Fred Negus
Encyclopedia
Frederick Wilson Negus was an American football
player. He played college football
for Wisconsin
and Michigan
and professional football in the All-America Football Conference
and the National Football League
.
and began his college football career with the University of Wisconsin. As Wisconsin's starting
center
in 1942, he was selected as a first-team All-Big Ten Conference
player by the Associated Press
. He was inducted into the U.S. Navy
and was assigned to the V-12 Navy College Training Program
at the University of Michigan
. While at Michigan, Negus played for Fritz Crisler
's 1943 Michigan Wolverines football team
; Negus was the starting center on a Michigan team that compiled an 8–1 record, outscored opponents 302 to 73, and won the Big Ten Conference
championship (in a tie with Purdue
). Michigan's line coach, Biggie Munn
, praised Negus's performance for Michigan: "Negus played a remarkably steady game for us this fall. Last year at Wisconsin he injured his shoulder and had to have an operation. Nine out of ten boys would have quit football at that stage, but Negus didn't."
Negus was one two players from the 1943 Michigan team (the other was Bill Daley
) selected by the Associated Press as a first-team All-Big Ten player. He achieved the honor first at Wisconsin in 1942 and repeated the honor at Michigan in 1943. Negus was also one of three Michigan players selected for first-team All-Big Ten honors by the United Press (the other two being Daley and Bob Wiese
).
and received his commission as a lieutenant
. Negus returned to Wisconsin after completing his military service and was captain of Wisconsin's 1946 football team.
(1947–1948), Chicago Hornets (1949) and Chicago Bears
(1950). He was among the AAFC league leaders in non-offensive
touchdown
s in both 1948 and 1949 and in interceptions in 1949.
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...
player. He played college football
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 Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
and Michigan
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
and professional football in the All-America Football Conference
All-America Football Conference
The All-America Football Conference was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many of the nation's best players, and introduced many lasting innovations...
and 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...
.
College career
Negus was born in Colerain, OhioColerain, Ohio
Colerain is an unincorporated community in eastern Colerain Township, Belmont County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 43916. It lies along U.S. Route 250....
and began his college football career with the University of Wisconsin. As Wisconsin's starting
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...
center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
in 1942, he was selected as a first-team All-Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
player by the Associated Press
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...
. He was inducted into the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and was assigned to the V-12 Navy College Training Program
V-12 Navy College Training Program
The V-12 Navy College Training Program was designed to supplement the force of commissioned officers in the United States Navy during World War II...
at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. While at Michigan, Negus played for Fritz Crisler
Fritz Crisler
Herbert Orin "Fritz" Crisler was an American football coach who is best known as "the father of two-platoon football," an innovation in which separate units of players were used for offense and defense. Crisler developed two-platoon football while serving as head coach at the University of...
's 1943 Michigan Wolverines football team
1943 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1943 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1943 college football season. The 1943 team compiled a record of 8–1 and was ranked No. 3 in the final Associated Press poll...
; Negus was the starting center on a Michigan team that compiled an 8–1 record, outscored opponents 302 to 73, and won the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
championship (in a tie with Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers football
The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of...
). Michigan's line coach, Biggie Munn
Biggie Munn
Clarence Lester "Biggie" Munn was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator in the United States. He was the head football coach at Albright College , Syracuse University , and most notably Michigan State College , where his 1952 squad won a national championship...
, praised Negus's performance for Michigan: "Negus played a remarkably steady game for us this fall. Last year at Wisconsin he injured his shoulder and had to have an operation. Nine out of ten boys would have quit football at that stage, but Negus didn't."
Negus was one two players from the 1943 Michigan team (the other was Bill Daley
Bill Daley (American football)
William Edward "Bullet" Daley was an All-American fullback who played for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers from 1940–1942 and for the University of Michigan Wolverines in 1943. The Gophers were National Champions in his freshman and sophomore years...
) selected by the Associated Press as a first-team All-Big Ten player. He achieved the honor first at Wisconsin in 1942 and repeated the honor at Michigan in 1943. Negus was also one of three Michigan players selected for first-team All-Big Ten honors by the United Press (the other two being Daley and Bob Wiese
Bob Wiese
Robert Lee Wiese was an American football player. He played college football for Fritz Crisler's University of Michigan Wolverines football teams in 1942, 1943, 1944 and 1946—missing the 1945 season due to military service...
).
Military
After the 1943, Negus was placed on active dutyActive duty
Active duty refers to a full-time occupation as part of a military force, as opposed to reserve duty.-Pakistan:The Pakistan Armed Forces are one of the largest active service forces in the world with almost 610,000 full time personnel due to the complex and volatile nature of Pakistan's...
and received his commission as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. Negus returned to Wisconsin after completing his military service and was captain of Wisconsin's 1946 football team.
Professional career
Negus also played four years of professional football for the Chicago RocketsChicago Rockets
The Chicago Rockets was an American football team that played in the All-America Football Conference from 1946 to 1949. During the 1949 season, the team was known as the Chicago Hornets...
(1947–1948), Chicago Hornets (1949) and Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1950). He was among the AAFC league leaders in non-offensive
Offense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s in both 1948 and 1949 and in interceptions in 1949.