Sam Anno
Encyclopedia
Sam Scott Anno is an American football
linebacker
s and special teams coach
for the University of San Diego Toreros
.
at Saint Monica Catholic High School
and then at Santa Monica High School
in Southern California
where he was recruited to play college football
at USC
. During his tenure at Santa Monica High, actors Charlie Sheen
and Dean Cain
, also alumni of Santa Monica High School, were teammates and good friends of Sam Anno.
He was also teammates in high school with fellow Santa Monica High standout USC linebacker Keith Davis and Arizona State
standout safety Darren Willis
and free safety Junior Thurman who eventually (along with Anno) transferred to USC after playing football at West Los Angeles College
. He starred as a player on the 1982 California Interscholastic Federation
championship football team.
for the National Football League
's Jacksonville Jaguars
would be reunited years later in the NFL where Anno and Del Rio played for the Minnesota Vikings
. Anno played for Ted Tollner
, who ironically, was dismissed in 1986 from Southern Cal despite a winning record. Anno holds the All-time tackle record at USC for a single game with 23 tackles
against Illinois in 1986. He also obtained his Masters Degree from USC in Athletic Administration.
and special teams player for the Los Angeles Rams
, the Minnesota Vikings
, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
and the San Diego Chargers
. He spent three seasons as the Bucs' long snapper and special teams' captain
. Notionally a linebacker by position, he saw hardly any playing time at that spot for Tampa Bay behind heralded veterans such as Hardy Nickerson
. Anno was a very popular member of the Bucs with the fans. He went on to fulfill the same roles with San Diego after leaving the Bucs. He was the leading special teams tackler on all of his previous teams. Anno was voted team captain for three years during his career. The special teams tackle records he set still stand today with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 1989, players from the NFL voted him NFL Special Teams Player Of The Year while he was at Tampa Bay.
Anno was on the 1991 Tampa Bay Buccanners squad the year that former Santa Monica High School Vikings quarterback Pat O'Hara
(1984) was drafted by the Bucs (10, 260). I was just in junior high school then and even though I didn't know him personally, I knew of him," said at O'Hara who grew up a mile from Sam Anno "Everyone knew who he was. Sam was a legend."
"It was really weird when I found out that they had drafted Pat," said Anno, who was about to enter his third season with the Buccaneers. "I said, `No way . . . I can't believe that Pat is coming here.' "
Anno and O'Hara renewed their friendship at Tampa Bay. O'Hara spent most of the season on the team's development squad and Anno led the Buccaneers in tackles on special teams.
and St. Monica High School between 1996 and 2007. Anno played a key role in comforting the USC football team and staff when he broke the news to the team of the death USC placekicker
(whom Anno coached) Mario Danelo
in 2007. His body was found at the bottom of a rocky cliff, and police investigated his death as an accident or possible suicide. The notion that Danelo could take his own life was so unbelievable to Anno that he went to the site near the Point Fermin Light
house from where Danelo apparently fell. Anno saw the slippery ice plants, the jutting rocks and the loose ground on the other side of the 4-foot concrete barrier where plenty of people went, despite the "Danger: Do Not Enter" signs. Anno told the story of the former Trojan walk-on's beginnings as a kicker during his San Pedro High School
career as an All-City linebacker. Danelo had asked his father, former NFL kicker Joe Danelo
, whose father kicked for the New York Giants
and the Buffalo Bills
to teach him.
"His father told Mario, 'I'll help you kick if you're up and have a bag of balls,'" Anno said. "And every morning at 3 a.m., Mario would be at the door with a bag of balls, and they'd go kick at the high school in the dark until 5 a.m."
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...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
s and special teams coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
for the University of San Diego Toreros
University of San Diego
The University of San Diego is a Roman Catholic university in San Diego, California. USD offers more than sixty bachelor's, master’s, and doctoral programs...
.
High school career
Anno preppedHigh 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....
at Saint Monica Catholic High School
Saint Monica Catholic High School
Saint Monica Catholic High School is a parochial, co-educational, secondary school in Santa Monica, California, consisting of students in grades 9-12...
and then at Santa Monica High School
Santa Monica High School
Santa Monica High School, informally known as SAMOHI, is located in Santa Monica, California. Founded in 1884, it is one of the oldest high schools in the state....
in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
where he was recruited to play 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...
at USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. During his tenure at Santa Monica High, actors Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen
Carlos Irwin Estevez , better known by his stage name Charlie Sheen, is an American film and television actor. He is the youngest son of actor Martin Sheen....
and Dean Cain
Dean Cain
Dean Cain is an American actor. He is most widely known for his role as Clark Kent/Superman in the popular American television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.-Early life:...
, also alumni of Santa Monica High School, were teammates and good friends of Sam Anno.
He was also teammates in high school with fellow Santa Monica High standout USC linebacker Keith Davis and Arizona State
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
standout safety Darren Willis
Darren Willis
Darren Willis is a former Arizona State University and professional American football player with the Tampa Bay Storm.-High school years:...
and free safety Junior Thurman who eventually (along with Anno) transferred to USC after playing football at West Los Angeles College
West Los Angeles College
West Los Angeles College is a community college located in Culver City, California. It opened in 1969 and serves approximately 10,000 students....
. He starred as a player on the 1982 California Interscholastic Federation
California Interscholastic Federation
The California Interscholastic Federation is the governing body for high school sports in the state of California. It mirrors similar governing bodies in other states; however, it differs from some of the others in that it covers most high schools in the state of California, both public and...
championship football team.
College career
Anno played linebacker during college in 1987 Jack Del Rio who is currently the head coachHead 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...
for 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...
's Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
would be reunited years later in the NFL where Anno and Del Rio played for the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
. Anno played for Ted Tollner
Ted Tollner
Ted Alfred Tollner is a football coach who has worked as a head coach in college football and was also formerly the passing game coordinator of the Oakland Raiders.-Playing career:...
, who ironically, was dismissed in 1986 from Southern Cal despite a winning record. Anno holds the All-time tackle record at USC for a single game with 23 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
against Illinois in 1986. He also obtained his Masters Degree from USC in Athletic Administration.
Professional career
Anno played in the NFL between 1987 and 1994 as a linebacker, long snapperLong snapper
In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible....
and special teams player for 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,...
, the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
and the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He spent three seasons as the Bucs' long snapper and special teams' captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
. Notionally a linebacker by position, he saw hardly any playing time at that spot for Tampa Bay behind heralded veterans such as Hardy Nickerson
Hardy Nickerson
Hardy Otto Nickerson is a former American football linebacker who played 16 seasons for four teams from 1987 to 2002 in the National Football League and is currently the head football coach at Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, Calif. He attended Verbum Dei High School, a Catholic school...
. Anno was a very popular member of the Bucs with the fans. He went on to fulfill the same roles with San Diego after leaving the Bucs. He was the leading special teams tackler on all of his previous teams. Anno was voted team captain for three years during his career. The special teams tackle records he set still stand today with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 1989, players from the NFL voted him NFL Special Teams Player Of The Year while he was at Tampa Bay.
Anno was on the 1991 Tampa Bay Buccanners squad the year that former Santa Monica High School Vikings quarterback Pat O'Hara
Pat O'Hara
Patrick O'Hara is an arena football coach and retired quarterback. He is currently the head coach of the New Orleans VooDoo of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 10th round of the 1991 NFL Draft...
(1984) was drafted by the Bucs (10, 260). I was just in junior high school then and even though I didn't know him personally, I knew of him," said at O'Hara who grew up a mile from Sam Anno "Everyone knew who he was. Sam was a legend."
"It was really weird when I found out that they had drafted Pat," said Anno, who was about to enter his third season with the Buccaneers. "I said, `No way . . . I can't believe that Pat is coming here.' "
Anno and O'Hara renewed their friendship at Tampa Bay. O'Hara spent most of the season on the team's development squad and Anno led the Buccaneers in tackles on special teams.
Coaching career
Prior to coaching at University of San Diego, Anno coached at Central Connecticut, USC, Santa Monica High School, Venice High SchoolVenice High School
Venice High School may refer to:* Venice High School * Venice High School...
and St. Monica High School between 1996 and 2007. Anno played a key role in comforting the USC football team and staff when he broke the news to the team of the death USC placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
(whom Anno coached) Mario Danelo
Mario Danelo
Mario Danelo was an American college football placekicker.-High school career:Danelo was an all–Los Angeles linebacker at San Pedro High School in San Pedro, California. Danelo was also a fullback and kicker at his high school...
in 2007. His body was found at the bottom of a rocky cliff, and police investigated his death as an accident or possible suicide. The notion that Danelo could take his own life was so unbelievable to Anno that he went to the site near the Point Fermin Light
Point Fermin Light
-History:The original fourth order Fresnel lens was removed in 1942 and a wood replica lantern was installed in 1974. The lighthouse was saved from demolition in 1972 and refurbished in 1974, and a new lantern room and gallery were built by local preservationists...
house from where Danelo apparently fell. Anno saw the slippery ice plants, the jutting rocks and the loose ground on the other side of the 4-foot concrete barrier where plenty of people went, despite the "Danger: Do Not Enter" signs. Anno told the story of the former Trojan walk-on's beginnings as a kicker during his San Pedro High School
San Pedro High School
San Pedro High School is a public high school in the Los Angeles Unified School District and is located in the San Pedro portion of the city of Los Angeles, California. In 2003, the school celebrated its 100th Anniversary....
career as an All-City linebacker. Danelo had asked his father, former NFL kicker Joe Danelo
Joe Danelo
Joseph Peter Danelo is a former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers, the New York Giants, and the Buffalo Bills between 1975 and 1984...
, whose father kicked for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the 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...
to teach him.
"His father told Mario, 'I'll help you kick if you're up and have a bag of balls,'" Anno said. "And every morning at 3 a.m., Mario would be at the door with a bag of balls, and they'd go kick at the high school in the dark until 5 a.m."