Legends Luncheon honors defenders of the gridiron

Update: See video and photos from the 2019 Homecoming and Legends Luncheon below.

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Arizona State University’s defensive gridiron greats will be honored at the Legends Luncheon the day before this week's Homecoming game, where the Sun Devils will take on the Oregon Ducks. The luncheon will celebrate ASU’s former student-athletes who played three years in the NFL, have been inducted into the Sun Devil Athletics Hall of Fame or were named First Team All American during their time in college.

ASU’s football players and coaches will be honored at the event hosted by the ASU Alumni Association and the Sun Devil Club from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22, at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown, 340 N. Third St. These defensive players have achieved numerous athletic accolades on the gridiron including Most Valuable Player, Pro Bowler and inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Players and coaches returning for the Legends Luncheon represent football teams from 1967 to 2007, including players from the 1969 WAC championship team, 1970 Peach Bowl team, 1987 Rose Bowl team and 1997 Rose Bowl team. Some of the more than 50 players returning for the event are Bob Breunig, Ron Brown, Curley Culp, Windlan Hall, Al Harris, Bob Kohrs, Nathan LaDuke, Ron Pritchard, Phillippi Sparks, Jeremy Staat and Darren Woodson.  

[video:https://vimeo.com/372976881 autoplay:0]

Video by ASU

Former NFL and ASU wide receiver J.D. Hill, who played for the Sun Devils in 1967, 1968 and 1970, had this to say about the importance of football defense: “When it really gets down to it, it’s defense that really puts the game where it needs to be, especially to give you an opportunity to win. And without defense, you just can’t win.”

Former Dallas Cowboys and ASU quarterback, and current Sun Devil Athletics consultant and Sun Devil Club ambassador Danny White talked about some of the great ASU defensive players who went on to have successful careers in the NFL.

“All of the pressure or lack of pressure on the offense comes from the defense,” said White, who played for the Sun Devils from 1971 to 1973. “We had a defense that set the tone,” White said. “They flew around. They were physical. When you mention names like Breunig, Haynes, Pritchard and Culp, there’s one common denominator, and that’s 'tough.'”

Sun Devil Athletics Deputy Athletics Director Jean Boyd, who played for the ASU defense during the 1991–94 seasons had this to say: “They say offense wins games but defense wins championships. A great defensive player really is a comprehensive individual who understands the mind, body and spirit of the game and seeks to elevate themselves in all those areas to be the best that they can from a physical standpoint.”

Information about the Legends Luncheon can be found at alumni.asu.edu/legends.