Mount Rushmore of Colorado Buffaloes football

With the help of posters on the Inside the herd’s electronic bulletin board, we created the Mount Rushmore of Buffaloes football. Colorado fans were asked to rank the best players or coaches in the history of the program from one to four, and we counted the votes:

1.) Byron “Whizzer” White (97 votes)

It’s hard to believe that White has accomplished everything he has done in his life. In other words, he was the man.

Born and raised in Larimer County, White was the valedictorian of his little high school before enrolling in CU in 1935. He won seven letters in football, basketball and baseball during his stay in Boulder. On the grill, White played the halfback and became CU’s first All-American in 1937. He also led the Buffaloes to their very first bowl appearance. He set national records with 1,121 yards rushing and 122 points, ratings that held steady until college football teams adopted longer schedules.

White later became the first UC Hall of Fame inductee and was elected to the Colleges Football Hall of Fame in 1954. Blanc was twice pro with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Lions of Detroit. He shortened his playing career to join the United States Navy during the Second World War, where he became a decorated intelligence officer.

White was also a Rhodes Scholar, a prominent graduate of Yale Law School, Deputy Attorney General of the United States, and was notably a highly respected Supreme Court judge for 31 years. He died at the age of 84 in 2002. His remains are at All Souls Walk (intrigue B-78) at St. John’s Cathedral in Denver.

2.) Bill McCartney (94 votes)

McCartney revitalized a UC program that had tough times under Chuck Fairbanks in the early 1980s. The Buffaloes had gone 7-26 the previous three seasons before McCartney’s arrival at Boulder. It took him a while to get CU out of the gutter, but the Buffs found respectability between 1985 and 1988, then the program reached unknown territory. CU played 58-11-4 in the following six seasons. The Buffaloes won their only national championship in 1990 and have won three consecutive Big 8 titles under the watchful eye of McCartney. He was named National Coach of the Year in 1989 and three times Big 8 Coach of the Year.

McCartney’s contagious personality is hard to put into words. He was the type of coach who made the players feel “I would run through a brick wall for you”. McCartney embraced the beauty of Colorado and had the ability to convey this passion for Boulder to recruits.

McCartney is 79 and still lives in Colorado, just south of Boulder. He always shares his passion for the Buffs and his disdain for Nebraska, a rivalry that he created, when he is in public. McCartney was at the center of “Mac Gospel”, 30 to 30 documentary on ESPN.

3.) Rashaan Salaam (54 votes)

The only Heisman Trophy winner in UC history, Salaam was also named National Player of the Year by winning the Walter Camp Trophy in 1994 after rushing for a school record of 2,055 yards in 1994 It has only become the fourth college to run for more than 2,000 yards in a season. Salaam helped the Buffaloes 11-1 and No. 3 nationally in his junior season. Many believe that the 1994 team was the most talented Buffaloes in history.

Salaam decided to give up his last season of university eligibility and participated in the 1995 NFL draft. He was a Chicago Bears first-round pick and became the youngest player to rush for 1,000 yards in the NFL.

Salaam was appointed to the UC Hall of Fame in 1995. He lived just south of Boulder, in Superior, before his tragic end at the age of 47 in 2016.

4.) Darian Hagan (21 votes)

Buffaloes quarterback through some of CU’s most successful seasons, Hagan became the sixth player in Division-1 history to gain over 1,000 passing yards and over 1,000 rushing yards in the same season in 1989. Hagan was among the top 20 getters to vote for the Heisman Trophy in 1989, 1990 and 1991. It’s quite a journey. Like McCartney, Hagan helped the program in his only national championship.

Hagan played soccer professionally for five seasons before spending time as an alumni club manager for the Buffs and working as a sales manager for Transit Marketing Group. Hagan has now been a full-time staff member at CU since 2005. He has coached three 1,000-yard runners: Rodney Stewart, Phillip Lindsay and Travon McMillian. Last season, Hagan’s top two backs – Alex Fontenot and Jaren Mangham – combined for 1,315 rushing yards.

Hagan, who has been selected as the half coach Karl DorrellBoulder’s new staff was appointed to the CU Hall of Fame in 2002.

Others receiving votes:

5.) Bobby Anderson (halfback / quarterback, 1967-69)

6a.) Alfred Williams (linebacker, 1987-1990)

6b.) Joe Romig (guard / linebacker, 1959-61)

8.) Eric Bieniemy (Running back, 1987-90)

9a.) Sal Aunese (Quarterback, 1987-88)

9b.) Kordell Stewart (Quarterback, 1991-94)

9c.) Frank Clark (Receiver, 1955-56)

12a.) Deon Figures (Cornerback, 1988-92)

12b.) Phillip Lindsay (Running back, 2013-17)

14a.) Michael Westbrook (receiver, 1991-1994)

14b.) Eddie Crowder (head coach, 1963-73)

14c.) Chris Hudson (defensive back, 1991-94)

14d.) Chris Brown (Running back, 2001-02)

14th.) Laviska Shenault, Jr. (Receiver, 2017-19)