Boilers By Numbers: No. 71

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. 71 jersey*:

Pete Barbolak (also 58) 1944, T

David Bratton 1991-92, OL

Kelly Butler 2001-03, OT

Mike Cardona 1993-94, OL

Bill Currie 1960, 1962, T

Mike Fross 1988, OL

Sigmund Greicus 1927-28, G

Anthony Gutwein 1996, DT

Matt Hernandez 1980-82, DT

Byron Huggins (also 96) 1932-33, G

John LeFeber 1975-78, OT

Frank Loebs 1933-35, E

Joe Mihal 1936-38, T

Joe Munoz 1993, DL

John Oehler 1930-32, C

DeWayne Penn (also 91, 82) 1986, DL

Dominic Picco 1956, T

David Poindexter 1989, DT

Fred Rafa 1965-67, T

Sidney Reggie 1959, T

Ed Rittberg 1964, T

Lee Ryan (also 49) 1968, T

Rudy Trbovich (also 54) 1949, T

Dave Whiteaker 1951-53, T-E

Jim Wilkinson (also 76) 1978-79, DT

John Wulzyn 1971, OT

Bob Ziltz (also 97) 1983-85, DL

*Source: Purdue Football Information Guide

Gold & Black.com's Top No. 71s:

A native of East Chicago, Fred Rafa saved some of his best play for prime time. He became a starter late in the 1966 season and played well in the final two games of the regualar season. That was crucial, becuase the first of those games clinched the Boilermakers' first Rose Bowl trip ever, in a 19-0 shutout in the 19-degree cold in Minneapolis. The second was a 51-6 spanking of Indiana. In the 14-13 Rose Bowl win over USC, he made huge plays in the Trojans' final possession to secure the victory. As legend has it, he even sat on the football a little longer in the waning seconds after making a tackle on the game's last play. The referees thought about a delay penalty, but chose to ignore it during the wild scene which included Purdue fans tearing down the wooden goal posts at the opposite end of the field.

Kelly Butler just concluded a solid, but not spectacular, career as a three-year starter at tackle. Butler's early departure for the NFL left Purdue fans wanting more and is the only player in the school's history to leave early for the draft.

Another tall player that left Purdue wanting more was defensive lineman Matt Hernandez. Hernandez stood a couple inches short of the 6-foot-8 Butler, but hailed from the same state as Butler (Michigan). He had 84 tackles in 1981,but tailed off to 56 stops in '82.

Guard John Lefeber was a three year starter at guard under coaches Alex Agase and Jim Young. He was a key senior leader on the youthful '78 team that had a breakthrough season with a 9-2-1 record and a Peach Bowl title.

Joe Mihal is the only No. 71 to be named team MVP, an honor he earned during his senior year in 1938. Frank Loebs was a three-year starting end for Coach Noble Kizer from 1933-35 on the heels of

Joe Oehler drawing starting assignments at center from 1930-32.

Bob Ziltz had a couple of starting assignments on the 1984 Peach Bowl team, but turned into a full-time starter at defensive tackle in 1985 recording 38 stops and an impressive 11 tackles for loss.

Our ranking of the best No. 71s:

1. Joe Mihal

2. Fred Rafa

3. John LeFeber

4. Kelly Butler

5. Frank Loebs, Joe Oehler, Bob Ziltz

Share your favorite memories of any of the No. 71s on the Knucklehead Central.

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