| Dan Whitehurst |
Full Name: Dan Whitehurst
Died: April 7, 2019, Tallahassee, Fla.
School: Cook County High School in Adel, Georgia
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| Click On Photo To Enlarge |
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| FSU Career |
| Football | |
Year No Pos Hgt Wgt Cl Ltr Hometown 1969 50 LB 6-4 207 So Adel, GA 1970 50 LB 6-4 215 So-R * Adel, GA 1971 50 LB 6-3 214 Jr-R * Adel, GA 1972 50 LB 6-3 225 Sr-R * Adel, GA |
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| Comments |
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Obiturary for Dan Whitehurst Published in the Tallahassee Democrat on April 7, 2019 By Jim Henry TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Former Florida State linebacker Dan Whitehurst, who finished with more than 200 career tackles but was best known for the infamous one he made with his left foot against Houston in 1970 on national television, died Sunday morning. He was 68. "He was one of a kind. They don't make Dan Whitehursts every day," said Brian Fletcher, Whitehurst's son-in-law. Whitehurst, a longtime resident of Tallahassee, was successful businessman in land real estate (plantations, farmland, timberland) who was known for his big personality and generous heart. He loved to bird hunt and talk FSU football, reminiscing of his playing days and how many helmets he cracked. Whitehurst had been dealing with various health issues over recent years, including complications from pneumonia the past week. "You'd be in the middle of a Alabama in a Waffle House and somebody seemed to know him," son Kane Whitehurst, 44, said and laughed. "He had a big heart, was tough as nails. But he was a good dad. It's sad to see him go." Whitehurst, a native of Adel, Georgia, who starred at Cook High School, played for the Seminoles from 1969-72. He registered a career-high 109 tackles in 1971. Whitehurst also was instrumental in founding the Florida State Varsity Club and at one time was a member of the club's Board of Directors. "There have been a lot of good linebackers who have gone through FSU, and Dan was one of them - he had everything it took," said friend Red Dawson, 76, the former Seminole All-American and Marshall coach from Valdosta, Georgia. "He lived it his way. I don't know of anybody who didn't like him." Former FSU receiver Barry Smith (1970-72) echoed Dawson's sentiments about Whitehurst, known to teammates as "Dan, Dan the Mountain Man" due to his 6-foot-4, 215-pound frame. Smith also credited Whitehurst's leadership skills in helping with the integration of the program. In 1970, J.T. Thomas became the first African American to play in a FSU varsity football game. "Dan was a wonderful teammate and a better friend whom I loved dearly," Smith said. "Dan had a big heart and he also was a character. But he was always there for everybody. He was a good man." Longtime Seminole fans will certainly break into a smile when they recall the "tackle" Whitehurst made against Houston in 1970 in Tampa Stadium on Thanksgiving night. The game was televised nationally by ABC and reportedly watched by 30 million. The good natured Whitehurst never changed his story over the years. “The guy was going for a touchdown,” Whitehurst told the Democrat in 2015. “I stepped off the sideline and tripped him, simply by impulse.” With Houston leading 39-21 in the fourth quarter, FSU quarterback Tommy Warren, who had separated his right throwing shoulder earlier in the game, threw his fourth interception on a ball tipped to Houston defensive back Nick Holm. With blockers in front of him, Holm sped down the FSU sideline. Whitehurst, a redshirt sophomore, was on the Seminoles’ sideline near linebackers coach Bill Parcells. Whitehurst recalls Parcells yelling “somebody ought to get him” as Holm ran with the football. Whitehurst reacted. He grabbed Parcells arm, leaned out on the field near the 50-yard line and, with his size-14 left foot, tripped Holm. FSU was called for a 15-yard penalty, and Houston scored a few plays later in the 53-21 rout. Today, a touchdown is awarded if the fouled player was unimpeded to the end zone. “I just wanted to stop the guy with the ball,” Whitehurst said. “Parcells always told us if we forget what the down and distance is and forget how much time is on the clock, just tackle the guy with the ball. “So that’s all I was doing.” The press asked Parcells what he thought about the trip and he quipped, “At least I know he’s paying attention.” FSU coach Bill Peterson added he “thought about doing it myself.” Whitehurst continued to follow his beloved Seminoles over the years. "I was glad to be a part of it and still love all those guys that I played with, and am real proud to be a letterman there," he told Garnet & Great.
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| Conference Awards |
| Football |
Year Award 1971 All-South Independent - Honorable Mention |
| FSU Statistics |
| Football |
Season Statistics
Defense
| Tackles | Sacks | Fumble | Pass Defense | Blkd | PAT Attempts | | | |
Year GP | ua a Tot tfl-yds | no-yds | ff fr-yds-td | int-yds-td qbh brup | kick | kick rsh rcv | fg | saf dxp | td | pts
---------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
1969 | 0 0 0 0.0- | 0.0- | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
1970 11 | 50 46 96 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 2- 21- 0 0 0 | 2 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
1971 11 | 72 37 109 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
1972 10 | 0 0 0 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
---------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
Tot 32 | 122 83 205 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 2- 21- 0 0 0 | 2 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
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Offense/Kick and Punt Returns
| Rushing | Receiving | Passing | Kick Returns | Punt Returns | all
Year GP | no yds avg td lg | no yds avg td lg | cmp- att-int yds td lg | no yds avg td lg | no yds avg td lg | purp
---------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
1969 | 0 0.0 | 0.0 | - - | 0.0 | 0.0 |
1970 11 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0- 0 - 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 21
1971 11 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0- 0 - 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0
1972 10 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0- 0 - 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0
---------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
Tot 32 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 21
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| Football |
Game Participation
| Starts
1970 | GP Off Def
----------------------------|--------------
Sep 12 Louisville | 1 RLB
Sep 19 Georgia Tech | 1 RLB
Sep 26 Wake Forest | 1 RLB
Oct 10 Florida | 1 RLB
Oct 17 Memphis State | 1 RLB
Oct 24 South Carolina | 1
Oct 30 Miami | 1 RLB
Nov 7 Clemson | 1 RLB
Nov 14 Virginia Tech | 1 RLB
Nov 21 Kansas State | 1 RLB
Nov 26 Houston | 1 RLB
----------------------------|--------------
Tot | 11 0 10
| Starts
1971 | GP Off Def
----------------------------|--------------
Sep 11 Southern Mississippi | 1 WLB
Sep 18 Miami | 1 WLB
Sep 25 Kansas | 1 WILL
Oct 2 Virginia Tech | 1 WLB
Oct 9 Mississippi State | 1 WLB
Oct 16 Florida | 1 WLB
Oct 23 South Carolina | 1 WLB
Oct 30 Houston | 1 WLB
Nov 13 Georgia Tech | 1 WLB
Nov 20 Tulsa | 1 WLB
Nov 27 Pittsburgh | 1 WLB
Dec 27 Arizona State | 1 WLB
----------------------------|--------------
Tot | 12 0 12
| Starts
1972 | GP Off Def
----------------------------|--------------
Sep 9 Pittsburgh | 1 WLB
Sep 23 Virginia Tech | 1 MLB
Sep 30 Kansas | 1
Oct 7 Florida | 1 WLB
Oct 14 Mississippi State | 1 WLB
Oct 21 Colorado State | 1 WLB
Oct 28 Auburn | 1 WLB
Nov 4 Houston | 1 RLB
Nov 11 Tulsa | 1 LB
Nov 18 South Carolina | 1 WLB
----------------------------|--------------
Tot | 10 0 9
----------------------------|--------------
Career Tot | 33 0 31
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| Football |
Game Statistics
| Tackles | Sacks | Fumble | Pass Defense | Blkd | PAT Attempts | | | |
1970 | ua a Tot tfl-yds | no-yds | ff fr-yds-td | int-yds-td qbh brup | kick | kick rsh rcv | fg | saf dxp | td | pts
----------------------------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
Sep 12 Louisville | 0 0 0 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 1 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
Oct 17 Memphis State | 1 0 1 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
Oct 30 Miami | 3 1 4 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
Nov 14 Virginia Tech | 0 0 0 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 1- 21- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
Nov 21 Kansas State | 0 0 0 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 1- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
----------------------------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
Tot | 4 1 5 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 2- 21- 0 0 0 | 1 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
| Tackles | Sacks | Fumble | Pass Defense | Blkd | PAT Attempts | | | |
1971 | ua a Tot tfl-yds | no-yds | ff fr-yds-td | int-yds-td qbh brup | kick | kick rsh rcv | fg | saf dxp | td | pts
----------------------------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
Sep 18 Miami | 5 3 8 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
Oct 2 Virginia Tech | 6 2 8 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 1 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
Oct 30 Houston | 6 0 6 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
----------------------------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
Tot | 17 5 22 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 1 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
| Tackles | Sacks | Fumble | Pass Defense | Blkd | PAT Attempts | | | |
1972 | ua a Tot tfl-yds | no-yds | ff fr-yds-td | int-yds-td qbh brup | kick | kick rsh rcv | fg | saf dxp | td | pts
----------------------------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
Sep 9 Pittsburgh | 3 2 5 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 1 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
Sep 30 Kansas | 4 1 5 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
----------------------------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
Tot | 7 3 10 0.0- 0 | 0.0- 0 | 0 0- 0- 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 1 | 0 | 0- 0 0 0 | 0- 0 | 0 0 | 0 | 0
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| Rushing | Receiving | Passing | Kick Returns | Punt Returns | all
1970 | no yds avg td lg | no yds avg td lg | cmp- att-int yds td lg | no yds avg td lg | no yds avg td lg | purp
----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
Sep 12 Louisville | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | - 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 | 0 0 0.0 0 |
Oct 17 Memphis State | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | - 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 | 0 0 0.0 0 |
Oct 30 Miami | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | - 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 | 0 0 0.0 0 |
Nov 14 Virginia Tech | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | - 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 | 0 0 0.0 0 |
Nov 21 Kansas State | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | - 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 | 0 0 0.0 0 |
----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
Tot | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0
| Rushing | Receiving | Passing | Kick Returns | Punt Returns | all
1971 | no yds avg td lg | no yds avg td lg | cmp- att-int yds td lg | no yds avg td lg | no yds avg td lg | purp
----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
Sep 18 Miami | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | - 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 | 0 0 0.0 0 |
Oct 2 Virginia Tech | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | - 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 | 0 0 0.0 0 |
Oct 30 Houston | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | - 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 | 0 0 0.0 0 |
----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
Tot | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0
| Rushing | Receiving | Passing | Kick Returns | Punt Returns | all
1972 | no yds avg td lg | no yds avg td lg | cmp- att-int yds td lg | no yds avg td lg | no yds avg td lg | purp
----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
Sep 9 Pittsburgh | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | - 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 | 0 0 0.0 0 |
Sep 30 Kansas | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | - 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 | 0 0 0.0 0 |
----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
Tot | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0- 0- 0 0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0 0 0.0 0 | 0
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