College Football and the Detroit Tigers

Vince Coleman

Vince Coleman played just six games in a Tigers uniform in 1997, but he’s a name who makes sense for this list. For those who may not remember Coleman, he was easily one of the fastest baseball players of all time. He stole more than 100 bases in each of his first three seasons in the big leagues. He led all of baseball in steals in each of his first six seasons. He still holds the record for most consecutive stolen bases without getting caught, with 50. So it’s easy to see him excelling as a wide receiver, running back, or defensive back in college football.

Except, no. Vince Coleman was a kicker. Playing for the Division I-AA Florida A&M Rattlers, Coleman helped win a national title in 1978, kicked the game-winning field goal in a stunning upset over the Miami Hurricanes in 1979, and was named an all-conference player in both 1980 and 1981. His dream, apparently, was to follow in the footsteps of his cousin Greg Coleman, who was an NFL punter for 12 years. But NFL teams wanted him to use his speed:

"Coleman used one of his legs for something other than running; he was the football team’s punter. After college, he signed with the Washington Redskins, but the team wanted him to utilize his speed as a wide receiver. Coleman wanted to remain a punter, however, so he left the team and started playing for one of the Cardinals’ minor league affiliates."

Now that’s a man who loves to kick.