When Michigan State and Notre Dame played to a 10-10 tie in the first "Game of the Century" that I can remember (1966) Bubba put about 3-4 ND players out of the game. He was a monster. I remember Dallas Cowboy tackle, Ralph Neely, pissed him off before a game with the Colts by answering a reporter's question about how he was going to handle Bubba Smith with, "Bubba Who?". Man, Bubba was in the Cowboys backfield the whole game.
One of the best college defenses of all-time, and the best of its day IMO. That MSU team also had George Webster at LB who has always been hilariously underrated. RIP Bubba.
I saw that MSU team play two weeks before they played Notre Dame. Bubba was almost a mythic figure there.
His play for Michigan State was one of the best arguments against segregation that could be made at that time, no SWC school would even look at him yet he was by far the best player in Texas. Sad when you think about it.
I may have my facts wrong on this, but it sits in my memory that Bubba Smith not only played his high school ball in Beaumont, but during the time he was in the NFL there were, I think, 27 players from Beaumont in the league, and was the most from any city. It's been a few years, to say the least, but I do recall that statistic. Okay. I see it in Wiki... "He graduated from Charlton-Pollard High School in Beaumont in 1963."
Don't know if anyone has watched "Breaking the Huddle" on HBO, the documentary about integration in college football. I remembered a quote from Bubba, and just looked it up: “I just wanted to go to Texas,” Smith says in Breaking the Huddle. “I called Darrell Royal and asked, ‘Coach, can I come to the University of Texas?’ He said, ‘Uh, Bubba, I could probably get you a scholarship . . . but I don’t know when the football program is gonna integrate.’”
Bubba attending Texas wold have been a najor problem for Willie Ray, Sr. Coach Smith was a real leader in getting scholarships for young black players to attend D-1 schools He was roundly criticized in some circles for his "Uncle Tom" actions which sent players like Willie Ray, Jr to Kansas (where he roomed with Gale Sayers), Aaron Brown to Minnesota, Mel Farr to UCLA just for starters. Many thought Coach Smith was leading the demise of the programs at the all black schools like TSU, Grambling, Alcorn, et al. Yet, he continued to push to get kids from Southeast Texas the best education and exposure possible. As for Beaumont, I thought the number was 21 in the NFL and a few more in the CFL. That doesn't include Aaron Brown, Ernie Ladd, Donald Bean, et al, who were from neighboring towns. Of all those, Willie Ray, Jr was by far and away the best athlete,and could have taught Deion and the convicts of Coral Gables about mouthing. He remained the best athlete until Billy Wright came out of South Park and signed with UT, where he stayed for his freshman year and then transferred to Memphis State. Billy and Alan Avant were two superstars that few got to see. Billy's family problems drove him away, and Alan was selected All SWC Freshman Team, and suffered a career ending wrist injury. Everyone thought Cotton Speyer had blazing speed, when indeed Avant beat him in the hurdles and sprints everytime they ran in HS. Cotton, like Chris Gilbert, was more quick than fast.
