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Dennis Onkotz
No. 35
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	February 6, 1948 (age 76); Northampton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
College:	Penn State
NFL draft:	1970 / round: 3 / pick: 72
Career history
	New York Jets (1970);
Career highlights and awards
	2× Consensus All-American (1968, 1969); 3× First-team All-East (1967–1969);
	Stats at Pro Football Reference
	College Football Hall of Fame

Dennis Henry Onkotz (born February 6, 1948) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, twice earning consensus All-American honors. He suffered a career ending injury during his first and only season with the Jets.

Early life

Onkotz was born on February 6, 1948 in Northampton, Pennsylvania.^[1] He attended Northampton Area High School. He graduated in 1966.^[2] From 1963-66 he scored over 1,000 points on the school's basketball team.^[3] In 2006, he was inducted into the Northampton Area School District Athletic Hall of Fame.^[4]

College career

Onkotz attended Pennsylvania State University (Penn State). He was named a consensus All-American at linebacker in 1968 and 1969. He was a second team All-American as a sophomore in 1967. An all-around athlete, Onkotz helped earn Penn State the nickname "Linebacker U," as the first great linebacker in the school tradition; but thanks to his speed he also held the unlikely position of punt returner, with an impressive average of over 13 yards per return.^[5]^[6]^[1]^[7] Future NFL hall of fame linebacker, and Penn State teammate, Jack Ham^[8] said "'[Linebacker U] started with Dennis Onkotz.'"^[9]

Onkotz led the team in tackles in 1968 and 1969.^[1] As of 2024, he ranks first in school history for interceptions by a linebacker with 11,^[2] with only five defensive backs ahead of him in total interceptions.^[10] Onkotz amassed 287 tackles, which at one time ranked third on the Lions' career list (but as of 2024 is just outside of the top five^[10]). His 11 interceptions are tied for eighth in school history. His three interception returns for touchdowns are a career record (since tied). Onkotz made the 1969 Academic All-America team and was also selected to play in the 1970 Hula Bowl.^[11] In three seasons, he helped the Lions to a 30-2-1 record and three bowl games, including two Orange Bowl wins.^[2] During the two Orange Bowl seasons (1968-69), Penn State was 11–0 each year.^[5] The Associated Press ranked Penn State second in the nation both years.^[12]^[13]

In 1995, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.^[5]^[1]

NFL career

Onkotz was selected in the third round of the 1970 NFL draft by the New York Jets.^[14] However, during a goal line stand on defense against the Los Angeles Rams in his rookie season, the Rams' fullback hit Onkotz and his leg snapped. He was in a cast for five months, with pins in his leg.^[15] The severely broken leg effectively ended his professional career after just nine games played.^[11]^[16] Onkotz was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and after a year attempted a comeback, but did not make the team. He tried another unsuccessful comeback with the Denver Broncos.^[15]^[17]

Personal life

After his short professional career, Onkotz attended graduate school at Penn State.^[15] As an undergraduate, he had gotten a degree in biophysics.^[5] Onkotz is a financial planner and affiliated with the Pennsylvania Financial Group. He lives with his wife, Diane, in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania near Penn State. He has four daughters, Dana, Gretchen, Rachel, and Carly.^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Dennis Onkotz (1995) - Hall of Fame". National Football Foundation. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "At Linebacker U, Onkotz was also a punt returner - Morning Call". archive.ph. December 27, 2014. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
^ "Northampton boys basketball's Ellwood hits 1,000-point milestone". lehighvalleylive. December 23, 2017. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
^ "Northampton Area School District Athletic Hall of Fame". www.nasdschools.org. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Dennis Onkotz, College Football Hall of Fame". cfbhall.com.
^ "The Greatest Penn State Linebackers of All Time". Black Shoe Diaries. June 10, 2007.
^ "Penn State Football: 30 greatest players of all-time". Victory Bell Rings. September 27, 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
^ "Jack Ham | Pro Football Hall of Fame". pfhof. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
^ Pircardi, Anthony (September 11, 2015). "The origins of Penn State football's Linebacker U". The Daily Collegian. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
^ ^a ^b "PSU football's all-time record holders". WGAL. December 12, 2024. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Dennis Onkotz Bio - Football - Penn State University Official Athletic Site". www.gopsusports.com. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
^ "1968 Final Football Polls | College Poll Archive". collegepollarchive.com. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
^ "1969 Final Football Polls | College Poll Archive". collegepollarchive.com. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
^ "1970 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
^ ^a ^b ^c Iovino, Jim (September 30, 1995). "Where are they now?". The Daily Collegian. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
^ "Dennis Onkotz Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
^ "Lehigh Valley Flashback Sept. 30: In 1971, Northampton grad Dennis Onkotz is traded from the New York Jets to the Pittsburgh Steelers". The Morning Call. September 30, 2020. Retrieved December 23, 2024.

[:2-1] "Dennis Onkotz (1995) - Hall of Fame". National Football Foundation. Retrieved December 23, 2024.

[auto-2] "At Linebacker U, Onkotz was also a punt returner - Morning Call". archive.ph. December 27, 2014. Retrieved December 23, 2024.

[3] "Northampton boys basketball's Ellwood hits 1,000-point milestone". lehighvalleylive. December 23, 2017. Retrieved December 23, 2024.

[4] "Northampton Area School District Athletic Hall of Fame". www.nasdschools.org. Retrieved December 23, 2024.

[:0-5] "Dennis Onkotz, College Football Hall of Fame". cfbhall.com.

[6] "The Greatest Penn State Linebackers of All Time". Black Shoe Diaries. June 10, 2007.

[7] "Penn State Football: 30 greatest players of all-time". Victory Bell Rings. September 27, 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2024.

[8] "Jack Ham | Pro Football Hall of Fame". pfhof. Retrieved December 23, 2024.

[9] Pircardi, Anthony (September 11, 2015). "The origins of Penn State football's Linebacker U". The Daily Collegian. Retrieved December 23, 2024.

[:3-10] "PSU football's all-time record holders". WGAL. December 12, 2024. Retrieved December 23, 2024.

[auto1-11] "Dennis Onkotz Bio - Football - Penn State University Official Athletic Site". www.gopsusports.com. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.

[12] "1968 Final Football Polls | College Poll Archive". collegepollarchive.com. Retrieved December 23, 2024.

[13] "1969 Final Football Polls | College Poll Archive". collegepollarchive.com. Retrieved December 23, 2024.

[14] "1970 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com.

[:1-15] Iovino, Jim (September 30, 1995). "Where are they now?". The Daily Collegian. Retrieved December 23, 2024.

[16] "Dennis Onkotz Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com.

[17] "Lehigh Valley Flashback Sept. 30: In 1971, Northampton grad Dennis Onkotz is traded from the New York Jets to the Pittsburgh Steelers". The Morning Call. September 30, 2020. Retrieved December 23, 2024.

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PROFILPELAJAR.COM

Dennis Onkotz

Early life

College career

NFL career

Personal life

References

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