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Class of 2000
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Steve DeLong
Steve DeLong, a member of the National College Football Hall of Fame, was among the distinguished football stars who attended Oscar Smith High School. He played football for the Tigers and received multiple honors, including All Eastern District, All Tidewater, and All State in 1959. The following year, he repeated the achievements of 1959 and added All Metropolitan and All American to his list.
After graduation, DeLong, like many Virginians of his time, pursued his football career out of state at the University of Tennessee. He played middle guard on defense from 1962-1964. DeLong was named to the Associated Press All-Sophomore team in 1962, and was voted Defensive Lineman of the Year in the Southeastern Conference in successive years. He was selected to the College All-America team in 1963 and 1964. In 1964 DeLong, standing at 6’-3” and 243 pounds, won the Outland Trophy as the nation’s best interior lineman. He was also named Lineman of the Year by the Columbus Touchdown Club and Birmingham Touchdown Club, and was voted Most Valuable Player in the Senior Bowl. That same year, he was captain of both the Tennessee team and the East team of the East-West Shrine Bowl. In 1990, he was voted by fans to Tennessee’s all-time team, known as the “100 Years of Volunteers” team.
After college DeLong was the number one draft pick of the Chicago Bears. He went on to play in the National Football League from 1965-72 with both the Bears and the San Diego Chargers. In his seven years with the Chargers, he was selected to play in the Pro Bowl and was voted Most Valuable Player for the Chargers.
Continuing the legacy, as DeLong’s son, Keith, captained the Tennessee Volunteers as a linebacker and was named All-American in 1988.
(To Sports Inductees List) |
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