National Football Foundation

Compiling a 3.67 GPA in English, Michael Oriard was a member of the Northwest Club and the Dean’s List at Notre Dame all four years. The captain of the Fighting Irish in 1969, he led Notre Dame to an 8-2-1 record and a Cotton Bowl appearance. Oriard was named a Second Team All-American by The Sporting News in 1969, and he was the recipient of the Byron V. Kanaley Award, given to the Notre Dame player who has been the most exemplary as a student and a leader. Oriard was drafted in the fifth round (130^th overall pick) of the 1970 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He played four seasons with the Chiefs and served as a starting lineman from 1971-73. Oriard went on to have a distinguished career as a professor of English and later Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Oregon State University. His academic work has centered on American sports nonfiction in multiple mediums.