Dan Devine had one more football scholarship to offer in 1965. The man who would become the winningest football coach in University of Missouri history had recruited big-time talent for the Tigers, but he took a chance that year on a small-school kid.
The kid was Roger Wehrli, a football and track star at King High School in King City, Mo., a town of about 1,000 citizens in northwest Missouri. "I wasn't highly recruited out of high school because I came from a small school, but I got a great opportunity," says Wehrli, who's now vice president of manufacturer FormStore® Incorporated, Fenton, Mo.
If Devine had given the scholarship to, say, a punter, he might be kicking himself today. In August, Wehrli will be one of 13 former players enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind. Others include quarterback Joe Theismann (Notre Dame) and running back Barry Sanders (Oklahoma State). "I was thrilled to receive the news," Wehrli says. "During my career at the University of Missouri, I had some wonderful times and made lasting friendships. This honor adds to that."
After playing on Missouri's freshmen team in 1965, Wehrli started at defensive back and punt returner from 1966 to 1968, helping the Tigers compile a 21-9-1 record during that span. His best season came in 1968, when sportswriters named him a consensus All-American. That year, he led all NCAA Division I players with 40 punt returns for 478 yards, and led the team with seven interceptions. Wehrli capped off the Tigers' 8-3 season with an interception during its 35-10 victory over the University of Alabama in the Gator Bowl. He was named the Big Eight Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 1968.
Nearly four decades after he first wore a Tigers uniform, Wehrli still holds school records for career punt returns (92), and yards gained on punt returns in a game (156), season (478) and career (1,062). He was a charter member of the university's Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in 1990, and his No. 23 jersey number is one of only five retired by its athletics department.
The St. Louis Cardinals chose Wehrli in the first round (19th overall) in the 1969 National Football League draft. "It's a big leap from college to the pros," Wehrli says. "Players have more speed, and even more so, their timing and execution are better." He made an immediate impact on the Cardinals, picking off two passes during a 38-0 drubbing of the Dallas Cowboys in Dallas during the first season of "Monday Night Football." He was a 7-time Pro Bowl selection in the 1970s, best known for blanket-like coverage of standout wide receivers such as Drew Pearson and Art Monk. He helped the "Cardiac Cards" win NFC East titles in 1974 (10-4) and 1975 (11-3). "We were the toast of the town in the mid-70s, and it was a thrill to be a part of that," Wehrli says. He retired from the NFL in 1982 after 14 seasons with the team.
In November, Wehrli was named one of 25 semifinalists for induction to the 2004 Pro Football Hall of Fame. The winners were Sanders, tackle Bob Brown, defensive end Carl Eller and quarterback John Elway.
"In any type of organization, you need leadership and teamwork," Wehrli says, drawing a parallel between his gridiron days and his work at FormStore Incorporated. "Everyone needs to know what their assignments are and the importance of working toward a common goal. When everyone's on the same page, great things happen."
--Darin Painter
Roger Wehrli, vice president of manufacturer FormStore® Incorporated, Fenton, Mo., displays a certificate from The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame during an awards dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. In August, he'll be one of 13 former players enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame. Wehrli shares the moment with his wife, Gayle (far right), and their two children, Mike (far left) and Shannon.
