Alan Pastrana
Encyclopedia
Charles Alan Pastrana is a former American football
quarterback
. He played college football
for the University of Maryland
from 1965 to 1968. In 1966, he set the Atlantic Coast Conference
record for single-season passing touchdown
s with 17. At Maryland, Pastrana also played on the lacrosse team and was named a first-team All-American
defenseman in 1966. The Denver Broncos
of the National Football League
selected Pastrana in the 11th round of the 1969 NFL Draft
. He played for Denver for two seasons, including three games as the starting quarterback. After his playing career, Pastrana coached football and lacrosse at Anne Arundel Community College
, where he taught as an associate professor, and coached football at the Severn School
.
, to a family of Puerto Rican
descent. He attended Annapolis High School
, where he served as the captain of the football, lacrosse, and wrestling teams. After he graduated from Annapolis High in 1964, Pastrana attended the college preparatory Severn School
.
, where he earned three letters
on the football team
in 1965, 1966, and 1968, and two on the lacrosse team in 1966 and 1967. He played lacrosse as a defenseman under head coach John Howard
. After the 1966 season, the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association
named him a first-team All-American
.
In 1965, he played football on defense as a linebacker
. The following season, Lou Saban
took over as head coach from Tom Nugent
, and held open quarterback try-outs, which included everyone who had played the position in high school. Early in the season, Saban dismissed several players "not good enough to play for Maryland", including former starting quarterback Phil Petry, and the job went to Pastrana. Saban employed a pro-style offense.
After losses to Penn State and , Pastrana led the underdog Maryland team to a surprising three-game winning streak over , , and , which improbably placed the Terrapins atop the Atlantic Coast Conference
and into the bowl game
picture. Maryland, however, lost its final four games of the season to finish 4–6 and 3–3 in the ACC. In the penultimate game against , Pastrana broke the ACC record with his 13th and 14th touchdown passes of the season. routed Maryland in the season finale, 45–21, where Pastrana's passing accounted for all three Terrapin scores in a failed second-half comeback bid. He finished the year with 102 completions on 195 attempts for 1,499 yards and 17 touchdowns. After the season, Saban left to become head coach for the Denver Broncos
and he was replaced by former Maryland All-American guard Bob Ward.
In April 1967, Pastrana suffered a serious injury when he tore his medial collateral ligament
and cartilage in his knee during a spring football practice. The injury required surgery, and he was lost for the 1967 season. Pastrana returned for his final year of eligibility in 1968, but had "only a mediocre season", although he "kept the team spirits high with his never-say-die attitude." Maryland finished with a 2–8 record. Pastrana recorded 81 completions on 172 attempts for 1,053 yards and six touchdowns.
During his collegiate career, Pastrana set the school record for season efficiency rating
at 131.29 in 1966, which was broken by Bob Avellini
in 1974. Pastrana also set school records with 23 career passing touchdowns and 17 single-season passing touchdowns, both of which were later broken by Boomer Esiason
.
selected Pastrana in the eleventh round of the 1969 NFL Draft
with the 270th overall pick. In 1969
, he saw action in two games and did not attempt a pass, but did have one reception
for 15 yards. The following season
, he played in five games, including three as starter in relief of Steve Tensi
, who had suffered a shoulder injury. Against the San Diego Chargers
, Pastrana drove the team to the opposing 35-yard line and within field goal range, but he was knocked unconscious and could not call a crucial timeout. As the offensive captain, he was the only person authorized to do so under the rules at the time, and the clock expired to result in a 17–17 stalemate. The rules regarding timeouts were changed after the season. In 1970, Pastrana completed 29 of 75 pass attempts for 420 yards and one touchdown, rushed
14 times for 89 yards and one touchdown, threw nine interceptions, and was sacked
eight times. Five of his interceptions came against the Kansas City Chiefs
. In the 1971
offseason, head coach Lou Saban
held try-outs with seven quarterbacks. By the end of August, Pastrana made the cut to the final three, alongside Don Horn
and Steve Ramsey
, and was the only quarterback remaining on the team from the prior season. Pastrana, however, was cut in early September.
in 1973. From 1980 to 1989, he served as the head coach and directed a multiple-I
and pro-set
offense until the school discontinued the program. He also served as a co-head coach of the Anne Arundel Community College men's lacrosse team alongside former Maryland coach Bud Beardmore
.
In 1993, the Severn School
hired Pastrana as its football coach, but he resigned after just three games amid complaints from parents and players over his laid-back coaching style. Some were concerned that Pastrana visited with friends in the stands during the halftime of two losses. In 2001, Pastrana was an associate professor of health and education at Anne Arundel Community College, where he was still teaching as of 2006. Pastrana has been inducted into the Anne Arundel County Sports Hall of Fame.
s competitor Travis Pastrana
. Another nephew, Greg Powell, played football at Maryland as a walk-on in 2005 and 2006. His nephew, Darren Pastrana, entered the United States Naval Academy
in 2008, where he played on the lacrosse team
. His niece, Kim Pastrana, played women's lacrosse
at Duke University
from 2005 to 2007.
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...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
. 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 University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
from 1965 to 1968. In 1966, he set the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
record for single-season passing 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 with 17. At Maryland, Pastrana also played on the lacrosse team and was named a first-team All-American
USILA All-American Team
The USILA All-American Team is an honor given annually to the best American men's college lacrosse players at their respective positions by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. The term All-American is derived from the same practice in American college football, in which the...
defenseman in 1966. The Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of 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...
selected Pastrana in the 11th round of the 1969 NFL Draft
1969 NFL Draft
The 1969 National Football League Draft was part of the Common Draft, the third and final year in which the NFL and American Football League held a joint draft of college players. The draft took place on January 28–29, 1969....
. He played for Denver for two seasons, including three games as the starting quarterback. After his playing career, Pastrana coached football and lacrosse at Anne Arundel Community College
Anne Arundel Community College
Anne Arundel Community College, founded in 1961, is located in Arnold, Maryland. The college was named "Community College of the Year" by National Business Alliance in 2000. AACC has also received many other in recent years...
, where he taught as an associate professor, and coached football at the Severn School
Severn School
Severn School was founded in 1914 by Rolland M. Teel in Severna Park, Maryland, as a preparatory school for the United States Naval Academy. Today, Severn is a day school enrolling boys and girls in grades 6 through 12...
.
Early life
Pastrana was born on November 20, 1944, in Annapolis, MarylandAnnapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
, to a family of Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
descent. He attended Annapolis High School
Annapolis High School
Annapolis High School is an American high school located in the city of Annapolis, Maryland in Anne Arundel County. It is part of the Anne Arundel County Public Schools system and is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools....
, where he served as the captain of the football, lacrosse, and wrestling teams. After he graduated from Annapolis High in 1964, Pastrana attended the college preparatory Severn School
Severn School
Severn School was founded in 1914 by Rolland M. Teel in Severna Park, Maryland, as a preparatory school for the United States Naval Academy. Today, Severn is a day school enrolling boys and girls in grades 6 through 12...
.
College career
Pastrana enrolled at the University of MarylandUniversity of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, where he earned three letters
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
on the football team
Maryland Terrapins football
The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
in 1965, 1966, and 1968, and two on the lacrosse team in 1966 and 1967. He played lacrosse as a defenseman under head coach John Howard
John Howard (lacrosse)
John Douglas "Hezzy" Howard was an American educator and college lacrosse player and coach. He coached the University of Maryland lacrosse team from 1966 to 1969 and amassed a 32–7–1 record. He attended Washington College, where in 1956 he received the Jack Turnbull Award as the...
. After the 1966 season, the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association
United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association
The United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association is an association of institutions with varsity college lacrosse programs in all three NCAA divisions, founded in 1885.-Awards:...
named him a first-team All-American
USILA All-American Team
The USILA All-American Team is an honor given annually to the best American men's college lacrosse players at their respective positions by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. The term All-American is derived from the same practice in American college football, in which the...
.
In 1965, he played football on defense as a 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...
. The following season, Lou Saban
Lou Saban
Louis Henry Saban was an American football player and coach. Saban played for Indiana University in college and as a pro for the Cleveland Browns of the All-America Football Conference...
took over as head coach from Tom Nugent
Tom Nugent
Thomas N. "Tom" Nugent was an American college football coach and innovator, sportscaster, public relations man. He served as the head football coach at the Virginia Military Institute, Florida State University, and the University of Maryland. His career record was 89–80–3...
, and held open quarterback try-outs, which included everyone who had played the position in high school. Early in the season, Saban dismissed several players "not good enough to play for Maryland", including former starting quarterback Phil Petry, and the job went to Pastrana. Saban employed a pro-style offense.
After losses to Penn State and , Pastrana led the underdog Maryland team to a surprising three-game winning streak over , , and , which improbably placed the Terrapins atop the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
and into the bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
picture. Maryland, however, lost its final four games of the season to finish 4–6 and 3–3 in the ACC. In the penultimate game against , Pastrana broke the ACC record with his 13th and 14th touchdown passes of the season. routed Maryland in the season finale, 45–21, where Pastrana's passing accounted for all three Terrapin scores in a failed second-half comeback bid. He finished the year with 102 completions on 195 attempts for 1,499 yards and 17 touchdowns. After the season, Saban left to become head coach for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and he was replaced by former Maryland All-American guard Bob Ward.
In April 1967, Pastrana suffered a serious injury when he tore his medial collateral ligament
Medial collateral ligament
The medial collateral ligament of the knee is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial side of the knee joint in humans and other primates. It is also known as the tibial collateral ligament, or abbreviated as the MCL.- Structure :It is a broad, flat, membranous band,...
and cartilage in his knee during a spring football practice. The injury required surgery, and he was lost for the 1967 season. Pastrana returned for his final year of eligibility in 1968, but had "only a mediocre season", although he "kept the team spirits high with his never-say-die attitude." Maryland finished with a 2–8 record. Pastrana recorded 81 completions on 172 attempts for 1,053 yards and six touchdowns.
During his collegiate career, Pastrana set the school record for season efficiency rating
Passer rating
Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...
at 131.29 in 1966, which was broken by Bob Avellini
Bob Avellini
Robert Hayden Avellini was a quarterback in the NFL. For most of his career, he played for the Chicago Bears before finishing with the New York Jets. His nickname was "Slow-Mo".-Pro career:...
in 1974. Pastrana also set school records with 23 career passing touchdowns and 17 single-season passing touchdowns, both of which were later broken by Boomer Esiason
Boomer Esiason
Norman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
.
Denver Broncos
The Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
selected Pastrana in the eleventh round of the 1969 NFL Draft
1969 NFL Draft
The 1969 National Football League Draft was part of the Common Draft, the third and final year in which the NFL and American Football League held a joint draft of college players. The draft took place on January 28–29, 1969....
with the 270th overall pick. In 1969
1969 Denver Broncos season
The 1969 season was the Denver Broncos 10th and final season in the American Football League. They finished the regular season with a record of 5–8–1, and went 4th in the AFL West for the seventh straight season.-Division standings: -Regular season:-Roster:...
, he saw action in two games and did not attempt a pass, but did have one reception
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
for 15 yards. The following season
1970 Denver Broncos season
The 1970 Denver Broncos season was the team's 11th season in professional football and first in the NFL after the merger. The Broncos duplicated their record from the previous season with five wins, eight losses, and one tie. They placed last in the new AFC West. Floyd Little became the first...
, he played in five games, including three as starter in relief of Steve Tensi
Steve Tensi
Stephen Michael "Steve" Tensi is a former professional American football quarterback in the American Football League and the National Football League. He played for the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos .-See also:* Other American Football League players...
, who had suffered a shoulder injury. Against the San Diego Chargers
1970 San Diego Chargers season
The 1970 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 8–6 record in 1969. It was their first season as an NFL team as a result of the NFL-AFL Merger, where the league was broken into two Conferences, with the AFL teams moving into the American Football...
, Pastrana drove the team to the opposing 35-yard line and within field goal range, but he was knocked unconscious and could not call a crucial timeout. As the offensive captain, he was the only person authorized to do so under the rules at the time, and the clock expired to result in a 17–17 stalemate. The rules regarding timeouts were changed after the season. In 1970, Pastrana completed 29 of 75 pass attempts for 420 yards and one touchdown, rushed
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...
14 times for 89 yards and one touchdown, threw nine interceptions, and was sacked
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
eight times. Five of his interceptions came against the Kansas City Chiefs
1970 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 1970 Kansas City Chiefs season began with the Chiefs attempting to defend their championship but ended with a 7–5–2 record and no playoff berth....
. In the 1971
1971 Denver Broncos season
The 1971 Denver Broncos season was the teams 12th season in professional football and 2nd in the NFL. The team finished the season with four wins, nine losses, and one tie. They once again finished fourth in the AFC West. Floyd Little became the 13th player ever in professional football to rush for...
offseason, head coach Lou Saban
Lou Saban
Louis Henry Saban was an American football player and coach. Saban played for Indiana University in college and as a pro for the Cleveland Browns of the All-America Football Conference...
held try-outs with seven quarterbacks. By the end of August, Pastrana made the cut to the final three, alongside Don Horn
Don Horn
Donald Glenn Horn is a former National Football League quarterback. He was a first round pick All American out of San Diego State University by the Green Bay Packers, but his NFL career was less impressive because he only threw for 3,369 yards and 20 touchdowns in 8 seasons...
and Steve Ramsey
Steve Ramsey (American football)
Stephen Wayne Ramsey was a professional American football quarterback who played in seven National Football League seasons from 1970-1976 for two different teams, the New Orleans Saints and the Denver Broncos. Ramsey attended W. W. Samuell High School in Dallas, Texas and The University of North...
, and was the only quarterback remaining on the team from the prior season. Pastrana, however, was cut in early September.
After the NFL
Pastrana became an assistant football coach at Anne Arundel Community CollegeAnne Arundel Community College
Anne Arundel Community College, founded in 1961, is located in Arnold, Maryland. The college was named "Community College of the Year" by National Business Alliance in 2000. AACC has also received many other in recent years...
in 1973. From 1980 to 1989, he served as the head coach and directed a multiple-I
I formation
The I formation is one of the most common offensive formations in American football. The I formation draws its name from the vertical alignment of quarterback, fullback, and running back, particularly when contrasted with the same players' alignments in the T formation.The formation begins with...
and pro-set
Pro Set
In American football, the pro set or splitback formation is a traditional formation, commonly a "base" set used by professional and amateur teams. In pro set formations, the running backs are lined up side-by-side instead of one in front of the other as in traditional I-formation sets...
offense until the school discontinued the program. He also served as a co-head coach of the Anne Arundel Community College men's lacrosse team alongside former Maryland coach Bud Beardmore
Bud Beardmore
Clayton A. "Bud" Beardmore is a former American lacrosse coach. As head coach at the University of Maryland, Beardmore led the Terrapins to two NCAA tournament championships in 1973 and 1975...
.
In 1993, the Severn School
Severn School
Severn School was founded in 1914 by Rolland M. Teel in Severna Park, Maryland, as a preparatory school for the United States Naval Academy. Today, Severn is a day school enrolling boys and girls in grades 6 through 12...
hired Pastrana as its football coach, but he resigned after just three games amid complaints from parents and players over his laid-back coaching style. Some were concerned that Pastrana visited with friends in the stands during the halftime of two losses. In 2001, Pastrana was an associate professor of health and education at Anne Arundel Community College, where he was still teaching as of 2006. Pastrana has been inducted into the Anne Arundel County Sports Hall of Fame.
Personal life
Pastrana and his wife have an adult daughter. He is the uncle of stuntman and motorsportMotorsport
Motorsport or motorsports is the group of sports which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles, whether for racing or non-racing competition...
s competitor Travis Pastrana
Travis Pastrana
Travis Alan Pastrana is an American motorsports competitor and stunt performer who has won championships and X Games gold medals in several events, including supercross, motocross, freestyle motocross, and rally racing. He runs a show called Nitro Circus with some of his friends...
. Another nephew, Greg Powell, played football at Maryland as a walk-on in 2005 and 2006. His nephew, Darren Pastrana, entered the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in 2008, where he played on the lacrosse team
Navy Midshipmen men's lacrosse
The Navy Midshipmen men's lacrosse team represents the United States Naval Academy in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse. Navy currently competes as a member of the Patriot League and play their home games at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland...
. His niece, Kim Pastrana, played women's lacrosse
Women's lacrosse
Women's lacrosse, sometimes shortened to wlax or lax, is a sport played with twelve players on each team. Originally played by the indigenous peoples of the Americas, the first tribe to play it was the Hauser tribe, of the Great Plains. The modern women's game was introduced in 1890 at the St...
at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
from 2005 to 2007.