Boilers By Numbers: No. 58

Leading into the Sept. 5 season opener against Syracuse, GoldAndBlack.com will count down the days 'til the 2004 lidlifter by highlighting the former Boilermakers who wore the jersey corresponding to the days remaining until kickoff.

Below is a list of all Boilermakers who donned the No. 58 jersey*:

Ted Axton 1938, 1940, C

Pete Barbolak (also 71) 1947-48, T

Jerry Clinnin 1963, C

Brent Grover 2002-present, DT

Don Guinn 1968-69, 1971-72, MG

Neil Habig 1955-57, C

Cody Isbell 1935-37, E-C-HB

Don Keiser (also 76) 1960, T

Glenn Knecht 1953-54, C

Keith Mooney 1988-90, DE

Warren "Ike" Moore 1997-2000, DE

Kevin Motts 1976-79, LB

Skip Ohl (also 67) 1958, G

Jim Polak 1974-75, C

Bill Reed (also 43) 1949, C

Italo Rossi 1939, 1941, T

Brock Spack 1980-83, LB

Alexander Tedesco 1972, OG

Craig Williams 1993-96, LB-DE

Bob Yunaska 1965, 1967-68, LB

*Source: Purdue Football Information Guide

GoldAndBlack.com's Top No. 58s:

Not surprisingly, Brock Spack coaches his defenses to play the way he did, leaving it all on the field. He led the Boilermakers in tackles his first year as a starter as a sophomore en route to making first team All-Big Ten in Coach Jim Young's last season as head coach in 1981. He was the only sophomore honored by the conference on its first unit. Spack, who served as a team captain as a senior in '83, finished his Purdue career with a pair of solid seasons finishing second on the team in tackles in both campaigns.

Mishawaka, Ind., native Kevin Motts might not have had Spack's athletic gifts at linebacker, but he could tackle without peer in Purdue annals. Motts has a record that has stood 25 years and might stand 25 more with 520 career tackles. Motts was a four-year starter from 1976-79 and played an important role in the development of the "Junk Defense" under Young and defensive coordinator Leon Burtnett. He got things going as a freshman under Coach Alex Agase in '76, with a couple of 21-tackle single-game efforts.

Another rough and tumble lineman to wear No. 58 was Bob Yunaska. Though slowed by a season-ending knee injury at the beginning of his junior year in the season opener against Ohio in 1966, Yunaska ultimately won his starting job he had in '65 back for his senior year in '68.

Chicago-area native Craig Williams earned two years as a starting defensive end for Coach Jim Colletto in 1995 and '96. He had a career high 38 tackles his senior year in 1996.

The only player to wear No. 58 and be named team MVP is Neil Habig. The Martins Ferry, Ohio native was honored by his teammates as a senior in 1957 after two years as a starter on the Boilermaker line under Coach Jack Mollenkopf.

Pete Barbolak was a three-year starter at tackle in the mid-1940s, two of which wearing No. 58.

Though he may have been in the shadow of his more famous brother, Cody Isbell was the Boilermaker starting quarterback with sibling Cecil at halfback in 1936 and '37. Though offenses were much different those days, ironically, Cecil went on to become a star quarterback with the Green Bay Packers in the NFL before returning to Purdue as a head coach.

Jim Polak was a two-year starter at center in 1974-75 under Coach Alex Agase. Another starting center to wear the jersey was Ted Axton who saw significant playing time on the Boilermaker line in 1938 and '40 before going on to serve as president of Lafayette Savings Bank for a number of years. Italo Rossi was a starter at left tackle in 1941.

Our ranking of the best No. 58s:

1. Brock Spack

2. Kevin Motts

3. Neil Habig

4. Bob Yunaska

5. Cody Isbell

Read GoldAndBlack.com reasoning behind its ranking and share your favorite memories of any of the No. 58s on the Knucklehead Central.

To view the entire list of Boilers By Numbers, click here