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Earl Looman

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Earl Looman
No. 79
Position:Guard, defensive end
Personal information
Born:(1932-07-21)July 21, 1932
Died:January 3, 1992(1992-01-03) (aged 59)
Marion County, Florida, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High school:Fremont Ross (Fremont, Ohio)
College:Toledo (1950)
Stetson (1951–1952, 1955)
NFL draft:1956: 18th round, 211th pick
Career history
As a player:
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
As a coach:
Career highlights and awards

Earl Looman Jr. (July 21, 1932 – January 3, 1992) was an American football player and coach.

Early life and football career

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Looman grew up in Toledo, Ohio, and attended Fremont Ross High School. He then played college football for Stetson. He was used as a right tackle, defensive end, and linebacker throughout his career.[1] He played with the team from 1951 to 1952 before enrolling in the military.[1] He returned in 1955 as a senior and earned National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-American honors along with being named team MVP.[1]

Looman was drafted in the 18th round of the 1956 NFL draft to the Baltimore Colts as an offensive guard.[2] He signed with the team on February 27, 1956.[3] He suffered a back sprain within the first five minutes of the initial summer workouts.[4] He was then cut due to the injury not healing.[4]

In 1956, after being released by the Colts, Looman returned to his alma mater, Stetson, as the team's line coach.[5] He had initially declined the position to sign with the Colts.[2] Stetson dropped football after the season and Looman was hired as the head football coach for Florida Military School.[6] As head coach, his team ran a Split-T offense.[6]

In 1962, Looman returned to the gridiron as a player-coach for the Daytona Beach Thunderbirds of the Florida Professional Football League (FPFL).[7] He also served as the team's defensive line coach.[7] The team became members of the Southern Football League (SFL) in 1964.[8] In 1965, the team moved to Orlando and became the Orlando Thunderbirds.[9] He served as a co-interim head coach for the season after Bud Asher announced his resignation due to a financial dispute.[9]

In 1970, Looman served as an assistant coach for Father Lopez Catholic High School.[10] In 1972, he reunited with Asher as his defensive line coach for New Smyrna Beach High School.[11]

Personal life

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On November 9, 1956, Looman married Betsy Duck in DeLand, Florida.[12] In June 1957, the pair received their bachelor's degrees in science and music, respectively.[5]

Looman died on January 2, 1992.[13]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Earl Looman, Stetson Star, Enters Fold". The Evening Sun. Baltimore. February 27, 1956. p. 24. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Baltimore Drafts Stetson's Looman". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. January 20, 1956. p. 11. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  3. ^ "Baltimore Colts Sign Lineman Earl Looman". Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. February 28, 1956. p. 17. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Colts Squad Cut to 57". The Waukesha Freeman. Waukesha, Wisconsin. August 1, 1956. p. 10. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Earl Looman And His Wife Receive Degrees". The News-Messenger. Fremont, Ohio. June 3, 1957. p. 2. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  6. ^ a b Mansfield, Sam (August 20, 1957). "FMS Black Knights Enter Grid Warfare". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. 15. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Cocoa Players Invited To Join Daytona Pro "11"". The Evening Tribune (Cocoa). Cocoa, Florida. April 26, 1962. p. 6. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  8. ^ "Big Earl". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. September 3, 1964. p. 32. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  9. ^ a b "Asher Ends 4 Years With T-Birds". Orlando Evening Star. Orlando, Florida. September 4, 1965. p. 6. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  10. ^ Cowan, Al (December 4, 1970). "Is This The Year For Lopez?". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. 20. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  11. ^ "After Long Wait—a Winner". Florida Today. Cocoa, Florida. September 14, 1972. p. 132. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  12. ^ "Earl Looman, Jr. Weds Betsy Duck In DeLand, Fla". The News-Messenger. Fremont, Ohio. November 23, 1956. p. 6. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  13. ^ "Earl Looman". The News-Messenger. January 7, 1992. p. 2. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
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See also

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