Artie Owens
Encyclopedia
Arthur Gene Owens was an American football
running back
, return specialist
, and receiver
that played collegiately
for the West Virginia Mountaineers
. He was also a track runner
for the Mountaineers. Owens was primarily known for playing in the National Football League
and also in the United States Football League
.
to Pennsylvania
as a youth. As a senior, Owens led the Stroudsburg High School Mountaineers to an 11-0 record and established Pennsylvania records for touchdowns, with 41, and yards rushing, with 2,061. He was named a Kodak All-American, UPI and AP
all-state, all-Big 33, all-Lehigh Valley and all-Eastern Pennsylvania for Coach Fred Ross. Owens also was on the Mounties' basketball
and track
teams, and once ran the 100-yard dash
in 9.8 seconds.
in 1972. Owens saw limited time as a freshman, only rushing for 72 yards and one touchdown. He also had 369 return yards, along with an 85 yard kick return.
As a sophomore in 1973, Owens was the projected starter
at the beginning of the season. But an injury led to newcomer Dwayne Woods to assume to role for the rest of the season. Owens only rushed for 391 yards and 3 touchdowns, but he did have 291 return yards with a kick return touchdown of 95 yards against Penn State. His sophomore season marked his final season of returning punts
.
In his junior season of 1974, Owens went injury-free as he finally started through a whole season. His stats showed as well, as he rushed for a career-high 1,130 yards and 7 touchdowns, including an 85 yard run. He also had 301 kick returns yards, including a 73 yard return.
In his final season as a Mountaineer, 1975, Owens rushed for 1,055 yards and 5 touchdowns, with a 6.6 yards per carry average. Owens had a career-low 213 kick return yards, but a career-high 125 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.
Owens rushed for a then-school record 2,648 yards (now fourth on the career list), and set a record for career all-purpose rushing yardage with 3,971 yards (now third on the career list). Owens 6.4 career average for yards per carry is one of the best averages in school history and his 13 career 100-yard rushing games was a school record as well. After playing four seasons, Owens' 95-yard kick return for a touchdown as a junior was third-longest in school history. He received his degree at WVU in 2004.
. Owens and Blake also teamed to set Mountaineer records in the 440- and 880-yard relays, and three times won the prestigious Penn Relays
. http://www.wvu.edu/~sports/hall_fame/artie_owens.htm
by the San Diego Chargers
as a receiver
rather than a running back
. Owens played with the Chargers for four seasons.
He started his pro career out in 1976
, playing in 14 games. Although seeing some playing time, Owens only recorded 54 yards on three catches, along with one touchdowns. In 1977
, Owens saw no time at receiver, but did have one rush for three yards.
. He saw no action in 1980
with the Bills, and four games into the season he was traded to the New Orleans Saints
. Owens saw no action with the 1-15 Saints either, and eventually retired after only 3 games in New Orleans
.
. He played for the Philadelphia Stars in the USFL for one season, before retiring from football
for good.
, where he instructed an alternative school for the mentally handicapped. He also assumed coaching roles at Stroudsburg High School, leading the school's 1984
team to an undefeated season.
Owens attempted construction work in 1986, and after he finished it in 1987, he returned to his mental health profession. He currently works preparing mentally handicapped adults for their future lives. http://www.wvu.edu/~sports/hall_fame/artie_owens.htm
Owens currently resides in Whitehall, Pennsylvania
, with his wife, Patricia, and his two children. His son, Artie Owens II, played football at NCAA Division III Susquehana
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
, return specialist
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
, and receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
that played collegiately
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia Mountaineers
The West Virginia Mountaineers are the athletic teams of West Virginia University. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference. On July 1, 2012 the Mountaineers will switch conferences, moving from the Big East to the Big 12, becoming...
. He was also a track runner
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
for the Mountaineers. Owens was primarily known for playing in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
and also in the United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
.
High school career
Artie Owens moved from AlabamaAlabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
to Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
as a youth. As a senior, Owens led the Stroudsburg High School Mountaineers to an 11-0 record and established Pennsylvania records for touchdowns, with 41, and yards rushing, with 2,061. He was named a Kodak All-American, UPI and AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
all-state, all-Big 33, all-Lehigh Valley and all-Eastern Pennsylvania for Coach Fred Ross. Owens also was on the Mounties' basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
teams, and once ran the 100-yard dash
100-yard dash
The 100 yard dash is a track and field event of 100 yards or 91.44 metres. It was part of the Commonwealth Games until 1966, and was included in the decathlon of the Olympics, at least in 1904. It is not generally used in international events...
in 9.8 seconds.
Football
Artie Owens arrived at West VirginiaWest Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
in 1972. Owens saw limited time as a freshman, only rushing for 72 yards and one touchdown. He also had 369 return yards, along with an 85 yard kick return.
As a sophomore in 1973, Owens was the projected starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
at the beginning of the season. But an injury led to newcomer Dwayne Woods to assume to role for the rest of the season. Owens only rushed for 391 yards and 3 touchdowns, but he did have 291 return yards with a kick return touchdown of 95 yards against Penn State. His sophomore season marked his final season of returning punts
Punt returner
Punt returner is a position on special teams in American football.-Description:The role of a punt returner is to catch the ball after it is punted and to give his team good field position by returning it. Before catching the punted ball, the returner must assess the situation on the field while...
.
In his junior season of 1974, Owens went injury-free as he finally started through a whole season. His stats showed as well, as he rushed for a career-high 1,130 yards and 7 touchdowns, including an 85 yard run. He also had 301 kick returns yards, including a 73 yard return.
In his final season as a Mountaineer, 1975, Owens rushed for 1,055 yards and 5 touchdowns, with a 6.6 yards per carry average. Owens had a career-low 213 kick return yards, but a career-high 125 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.
Owens rushed for a then-school record 2,648 yards (now fourth on the career list), and set a record for career all-purpose rushing yardage with 3,971 yards (now third on the career list). Owens 6.4 career average for yards per carry is one of the best averages in school history and his 13 career 100-yard rushing games was a school record as well. After playing four seasons, Owens' 95-yard kick return for a touchdown as a junior was third-longest in school history. He received his degree at WVU in 2004.
Track
As a freshman, Owens tied a 41-year-old WVU record for the 100 yard dash by clocking a 9.6. He later bettered that mark with a 9.5, a record he shares with fellow two-sport star Harry BlakeHarry Blake
Harry Cooper Blake was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played in the late 19th century....
. Owens and Blake also teamed to set Mountaineer records in the 440- and 880-yard relays, and three times won the prestigious Penn Relays
Penn Relays
The Penn Relays is the oldest and largest track and field competition in the United States, hosted annually since April 21, 1895 by the University of Pennsylvania at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
. http://www.wvu.edu/~sports/hall_fame/artie_owens.htm
San Diego Chargers
Artie Owens was selected in the fourth round of the 1976 NFL Draft1976 NFL Draft
The 1976 National Football League Draft was an annual player selection meeting held on April 8–April 9, 1976. It lasted 17 rounds, with the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks making the first two selections. The expansion teams were also given a pair of extra picks at the end of...
by the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as a receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
rather than a running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
. Owens played with the Chargers for four seasons.
He started his pro career out in 1976
1976 NFL season
The 1976 NFL season was the 57th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 28 teams with the addition of the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
, playing in 14 games. Although seeing some playing time, Owens only recorded 54 yards on three catches, along with one touchdowns. In 1977
1977 NFL season
The 1977 NFL season was the 58th regular season of the National Football League. The Seattle Seahawks were placed in the AFC West while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were slotted in the NFC Central....
, Owens saw no time at receiver, but did have one rush for three yards.
After San Diego
Following his season in 1979, Owens was picked up by the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He saw no action in 1980
1980 NFL season
The 1980 NFL season was the 61st regular season of the National Football League.After the league declined to approve the proposed move by the Raiders from Oakland, California to Los Angeles, the team along with the Los Angeles Coliseum sued the NFL for violating antitrust laws...
with the Bills, and four games into the season he was traded to the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. Owens saw no action with the 1-15 Saints either, and eventually retired after only 3 games in New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
.
USFL
Three years after retiring from the NFL, Owens returned to professional football in 19831983 in sports
1983 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Phil Mahre, United States** Women's overall season champion: Tamara McKinney, United States-American football:...
. He played for the Philadelphia Stars in the USFL for one season, before retiring from football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
for good.
Personal life
Owens moved back to StroudsburgStroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Stroudsburg is a borough in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Poconos region of the state, approximately five miles from the Delaware Water Gap, at the confluence of the Brodhead and Pocono Creeks. It is the county seat of Monroe County. Stroudsburg is part of the...
, where he instructed an alternative school for the mentally handicapped. He also assumed coaching roles at Stroudsburg High School, leading the school's 1984
1984 in sports
1984 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine Skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Erika Hess, Switzerland...
team to an undefeated season.
Owens attempted construction work in 1986, and after he finished it in 1987, he returned to his mental health profession. He currently works preparing mentally handicapped adults for their future lives. http://www.wvu.edu/~sports/hall_fame/artie_owens.htm
Owens currently resides in Whitehall, Pennsylvania
Whitehall, Pennsylvania
Whitehall is the name of some places in the State of Pennsylvania in the United States of America:* Whitehall, Adams County, Pennsylvania in Adams County, Pennsylvania* Whitehall, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania...
, with his wife, Patricia, and his two children. His son, Artie Owens II, played football at NCAA Division III Susquehana
Susquehanna University
Susquehanna University is a liberal arts college in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, United States, north of the state capital, Harrisburg.-Academics:...
.