NIC-10's 100 Greatest Football Players: No. 76 - Gary Stearns, Freeport

Freeport's Gary Stearns was an integral part of record-setting passing attacks both in high school and college and it earned him a long-shot attempt at the NFL.

In 1959, Freeport won its first conference football title since 1925 behind the prolific passing of "Golden-Armed" Harry Kent. Kent threw for 20 touchdowns in leading the Pretzels to an 8-0-1 record. No Big Eight/Big Nine/NIC-10 quarterback would throw for more until 1986.

Stearns was the battering ram fullback who kept defenses honest. He led Freeport with eight rushing touchdowns and added two TD receptions.

Stearns then went to play for Northern Illinois University, which at that time was becoming an NCAA Division II powerhouse under Howard Fletcher. Fletcher moved Stearns to wide receiver where he teamed up with Hugh Rohrschneider to catch passes from George Bork.

The Huskies improved from 4-4-1 in 1961, his sophomore year, to 8-2 and then 10-0 in 1983 and a win in the Mineral Bowl, which was the title game of Division II football in the 1960s. Fletcher ran an offense that routinely featured five receiver combinations when the wishbone offense was the dominant offense.

The Huskies led NCAA Division II in passing yards in both 1963 and 1964. Bork, who ended up playing four years in the Canadian Football League, ended up setting 20 school passing records over the two seasons. 

Stearns led the NCAA with 116.4 yards per game in 1983, including a win over Central Michigan where he caught a record 17 passes for 188 yards. Stearns ended up with 142 catches in his NIU career for 1,958 yards and 18 TDs.

The prolific numbers earned him a free agent contract with the Washington Redskins. When he didn't make the team he went into education. He spent 1970 to 1994 at Elmwood Park High School as a teacher, football coach and athletic director.

Making this list is just one of a number of honors Stearns earned. He's in the Northern Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame as an individual and as a member of the 1963 team. He was inducted into both the Illinois High School Football Coaches and Illinois High School Athletic Directors Hall of Fame. He also was given the Glenn Holmes Award by Freeport, the highest honor a former Freeport athlete or coach can be given. Stearns died in 2011.

No. 76 - Gary Stearns, Freeport
Year	Level	School	Accomplishments	Points
1958	High School	Freeport	Losing Team	0
1959	High School	Freeport	Second Team All-Conference	1
			Winning Team	1
			Conference Champion	1
			Top 4 Ranking	1
1960	College	Northern Illinois	Letter Winner in Division II	2
1961	College	Northern Illinois	Letter Winner in Division II	2
			Starter	1
			Winning Team	1
1962	College	Northern Illinois	Letter Winner in Division II	2
			Starter	1
			Winning Team	1
			Bowl Game	1
1963	College	Northern Illinois	Letter Winner in Division II	2
			Starter	1
			Winning Team	1
			League Leader	1
			Honorable Mention All-America	0.5
			Bowl Game	1
			National Champion	1
1964	Pro Football	Redskins	Free Agent Contract	1
Total				22.5

NIC-10's 100 Greatest Football Players