John Yarno
Encyclopedia
John Richard Yarno is a former professional football
player, an offensive lineman with the Seattle Seahawks
of the NFL
. He was selected in the fourth round of the 1977 NFL Draft
by the Seahawks, the 87th overall pick, and played for six seasons, from 1977
-82
.
, Washington, and attended Gonzaga Prep
through his junior year. He transferred to Ferris High School
for his senior year and graduated in 1973. He was an honorable mention all-city selection at center in the fall of 1972, when the Saxons won their third consecutive city league championship. As a senior, Yarno was
but under 200 lb (90.7 kg).
and Boise State
of the Big Sky
conference. Idaho was a better fit for Yarno as it was closer to Spokane, a Division I program, and its offensive coordinator
and line coach (Don Matthews
) was a former head coach at Ferris and a UI alumnus. He also had familiarity with the college town
of Moscow
, the longtime residence of his maternal grandfather (Yarno's mother died when he was eight). Yarno selected Idaho, then under fourth-year head coach Don Robbins, who had led Idaho to its then-best record of 8-3 in 1971
.
In his freshman season of 1973, the Vandals went 4-7 for the second consecutive year and the coaching staff was dismissed, except for Ed Troxel
, who was promoted to head coach. Yarno became a three-year starter in his sophomore season of 1974 under Troxel and offensive coordinator Dennis Erickson
. In his senior season of 1976, the team was 7-4 for their first winning season in five years. Yarno was the conference player of the year on offense and the first-ever Vandal to be named to the Division I first-team All-American (AP)
; the university retired Yarno's number 56 in 1977
.
During his senior season at Idaho, Yarno was listed at and 246 lb (111.6 kg). His younger brother George
was the nose tackle with Washington State
, and the two matched up often in the Battle of the Palouse
in 1975 and 1976, both handily won by WSU.
, but was waived by the team in late August after the acquisition of Blair Bush
from Cincinnati
.
Not picked up by another NFL team in 1983
, Yarno and his brother George signed three-year contracts with the Denver Gold
of the USFL
for the 1984
spring season. After limited playing time at center and tight end in the USFL and no interest from NFL teams in 1984
, Yarno decided to retire from pro football at age 29 in November.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player, an offensive lineman with the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
of the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was selected in the fourth round of the 1977 NFL Draft
1977 NFL Draft
The 1977 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 3–4, 1977...
by the Seahawks, the 87th overall pick, and played for six seasons, from 1977
1977 Seattle Seahawks season
The 1977 Seattle Seahawks season was the team's second season with the National Football League. The 1977 season was the team's first in the AFC West.-1977 NFL Draft:-Staff:-Schedule:-Standings:-External links:* *...
-82
1982 Seattle Seahawks season
The 1982 Seattle Seahawks season was the team's seventh season with the National Football League. Head coach Jack Patera was fired after the first two games of the season, which were followed by a 57-day players strike...
.
High school
Yarno was born and raised in SpokaneSpokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, Washington, and attended Gonzaga Prep
Gonzaga Preparatory School
Gonzaga Preparatory School located in Spokane, Washington is a private Catholic high school in the Inland Northwest. As a Jesuit institution, "G-Prep" has been recognized for its college preparation education, and community service.- History :...
through his junior year. He transferred to Ferris High School
Joel E. Ferris High School
Joel E. Ferris High School is a public high school located in Spokane, Washington, USA. The school educates in grades 9–12 and is part of Spokane Public Schools...
for his senior year and graduated in 1973. He was an honorable mention all-city selection at center in the fall of 1972, when the Saxons won their third consecutive city league championship. As a senior, Yarno was
but under 200 lb (90.7 kg).
College football
Left-handed and underweight for a center, Yarno was not highly recruited out of high school. He did not receive any offers from Pac-8 schools, only from IdahoIdaho Vandals football
The Idaho Vandals are a college football team that represents the University of Idaho. The Vandals currently compete in the Western Athletic Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I...
and Boise State
Boise State Broncos football
This page discusses the Boise State football program. For more Boise State athletics, see Boise State Broncos.The Boise State Broncos football program represents Boise State University in college football and compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I as a member of the Mountain West...
of the Big Sky
Big Sky Conference
The Big Sky Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The BSC was founded in 1963. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the states of Arizona,...
conference. Idaho was a better fit for Yarno as it was closer to Spokane, a Division I program, and its offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
and line coach (Don Matthews
Don Matthews
Don Matthews, a.k.a. "The Don", is a former head coach of several teams in the Canadian Football League and is the second winningest head coach in CFL history with 231 wins...
) was a former head coach at Ferris and a UI alumnus. He also had familiarity with the college town
College town
A college town or university town is a community which is dominated by its university population...
of Moscow
Moscow, Idaho
Moscow is a city in northern Idaho, situated along the Washington/Idaho border. It is the most populous city and county seat of Latah County and the home of the University of Idaho, the land grant institution and primary research university for the state...
, the longtime residence of his maternal grandfather (Yarno's mother died when he was eight). Yarno selected Idaho, then under fourth-year head coach Don Robbins, who had led Idaho to its then-best record of 8-3 in 1971
1971 Idaho Vandals football team
The 1971 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1971 college football season. The Vandals, led by second-year head coach Don Robbins, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played three of their five home games at the new Idaho Stadium, an outdoor facility on...
.
In his freshman season of 1973, the Vandals went 4-7 for the second consecutive year and the coaching staff was dismissed, except for Ed Troxel
Ed Troxel
-External links:* - Ed Troxel - Idaho - 1974-77...
, who was promoted to head coach. Yarno became a three-year starter in his sophomore season of 1974 under Troxel and offensive coordinator Dennis Erickson
Dennis Erickson
Dennis Erickson is an American football coach and former player. He was the head football coach at Arizona State University until November 28, 2011, a position he had held since the 2007 season. In 2008 the Arizona Board of Regents had approved a contract extension to keep Erickson at Arizona...
. In his senior season of 1976, the team was 7-4 for their first winning season in five years. Yarno was the conference player of the year on offense and the first-ever Vandal to be named to the Division I first-team All-American (AP)
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
; the university retired Yarno's number 56 in 1977
1977 in sports
1977 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Ingemar Stenmark, Sweden** Women's overall season champion: Lise-Marie Morerod, Switzerland-American football:...
.
During his senior season at Idaho, Yarno was listed at and 246 lb (111.6 kg). His younger brother George
George Yarno
George Anthony Yarno is a former professional football player, a guard with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, and Houston Oilers. He also played two seasons with the Denver Gold of the USFL...
was the nose tackle with Washington State
Washington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
, and the two matched up often in the Battle of the Palouse
Battle of the Palouse
The Battle of the Palouse is an American college football rivalry between the Washington State University Cougars and the University of Idaho Vandals. The name of the rivalry is derived from the "Palouse", the rolling agricultural region in which both schools are located...
in 1975 and 1976, both handily won by WSU.
Pro football
Yarno played six seasons with the Seahawks, the last five as the starting center, and endured three knee surgeries while a pro. He signed a three-year contract in April 19831983 Seattle Seahawks season
The 1983 Seattle Seahawks season was the team's eighth season with the National Football League. The 1983 season was the first season head coach Chuck Knox coached the team.-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Schedule:-Playoffs:-External links:* *...
, but was waived by the team in late August after the acquisition of Blair Bush
Blair Bush
Blair Walter Bush was a center who played 17 seasons in the National Football League for four different teams. He started in Super Bowl XVI as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals....
from Cincinnati
1982 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 1982 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's 15th year in professional football and its 13th with the National Football League.The Bengals posted a 7–2 record in a strike-shortened season to earn a postseason berth, but lost to the Jets in the first round of the playoffs, 44–17...
.
Not picked up by another NFL team in 1983
1983 NFL season
The 1983 NFL season was the 64th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVIII when the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins.-Major rule changes:...
, Yarno and his brother George signed three-year contracts with the Denver Gold
Denver Gold
The Denver Gold was a franchise in the United States Football League, an attempt to establish a second major professional football league in the United States, playing a springtime season, from 1983 to 1985...
of the USFL
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
for the 1984
1984 USFL season
-Regular season:W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against = Division Champion, = Wild Card-Playoffs:Home team in CAPITALSConference Semifinals* PHILADELPHIA 28, New Jersey 7...
spring season. After limited playing time at center and tight end in the USFL and no interest from NFL teams in 1984
1984 NFL season
The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
, Yarno decided to retire from pro football at age 29 in November.
External links
- University of Idaho - Vandal Athletics Hall of Fame - John Yarno
- Go Vandals.com - photo - John Yarno - # 56 - 1973 or '74 - pre-roof Kibbie DomeKibbie DomeThe William H. Kibbie-ASUI Activity Center is a multi-purpose indoor athletic stadium in Moscow, Idaho, on the campus of the University of Idaho...
field - John Yarno - photo - Corner Club - Moscow, ID - 2001-10-19
