The All-Time University of Houston NFL Team

The best player ever sent to the NFL from the University of Houston was tight end Riley Odoms, who went to four Pro Bowls and has been enshrined in the Denver Broncos’ Ring of Fame.

But the most unique player sent to the NFL by the Cougars was easily Pat Studstill.

Studstill played both quarterback and running back at Houston in his first two college seasons in 1958-59, but suffered a leg injury as a senior in 1960, limiting him to just one game. As a result, he was not one of the 240 players chosen in the 20-round 1961 NFL draft, nor was he one of the 264 players selected in the 33-round AFL draft.

Although on a football scholarship at Houston, Studstill also was a sprinter on the track team with a best time of 9.8 in the 100-yard dash. That speed made him an attractive post-draft commodity, and he signed with the Detroit Lions as a free agent.

Studstill made the Lions as a rookie but played sparingly at wide receiver behind incumbent starters Terry Barr and Gail Cogdill. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t making a contribution – he returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown against the Chicago Bears in 1961 and then led the NFL in punt returns in 1962 with an average of 15.8 yards on his 29 chances. But a knee injury in training camp cost him the 1963 season.

Studstill took over the team’s punting chores in 1965 following the retirement of Hall of Famer Yale Lary and led the NFL with 78 kicks. In 1966, Studstill led the NFL in receiving yardage with 1,266 on 67 catches with five touchdowns. He also tied an NFL record that season with a 99-yard touchdown reception. Then in 1967 Studstill led the NFL in punting with an average of 44.5 yards per kick.

The Lions traded Studstill and two other players to the Rams for quarterback Bill Munsen in 1968 and he spent five seasons in Los Angeles, primarily as a punter. He led the NFL with 81 punts in 1968 and again with 80 in 1969. The Rams waived him in 1972 and he was claimed by New England, where he spent one final NFL season punting the football.

Studstill remains the only player in NFL history to lead the league in punting, punt returns and receiving yardage. He retired with 560 career punts, 181 receptions and 59 punt returns. He scored 19 touchdowns, including 16 with the Lions. A native of Shreveport, La., Studstill was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.

So pencil Studstill in at three spots on the all-time Houston NFL team — wide receiver, punter and return specialist. He is one of eight Cougars on this all-time NFL team to go to Pro Bowls and there are still two alums still active, quarterback Case Keenum and defensive tackle Ed Oliver. We’d let Wade Phillips coach this team. He started at linebacker for the Cougars from 1966-68.

Here is the all-time University of Houston NFL team:

*-QB-Case Keenum, 14 seasons, 9 teams, 15,530 passing yards

HB-Dickie Post, 7 seasons, 2 Pro Bowls, AFL rushing champion in 1969

FB-Kimble Anders, 10 seasons, 2 Pro Bowls, 369 catches, 18 TDs

WR-Pat Studstill, 10 seasons, 2 Pro Bowls, 181 catches, 18 TDs

WR-Elmo Wright, 5 seasons, 70 catches, 6 TDs

TE-Riley Odoms, 12 seasons, 4 Pro Bowls, 396 catches, 41 TDs

OT-Sebastian Vollmer, 7 seasons, 80 starts, 2 SB rings

OT-Errol Linden, 10 seasons, 113 starts

G-Hogan Wharton, 4 seasons, 51 starts

G-Charlie Fowler, 2 seasons, 13 starts

C-Rex Hadnot, 9 seasons, 96 starts

DE-Lamar Lathon, 9 seasons, Pro Bowl, 39 1/2 sacks

DE-Simon Fletcher, 11 seasons, 97 ½ sacks

DT-Larry Cole, 13 seasons, 59 sacks, 2 SB rings

*-DT-Ed Oliver, 8 seasons, 30 1/2 sacks

RLB-Greg Brezina, 11 seasons, Pro Bowl, 140 starts, 26 TAWs

MLB-Eugene Lockhart, 9 seasons, 117, starts, 222 tackles in 1969

LLB-Charlie Hall, 10 seasons, 132 starts, 22 TAWs

CB-Audray McMillian, 8 seasons, Pro Bowl, NFL INT champion in 1962

CB-Stanford Routt, 8 seasons, 12 interceptions

S-Bo Burris, 3 seasons, 22 starts, 4 interceptions

S-Mike Simpson, 4 seasons, 17 starts, 3 interceptions

P-Pat Studstill, NFL punting champion in 1867

KR-Pat Studstill, NFL punt return champion in 1962

ST-Hanik Milligan, 4 seasons, Pro Bowl, 58 ST tackles

LS-Thomas Gafford, 9 seasons, 125 games, 20 ST tackles

*-Still active