Louis Oliver
Encyclopedia
Louis Oliver, III is a former American college and professional football
player who was a safety in the National Football League
(NFL) for eight seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. Oliver played college football
for the University of Florida
, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Miami Dolphins
and the Cincinnati Bengals
of the NFL.
in 1966. He attended Glades Central High School
in Belle Glade, and was a standout high school football
player for the Glades Central Raiders. Memorably, Oliver blocked two punts in the same game as a junior
.
, Oliver attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida
, where he was a walk-on player on head coach
Galen Hall
's Florida Gators football
team in 1985. Subsequently, Oliver not only earned an athletic scholarship
, he became a starting
free safety and team captain, and totaled eleven career interceptions. He was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference
(SEC) selection in 1987 and 1988, a first-team All-American in 1987 and a consensus first-team All-American in 1988, and a two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll honoree. Oliver was also the recipient of the Gators' Fergie Ferguson Award recognizing the "senior football player who displays outstanding leadership, character and courage."
Oliver graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree
in criminal justice in 1989, and was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 2000.
, and played seven seasons for the Dolphins (–, –) and one season for the Cincinnati Bengals . Oliver was reunited in the Dolphins' defensive backfield with his former Gators teammate Jarvis Williams
, and the pair were the Dolphins' starting safeties for the next five seasons. Arguably Oliver's greatest career highlight was an October 4, 1992 interception of a pass thrown by Buffalo Bills
quarterback
Jim Kelly
, which he returned 103 yards for a touchdown
.
During his eight-year NFL career, Oliver played in 117 regular season games, started 101 of them, and recorded 544 tackles and twenty-seven interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.
. When his party connections began to dry up, he focused on the real estate
market to become a specialist in high-end, up-market properties for celebrities, and is currently a general partner
in a Miami-based real estate firm.
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 who was a safety in the National Football League
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...
(NFL) for eight seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. Oliver played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
of the NFL.
Early life
Oliver was born in Belle Glade, FloridaBelle Glade, Florida
Belle Glade is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida on the southeastern shore of Lake Okeechobee. The population was 14,906 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2007, the city had a population of 16,739....
in 1966. He attended Glades Central High School
Glades Central High School
Glades Central High School is a high school located in Belle Glade, Florida. It is known for having one of the best high school football teams in the nation, with more football players in the NFL and in the NCAA than any other high school...
in Belle Glade, and was a standout high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
player for the Glades Central Raiders. Memorably, Oliver blocked two punts in the same game as a junior
Junior (education)
"Junior" is a term used in the United States to describe a student in their 3rd year of study . A Junior is considered an upperclassman...
.
College career
After graduating from high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, Oliver attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he was a walk-on player on head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Galen Hall
Galen Hall
Galen Samuel Hall is an American college and professional football coach and former player. He is a native of Pennsylvania, and an alumnus of Penn State University, where he played college football...
's Florida Gators football
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
team in 1985. Subsequently, Oliver not only earned an athletic scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
, he became a starting
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
free safety and team captain, and totaled eleven career interceptions. He was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC) selection in 1987 and 1988, a first-team All-American in 1987 and a consensus first-team All-American in 1988, and a two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll honoree. Oliver was also the recipient of the Gators' Fergie Ferguson Award recognizing the "senior football player who displays outstanding leadership, character and courage."
Oliver graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in criminal justice in 1989, and was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 2000.
Professional career
Oliver was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the first round (twenty-fifth overall) of the 1989 NFL Draft1989 NFL Draft
The 1989 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 April 23–24 , 1989...
, and played seven seasons for the Dolphins (–, –) and one season for the Cincinnati Bengals . Oliver was reunited in the Dolphins' defensive backfield with his former Gators teammate Jarvis Williams
Jarvis Williams (American football)
Jarvis Eric Williams, Sr. was a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive back in the National Football League for seven seasons during the 1980s and 1990s...
, and the pair were the Dolphins' starting safeties for the next five seasons. Arguably Oliver's greatest career highlight was an October 4, 1992 interception of a pass thrown by Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Jim Kelly
Jim Kelly
James Edward Kelly is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and the USFL's Houston Gamblers....
, which he returned 103 yards for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
.
During his eight-year NFL career, Oliver played in 117 regular season games, started 101 of them, and recorded 544 tackles and twenty-seven interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.
Life after the NFL
Following his professional football career, Oliver used his pro sports connections to launch a business as a professional party liaison for sports stars and celebrities in South FloridaSouth Florida metropolitan area
The South Florida metropolitan area, also known as the Miami metropolitan area, and designated the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area by the U.S...
. When his party connections began to dry up, he focused on the real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
market to become a specialist in high-end, up-market properties for celebrities, and is currently a general partner
General partnership
In the commercial and legal parlance of most countries, a general partnership or simply a partnership, refers to an association of persons or an unincorporated company with the following major features:...
in a Miami-based real estate firm.
See also
- 1987 College Football All-America Team1987 College Football All-America TeamThe 1987 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that choose College All-America teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams were Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Football Writers Association of America,...
- 1988 College Football All-America Team1988 College Football All-America TeamThe 1988 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that choose College All-America teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams were Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Football Writers Association of America,...
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- Florida Gators football, 1980–1989
- List of Florida Gators football players
- List of Miami Dolphins first-round draft picks
- List of Miami Dolphins players
- List of University of Florida alumni