 touchdowns, threw passes, registered 719 receiving yards, 666 kickoff return yards, 368 punt return yards, and 211 yards off interception returns. As a defensive back, the other "Goal Dust Twin" also owns school-records for most interceptions in a career (16) and most interceptions in a game (4).
1. Archie Roberts (1962-64)
Roberts did it all for Columbia as a running, passing and return threat. As a quarterback, he threw for 3,704 yards and 29 touchdowns, completed 59 percent of his passes and also ran for 475 yards and 16 touchdowns. On defense, he intercepted nine career passes. On special teams, he was a dangerous return man as teams tried to contain his punt and kickoff returns. He also held all placement kicks and served as Columbia's punter, where he averaged 34 yards per punt. From 1962-64, he led Columbia in virtually every statistical category. His all-around game was the reason why Roberts was named the runner-up for the Ivy League's Silver Anniversary Player of the Era in 1981.
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