NIC-10's 100 Greatest Football Players: No. 51 - Al Benz, West

One of West's best all-around athletes of the 1970s makes our list at No. 51.

Al Benz was a hard-charging fullback for the Warriors, gaining 1,031 yards over two seasons.

It was at linebacker, though, where he made his name. He was first-team All-Big Nine as a junior in 1972 despite missing the last three games with a collarbone injury. He repeated in 1973, leading West in tackles and in "first hits" with 91 in nine games. That earned him an all-state nod as well.

With Benz anchoring the offense and defense, the Warriors went 13-5. The 1973 team went 7-2, finishing third, but few remember that West era because of the 1973 and 1974 East teams that went 23-0 over two seasons.

Benz, who also was a two-time all-conference first baseman in baseball, earned a scholarship to Northwestern where he had a star-crossed career.

Benz got off to a great start in 1974, earning a starter position by week five. Unfortunately, he broke his leg against Iowa in a game where he already had nine tackles. When Benz returned in 1975, he didn't have the same explosiveness and lost his starting spot.

Benz was back in the starting lineup in 1976, but then fell out of favor and was relegated to second team in 1977. Still, he was a four-time letter winner in the Big Ten. Unfortunately, Northwestern was sliding to the very bottom of the conference. The Wildcats went 3-8 both Benz's freshman and sophomore years and then fell to 1-10 his junior and senior years. 

That's not a great record, but the Wildcats would go 1-42 the four years directly after Benz graduated. 

No. 51 - Al Benz, West
Year	Level	School	Accomplishments	Points
1972	High School	West	First Team All-Conference	2
			Winning Team	1
1973	High School	West	First Team All-Conference	2
			Winning Team	1
			All-State	1
1974	College	Northwestern	Letter Winner at Power 5 School	4
			Starter	1
1975	College	Northwestern	Letter Winner at Power 5 School	4
			Starter	1
1976	College	Northwestern	Letter Winner at Power 5 School	4
			Starter	1
1977	College	Northwestern	Letter Winner at Power 5 School	4
Total				26

NIC-10's 100 Greatest Football Players