Keith Dorney
Encyclopedia
Keith Robert Dorney is a former offensive lineman for the National Football League
's Detroit Lions
.
, Dorney played high school football at Emmaus High School
in Emmaus, Pennsylvania
, where he competed in the East Penn Conference (the forerunner to the Lehigh Valley Conference
), which is known for its success in producing collegiate and NFL football talent.
At Emmaus, Dorney was actively recruited by Penn State
, where he enrolled and gained both consensus All-America
n and Academic All-American honors. In tribute of his play at Penn State, Dorney was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 2005.
Following his Penn State football career, Dorney entered the 1979 NFL Draft
and was selected by the Detroit Lions in the draft's first-round, with the 10th overall selection.
once (in 1982). For the Lions, he played both offensive guard
and offensive tackle. He was also the team's offensive captain from 1983 to 1987.
Dorney's NFL career was highlighted by his role as a lead blocker for NFL rushing great Billy Sims
, who is 32nd in all-time NFL rushing yards.
From 2003 to 2006, Dorney was on the faculty of Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa, California
, teaching freshman
English
. Dorney and Hall of Fame
quarterback Joe Montana
both provided Cardinal Newman with periodic coaching support.
He earned a Bachelor of Science
in Insurance and Real Estate from Penn State University (1979), and a Master's
in Education from the University of San Francisco
.
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...
's Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
.
High school and college career
Growing up in Macungie, PennsylvaniaMacungie, Pennsylvania
Macungie is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is the second oldest borough in the county and a suburb of Allentown, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.-History:...
, Dorney played high school football at Emmaus High School
Emmaus High School
Emmaus High School is a public high school located in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The school serves grades 9 through 12 in Pennsylvania's East Penn School District in the Lehigh Valley region of the state....
in Emmaus, Pennsylvania
Emmaus, Pennsylvania
Emmaus is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is located five miles southwest of Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The population of Emmaus was 11,313 at the 2000 census...
, where he competed in the East Penn Conference (the forerunner to the Lehigh Valley Conference
Lehigh Valley Conference
The Lehigh Valley Interscholastic Athletic Conference is an athletic conference consisting of 12 large high schools from Lehigh and Northampton counties in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, in the United States...
), which is known for its success in producing collegiate and NFL football talent.
At Emmaus, Dorney was actively recruited by Penn State
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
, where he enrolled and gained both consensus All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n and Academic All-American honors. In tribute of his play at Penn State, Dorney was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 2005.
Following his Penn State football career, Dorney entered the 1979 NFL Draft
1979 NFL Draft
The 1979 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 May 3–4, 1979...
and was selected by the Detroit Lions in the draft's first-round, with the 10th overall selection.
NFL career
Dorney played in the NFL for nine years, from 1979 to 1987. He was selected to the Pro BowlPro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
once (in 1982). For the Lions, he played both offensive guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
and offensive tackle. He was also the team's offensive captain from 1983 to 1987.
Dorney's NFL career was highlighted by his role as a lead blocker for NFL rushing great Billy Sims
Billy Sims
Billy Sims is a former college football and NFL running back. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1978.-Early years:...
, who is 32nd in all-time NFL rushing yards.
Personal
Dorney's autobiography, Black and Honolulu Blue: In the Trenches of the NFL, chronicles his life and football career.From 2003 to 2006, Dorney was on the faculty of Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa is the county seat of Sonoma County, California, United States. The 2010 census reported a population of 167,815. Santa Rosa is the largest city in California's Wine Country and fifth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area, after San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fremont and 26th...
, teaching freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
. Dorney and Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
quarterback Joe Montana
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...
both provided Cardinal Newman with periodic coaching support.
He earned a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Insurance and Real Estate from Penn State University (1979), and a Master's
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Education from the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
.
External links
- Black and Honolulu Blue: In the Trenches of the NFL, a book by Keith Dorney.
- Keith Dorney biography at the College Football Hall of Fame.
- "Dorney To Be Enshrined Into College Football Hall of Fame", Detroit Lions Web Site, May 19, 2005.
- "Keith Dorney College Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Set for this Weekend", Penn State UniversityPennsylvania State UniversityThe Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
press release, August 6, 2006.