Walter Dean
Encyclopedia
Walter Kevin Dean is an American former football
running back
. He played college football
for the at Grambling State University
. In his senior year, he led the nation in rushing
and won the 1990 Walter Payton Award
as the most outstanding player in Division I-AA football. He played professional football for one season in the National Football League
(NFL) after he was selected by the Green Bay Packers
in the sixth round of the 1991 NFL Draft
.
to Walter, a concrete company dispatcher, and Betty Dean, an administrative secretary at Grambling State University
. He also has a younger brother who played football, Keith, who was one of Louisiana's leading interscholastic
players, and with whom he shared a "good-natured rivalry" according to their mother. Walter Dean attended in Grambling, Louisiana
and turned down offers
from major college football programs such as Nebraska
and Louisiana State
in order to attend Grambling State. Dean said, "I wanted to go to a college where everybody I knew wouldn't have to sign up for a frequent-flyer program in order to see me play."
as a running back
. He earned the nickname "American Express
" due to the belief of his coach, Eddie Robinson, that the team should 'never leave home without him', a saying similar to the slogan of the eponymous credit card company. Sports Illustrated
called Dean possibly the "best runner produced by a predominantly black college since Walter Payton
came out of Jackson State
in 1975." Former Grambling and Los Angeles Rams fullback
Paul "Tank" Younger said about Dean, "You take one look at him and you think, hey, he doesn't look that tough. He isn't the huge, muscle-flexing type of back, but once you see him run the ball, you want to check out his scrapbook."
At Grambling, Dean recorded a career total of 3,328 yards and 41 touchdowns. As a junior in 1989, Dean scored 18 touchdown
s and set a school rushing
record when he compiled 1,269 yards. In 1990, Dean recorded 17 touchdowns and the Division I-AA season-best 1,401 rushing yards. Against , he recorded 137 yards on just 15 carries (9.13 average). Against Hampton, he compiled a career-high 232 yards and helped lead the Tigers to a 22-3 victory. Grambling finished the season with an 8–3 record, including a win against their arch-rival, , in the Bayou Classic
.
Eddie Robinson believed that Dean was deserving of the Heisman Trophy
, awarded annually to the best college football player, but acknowledged that voters would not seriously consider a Division I-AA player for the honor. Dean did, however, win the Walter Payton Award
, which is the award bestowed annually upon Division I-AA football's most outstanding player.
by the Green Bay Packers
(149th pick overall). He then played one season
for Green Bay. In 1991, he saw action in nine games and recorded one kick return and one fumble
.
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...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
. He 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 at Grambling State University
Grambling State University
Grambling State University is a historically black , public, coeducational university, located in Grambling, Louisiana. The university is the home of legendary football coach Eddie Robinson and is on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.-Academics:Grambling State University provides over...
. In his senior year, he led the nation in rushing
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
and won the 1990 Walter Payton Award
Walter Payton Award
The Walter Payton Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding offensive player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision of college football as chosen by a nationwide panel of media and college sports information directors...
as the most outstanding player in Division I-AA football. He played professional football for one season 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) after he was selected by the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
in the sixth round of the 1991 NFL Draft
1991 NFL Draft
The 1991 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 21–22, 1991 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Manhattan, New York...
.
Early life
Dean was born on June 1, 1968 in Ruston, LouisianaRuston, Louisiana
Ruston is a city in and the parish seat of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 20,546 at the 2000 census. Ruston is near the eastern border of the Ark-La-Tex and is the home of Louisiana Tech University. Its economy caters to its college population...
to Walter, a concrete company dispatcher, and Betty Dean, an administrative secretary at Grambling State University
Grambling State University
Grambling State University is a historically black , public, coeducational university, located in Grambling, Louisiana. The university is the home of legendary football coach Eddie Robinson and is on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.-Academics:Grambling State University provides over...
. He also has a younger brother who played football, Keith, who was one of Louisiana's leading interscholastic
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....
players, and with whom he shared a "good-natured rivalry" according to their mother. Walter Dean attended in Grambling, Louisiana
Grambling, Louisiana
Grambling is a city in Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 4,693 at the 2000 census. The city is home to Grambling State University and is part of the Ruston Micropolitan Statistical Area....
and turned down offers
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...
from major college football programs such as Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
and Louisiana State
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
in order to attend Grambling State. Dean said, "I wanted to go to a college where everybody I knew wouldn't have to sign up for a frequent-flyer program in order to see me play."
College career
At Grambling, Dean studied business management and played football for the Grambling State TigersGrambling State Tigers football
The Grambling State Tigers are the college football team representing the Grambling State University. The Tigers play in NCAA Division I Football Championship as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.-Black College Football National Championships:...
as a running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
. He earned the nickname "American Express
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
" due to the belief of his coach, Eddie Robinson, that the team should 'never leave home without him', a saying similar to the slogan of the eponymous credit card company. Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
called Dean possibly the "best runner produced by a predominantly black college since Walter Payton
Walter Payton
Walter Jerry Payton was an American football running back who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League for thirteen seasons. Walter Payton was known around the NFL as "Sweetness". He is remembered as one of the most prolific running backs in the history of American football...
came out of Jackson State
Jackson State University
Jackson State University is a historically black university founded in 1877 in Natchez, MS by the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York. The Society moved the school to Jackson in 1882, renaming it Jackson College, and developed its present campus in 1902. It became a state supported...
in 1975." Former Grambling and Los Angeles Rams fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
Paul "Tank" Younger said about Dean, "You take one look at him and you think, hey, he doesn't look that tough. He isn't the huge, muscle-flexing type of back, but once you see him run the ball, you want to check out his scrapbook."
At Grambling, Dean recorded a career total of 3,328 yards and 41 touchdowns. As a junior in 1989, Dean scored 18 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:...
s and set a school rushing
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
record when he compiled 1,269 yards. In 1990, Dean recorded 17 touchdowns and the Division I-AA season-best 1,401 rushing yards. Against , he recorded 137 yards on just 15 carries (9.13 average). Against Hampton, he compiled a career-high 232 yards and helped lead the Tigers to a 22-3 victory. Grambling finished the season with an 8–3 record, including a win against their arch-rival, , in the Bayou Classic
Bayou Classic
The State Farm Bayou Classic is the annual college football game between the Grambling State University Tigers and the Southern University Jaguars, first held under that name in 1974 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana, although the series itself actually began in 1936...
.
Eddie Robinson believed that Dean was deserving of the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
, awarded annually to the best college football player, but acknowledged that voters would not seriously consider a Division I-AA player for the honor. Dean did, however, win the Walter Payton Award
Walter Payton Award
The Walter Payton Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding offensive player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision of college football as chosen by a nationwide panel of media and college sports information directors...
, which is the award bestowed annually upon Division I-AA football's most outstanding player.
Professional football
Dean was selected in the sixth round of the 1991 NFL Draft1991 NFL Draft
The 1991 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 21–22, 1991 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Manhattan, New York...
by the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
(149th pick overall). He then played one season
1991 Green Bay Packers season
-Schedule:-References:**...
for Green Bay. In 1991, he saw action in nine games and recorded one kick return and one fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
.