Russell Erxleben
Encyclopedia
Russell Erxleben is a former American football
player and currency investor. He shares the record for the longest field goal
in NCAA
history, originally set in 1977 while playing for the University of Texas
. Erxleben was a three-time All-America punter (1976
, 1977
, and 1978
). He was convicted of securities fraud
in 1999, and was released from federal prison in 2005.
kicker. He had a conventional straight-on kicking style, using a two-step approach. Highly recruited, he entered the University of Texas as a top prospect in 1975.
. In December of his freshman year, he played in the Bluebonnet Bowl
against the University of Colorado
. Despite early troubles in the game, including a missed field goal
and a blocked extra point
, Erxleben kicked a field goal late in the game, breaking the tie and securing the win for Texas.
In 1977, in a game against Rice University
, he set the record for the longest field goal in NCAA
history with a 67 yard kick. UT head coach
Fred Akers
said of the kick, "It was like a gunshot. We couldn't believe a ball was going that far. It had another eight yards on it." http://www.dailytexanonline.com/media/paper410/news/2005/09/16/Sports/Erxlebens.Big.Boot.One.Of.Two.Ut.Records-987981.shtml The record was tied two weeks later by Steve Little
of the University of Arkansas
. Erxleben kicked two other field goals over sixty yards that season. Rule changes in NCAA football since 1977, specifically the prohibition of kicking tees for field goals, as well as changes to the placement of the ball following a failed kick, have discouraged such long attempts, and thus attempts to break the record are now rare. The longest field goal since the rule changes came in 1998, when Martin Gramatica
of Kansas State
made a 65-yard attempt.
Erxleben is the only three-time All-America punter in NCAA history, being a consensus choice in 1976
, 1977
, and 1978
.
he was unexpectedly drafted in the first round (eleventh pick overall) by the New Orleans Saints
. At the time, this was the second highest selection of a kicker in the draft, with the highest drafted kicker being Charlie Gogolak
. The Saints hoped to save a roster spot by having him perform both the place-kicking and punting duties. He played six seasons in the NFL
, primarily as a punter. Despite his stellar college career, he was not considered a standout on the pro level, and did not make the Pro Bowl
during his NFL career.
His first NFL game was a portent of his pro career. On September 2, 1979, the Saints and the archrival Atlanta Falcons
went into overtime
with the game tied 34-34. Midway through overtime, a snap
went over Erxleben's head and rolled to the goal line
. Erxleben picked the ball up and made a hurried chest pass. The pass was intercepted by Atlanta's James Mayberry at the 6-yard line, and he trotted into the end zone for a touchdown and a 40-34 Falcon victory. The loss proved to be devastating for the Saints, as it cost the team their first winning season. New Orleans finished the year at 8-8, one game behind the Los Angeles Rams
, who won the division at 9-7 and played in Super Bowl XIV
.
In the 1980 season opener, Erxleben blew a game-tying field goal attempt in a 26-23 loss to the San Francisco 49ers
, a team that had won four games over the previous two seasons. The loss was the first of 14 consecutive defeats for the Saints, who ended the year 1-15.
The Saints released him in 1983. After four years out of football, he attempted a comeback with the Detroit Lions
, but this went nowhere, and he retired for good in 1988.
trading, founding Austin Forex International in Austin, Texas
. In 1999, following an investigation by the Texas State Securities Board
and the Internal Revenue Service
, Erxleben pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud
, mail fraud and money laundering
, and a second count for securities fraud, in connection with misleading statements regarding the past performance of Austin Forex. On September 18, 2000, Erxleben was sentenced by United States District Court
Judge James R. Nowlin to 84 months in prison, and ordered to pay a total of $28 million in restitution
and a one million dollar fine. Erxleben's lawyers, the law firm of Locke, Liddell & Sapp
, settled a related lawsuit for $22m in 2000.
football team.
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 and currency investor. He shares the record for the longest field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
in NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
history, originally set in 1977 while playing for the University of Texas
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
. Erxleben was a three-time All-America punter (1976
1976 College Football All-America Team
The 1976 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,...
, 1977
1977 College Football All-America Team
The 1977 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,...
, and 1978
1978 College Football All-America Team
The 1978 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,...
). He was convicted of securities fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
in 1999, and was released from federal prison in 2005.
Early years
Erxleben was raised in Seguin, Texas, where he was a stand-out as a high schoolHigh 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....
kicker. He had a conventional straight-on kicking style, using a two-step approach. Highly recruited, he entered the University of Texas as a top prospect in 1975.
University of Texas
He quickly earned a reputation as a reliable kicker for the LonghornsTexas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
. In December of his freshman year, he played in the Bluebonnet Bowl
Bluebonnet Bowl
The Bluebonnet Bowl was an annual college football bowl game played in Houston, Texas. A civic group was appointed by the Houston Chamber of Commerce Athletics Committee in 1959 to organize the bowl game. It was held at Rice Stadium from 1959 through 1967, and again in 1985 and 1986. The game was...
against the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
. Despite early troubles in the game, including a missed field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
and a blocked extra point
Extra Point
Extra Point is a twice-daily, two-minute segment on ESPN Radio that covers generic sports-related topical news and opinion. The AM edition airs Monday through Saturday at various times between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. ET, and the PM edition airs Monday through Friday between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET...
, Erxleben kicked a field goal late in the game, breaking the tie and securing the win for Texas.
In 1977, in a game against Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
, he set the record for the longest field goal in NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
history with a 67 yard kick. UT 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...
Fred Akers
Fred Akers
-External links:*...
said of the kick, "It was like a gunshot. We couldn't believe a ball was going that far. It had another eight yards on it." http://www.dailytexanonline.com/media/paper410/news/2005/09/16/Sports/Erxlebens.Big.Boot.One.Of.Two.Ut.Records-987981.shtml The record was tied two weeks later by Steve Little
Steve Little (American football)
Steven Richard Little was an American football kicker and punter in the National Football League for the St. Louis Cardinals. He is the third-highest drafted kicker in NFL history, with first highest pick being Charlie Gogolak of Princeton University and second being Russell Erxleben...
of the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
. Erxleben kicked two other field goals over sixty yards that season. Rule changes in NCAA football since 1977, specifically the prohibition of kicking tees for field goals, as well as changes to the placement of the ball following a failed kick, have discouraged such long attempts, and thus attempts to break the record are now rare. The longest field goal since the rule changes came in 1998, when Martin Gramatica
Martin Gramatica
Martín Gramática is an Argentine-American former football placekicker.Gramática was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft after playing college football at Kansas State, and has also been a member of the Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Dallas...
of Kansas State
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
made a 65-yard attempt.
Erxleben is the only three-time All-America punter in NCAA history, being a consensus choice in 1976
1976 College Football All-America Team
The 1976 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,...
, 1977
1977 College Football All-America Team
The 1977 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,...
, and 1978
1978 College Football All-America Team
The 1978 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,...
.
Professional playing career
In 19791979 NFL Draft
The 1979 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, 1979...
he was unexpectedly drafted in the first round (eleventh pick overall) by the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. At the time, this was the second highest selection of a kicker in the draft, with the highest drafted kicker being Charlie Gogolak
Charlie Gogolak
Charles Paul Gogolak is a retired American football placekicker....
. The Saints hoped to save a roster spot by having him perform both the place-kicking and punting duties. He played six seasons in 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...
, primarily as a punter. Despite his stellar college career, he was not considered a standout on the pro level, and did not make the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
during his NFL career.
His first NFL game was a portent of his pro career. On September 2, 1979, the Saints and the archrival Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
went into overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
with the game tied 34-34. Midway through overtime, a snap
Snap (football)
A snap starts each American football and Canadian football play from scrimmage.-Action:...
went over Erxleben's head and rolled to the goal line
Goal line
The goal line is the chalked or painted line dividing the end zone from the field of play in American football and Canadian football. It is the line that must be crossed in order to score a touchdown...
. Erxleben picked the ball up and made a hurried chest pass. The pass was intercepted by Atlanta's James Mayberry at the 6-yard line, and he trotted into the end zone for a touchdown and a 40-34 Falcon victory. The loss proved to be devastating for the Saints, as it cost the team their first winning season. New Orleans finished the year at 8-8, one game behind the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
, who won the division at 9-7 and played in Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
.
In the 1980 season opener, Erxleben blew a game-tying field goal attempt in a 26-23 loss to the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, a team that had won four games over the previous two seasons. The loss was the first of 14 consecutive defeats for the Saints, who ended the year 1-15.
The Saints released him in 1983. After four years out of football, he attempted a comeback with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, but this went nowhere, and he retired for good in 1988.
Legal issues
After retiring from the NFL, he became a financial investor in foreign exchangeForeign exchange market
The foreign exchange market is a global, worldwide decentralized financial market for trading currencies. Financial centers around the world function as anchors of trading between a wide range of different types of buyers and sellers around the clock, with the exception of weekends...
trading, founding Austin Forex International in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. In 1999, following an investigation by the Texas State Securities Board
Texas State Securities Board
The Texas State Securities Board is a Texas state agency with headquarters in Austin, Texas.Formed in 1957, its mission is to protect Texas investors. The Texas State Securities Board administers the provisions of the Texas Securities Act The Texas State Securities Board is a Texas state agency...
and the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
, Erxleben pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud
Securities fraud
Securities fraud, also known as stock fraud and investment fraud, is a practice that induces investors to make purchase or sale decisions on the basis of false information, frequently resulting in losses, in violation of the securities laws....
, mail fraud and money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
, and a second count for securities fraud, in connection with misleading statements regarding the past performance of Austin Forex. On September 18, 2000, Erxleben was sentenced by United States District Court
United States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
Judge James R. Nowlin to 84 months in prison, and ordered to pay a total of $28 million in restitution
Restitution
The law of restitution is the law of gains-based recovery. It is to be contrasted with the law of compensation, which is the law of loss-based recovery. Obligations to make restitution and obligations to pay compensation are each a type of legal response to events in the real world. When a court...
and a one million dollar fine. Erxleben's lawyers, the law firm of Locke, Liddell & Sapp
Locke, Liddell & Sapp
Locke Lord LLP is an American law firm of approximately 650 attorneys with 11 domestic and two overseas offices. Locke Lord was formed on October 2, 2007, after the combination of Texas-based Locke Liddell & Sapp PLLC and Lord Bissell & Brook LLP, a national law firm headquartered in Chicago...
, settled a related lawsuit for $22m in 2000.
Family
Erxleben's son, Ryan Erxleben, is a punter for the Texas Tech UniversityTexas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
football team.