Wilburn Hollis        

HIGH SCHOOL: Wilburn Hollis attended Boys Town High School and lived in or near Boys Town, Nebraska. He was an orphan, but excelled in sports, playing football, basketball, baseball, and track, where he earned prep All-American status after leading his team to an undefeated season in 1957. He was recruited by Forest Evashevski and arrived in Iowa City in 1958.

COLLEGE: He scored two touchdowns and threw for two touchdowns his sophomore season in 1959. He ascended to the starting QB position as a junior, and helped lead Iowa to one of its most successful seasons. He was one of the first African-Americans to earn All-American honors at quarterback (second team), leading the Hawkeyes to a Big Ten championship. Against Wisconsin in 1960, he threw the winning TD pass to Sammie Harris with only 52 seconds remaining in a 28-21 victory, which elevated Iowa to the No. 1 ranking in the nation after the win. Iowa spent three weeks at No. 1 and won a share of the Big Ten title with an 8-1 record. He scored 68 points that season, the most points scored at Iowa by a single player since 1922. He was an all-Big Ten first team selection and a second team All-American as a junior.

As a team captain, he led #1 Iowa to a win in the opening game of the 1961 season, rushing for 124 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-7 victory. However, he fractured his right wrist in the second game of the season against USC, and his Iowa career came to a premature end.

PROFESSIONAL: He was drafted in the 13th round (101st overall) in the 1962 NFL Draft by the New York Titans, and played professional football for various teams.

Born 11/12/1940 and died on 1/31/2024 at the age of 83.