Brian Alford
Encyclopedia
Brian Wayne Alford is a former American football
wide receiver
. During his National Football League
career, he played for the New York Giants
.
in Oak Park, Michigan
, Alford was a standout member of the football and track and field teams. He was a three year starter for football, and named to the Oakland Press Dream Team, first team all-state as well as voted to play in the Michigan
All-Star game as a senior.
on a football scholarship. In 1993, Alford redshirted. In 1994, he played in the final five games after recovering from a broken clavicle
, sustained in preseaon Black & Gold Game.
As a sophomore, he started first 6 games and played in all 11 games, leading the team in catches and TDs.
As a junior in 1996, he was named First team All-Big Ten and Purdue’s MVP. He placed 22nd in NCAA in pass receptions, and 2nd in the conference and 17th in nation in yardage. On November 23, 1996, Alford had the 2nd greatest about of receiving yards in a single Old Oaken Bucket
game, with 162 yards. He also established a career high 12 touchdown receptions.
With Joe Tiller
taking over as Purdue's head coach in 1997, he set career highs in catches (67) and yards (1,228). He was named a team captain, First team All-American by Sporting News News, 2nd team by the AP
3rd team by Sporting News. He graduated as the all-time leader in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He also set single season receiving yards, and at the time of his graduation, ranked 4th on all-time Big Ten single season list 4th in TD, 4th in receiving yards, and 8th in receptions.
He also holds the Purdue record for receiving touchdowns in a career, 31, as well as placing in the top 5 in several other Purdue receiving records.
, in the 1998 NFL Draft
. He was released August 27, 2000 after appearing in just 6 games over the course of 2 seasons, making just 2 catches.
later in 2000, and was placed on the practice squad. He was released on December 7, 2000, only to be re-signed on December 13, and then was then released again on July 12, 2001.
of the Arena Football League
. He was later signed off the practice squad, catching 6 passes for 148 yards and 3 touchdowns.
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...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
. During his 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...
career, he played 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...
.
Early life
A 1993 graduate of Oak Park High SchoolOak Park High School (Michigan)
Oak Park High School is a public high school located in Oak Park, Michigan an inner suburb of Detroit. The school is part of the Oak Park School district...
in Oak Park, Michigan
Oak Park, Michigan
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,793 people, 11,104 households, and 7,595 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,863.8 persons per square mile . There were 11,370 housing units at an average density of 2,263.9 per square mile...
, Alford was a standout member of the football and track and field teams. He was a three year starter for football, and named to the Oakland Press Dream Team, first team all-state as well as voted to play in the Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
All-Star game as a senior.
College career
Alford attended Purdue UniversityPurdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
on a football scholarship. In 1993, Alford redshirted. In 1994, he played in the final five games after recovering from a broken clavicle
Clavicle
In human anatomy, the clavicle or collar bone is a long bone of short length that serves as a strut between the scapula and the sternum. It is the only long bone in body that lies horizontally...
, sustained in preseaon Black & Gold Game.
As a sophomore, he started first 6 games and played in all 11 games, leading the team in catches and TDs.
As a junior in 1996, he was named First team All-Big Ten and Purdue’s MVP. He placed 22nd in NCAA in pass receptions, and 2nd in the conference and 17th in nation in yardage. On November 23, 1996, Alford had the 2nd greatest about of receiving yards in a single Old Oaken Bucket
Old Oaken Bucket
The Old Oaken Bucket is the name of the trophy that is annually awarded to the winner of the Big Ten Conference college football game between Indiana University and Purdue University. It is one of the oldest football trophies in the nation...
game, with 162 yards. He also established a career high 12 touchdown receptions.
With Joe Tiller
Joe Tiller
Joe Tiller is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Wyoming from 1991 to 1996 and Purdue University from 1997 to 2008, compliling a career college football record of 126–92–1...
taking over as Purdue's head coach in 1997, he set career highs in catches (67) and yards (1,228). He was named a team captain, First team All-American by Sporting News News, 2nd team by the AP
AP
A&P or AP or Ap or ap may refer to:-Education:* Advanced Placement, a program that offers college level courses at high schools across the United States and Canada* Ang Pamantasan, a Philippine university student publication...
3rd team by Sporting News. He graduated as the all-time leader in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He also set single season receiving yards, and at the time of his graduation, ranked 4th on all-time Big Ten single season list 4th in TD, 4th in receiving yards, and 8th in receptions.
He also holds the Purdue record for receiving touchdowns in a career, 31, as well as placing in the top 5 in several other Purdue receiving records.
Statistics
Source:| Receiving | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | Avg | Long | ||||||
| 1994 | Purdue Purdue Boilermakers football The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of... | 4 | 58 | 14.5 | 1 | 28 | |||
| 1995 | Purdue Purdue Boilermakers football The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of... | 34 | 686 | 20.2 | 8 | 78 | |||
| 1996 1996 Purdue Boilermakers football team The 1996 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University in the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season.-Schedule:-Staff:Head Coach: Jim Colletto... | Purdue Purdue Boilermakers football The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of... | 63 | 1,057 | 16.8 | 12 | 90 | |||
| 1997 1997 Purdue Boilermakers football team The 1997 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. They played their home games at Ross–Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana and were members of the Big Ten Conference.-Schedule:... | Purdue Purdue Boilermakers football The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of... | 63 | 1,228 | 19.5 | 10 | 93 | |||
| Totals | 164 | 3,029 | 18.5 | 31 | 93 | ||||
- Numbers in Bold are Purdue school records
New York Giants
Alford was drafted in the 3rd round, 70th overall, by the New York GiantsNew 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...
, in the 1998 NFL Draft
1998 NFL Draft
The 1998 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 18-19, 1998...
. He was released August 27, 2000 after appearing in just 6 games over the course of 2 seasons, making just 2 catches.
Miami Dolphins
Alford would sign with the Miami DolphinsMiami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
later in 2000, and was placed on the practice squad. He was released on December 7, 2000, only to be re-signed on December 13, and then was then released again on July 12, 2001.
Indiana Firebirds
For the 2003 season, Alford started as a practice squad member of the Indiana FirebirdsIndiana Firebirds
The Indiana Firebirds were a team in the Arena Football League.The team was based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Home games were played at the Conseco Fieldhouse, also the home of the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball...
of the Arena Football League
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
. He was later signed off the practice squad, catching 6 passes for 148 yards and 3 touchdowns.