Dan Whitehurst
Full Name:  William Daniel Whitehurst
     Born:  November 13, 1950, Adel, Ga.
     Died:  April 7, 2019, Tallahassee, Fla.
   School:  Cook County High School in Adel, Georgia


Click On Photo To Enlarge


FSU Career
Football
Year  No  Pos     Hgt  Wgt  Cl  Ltr  Hometown
1969  50  LB      6-4  207  So       Adel, GA                    
1970  50  LB      6-4  215  So-R *   Adel, GA                    
1971  50  LB      6-3  214  Jr-R *   Adel, GA                    
1972  50  LB      6-3  225  Sr-R *   Adel, GA                    


Comments
Obiturary for Dan Whitehurst
Published in the Tallahassee Democrat on April 7, 2019
By Jim Henry

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Former Florida State linebacker Dan Whitehurst, who finished with more than 200 career tackles but was best known for the infamous one he made with his left foot against Houston in 1970 on national television, died Sunday morning.

He was 68.

"He was one of a kind. They don't make Dan Whitehursts every day," said Brian Fletcher, Whitehurst's son-in-law.

Whitehurst, a longtime resident of Tallahassee, was successful businessman in land real estate (plantations, farmland, timberland) who was known for his big personality and generous heart. He loved to bird hunt and talk FSU football, reminiscing of his playing days and how many helmets he cracked. Whitehurst had been dealing with various health issues over recent years, including complications from pneumonia the past week.

"You'd be in the middle of a Alabama in a Waffle House and somebody seemed to know him," son Kane Whitehurst, 44, said and laughed. "He had a big heart, was tough as nails. But he was a good dad. It's sad to see him go."

Whitehurst, a native of Adel, Georgia, who starred at Cook High School, played for the Seminoles from 1969-72. He registered a career-high 109 tackles in 1971. Whitehurst also was instrumental in founding the Florida State Varsity Club and at one time was a member of the club's Board of Directors.

"There have been a lot of good linebackers who have gone through FSU, and Dan was one of them - he had everything it took," said friend Red Dawson, 76, the former Seminole All-American and Marshall coach from Valdosta, Georgia. "He lived it his way. I don't know of anybody who didn't like him."

Former FSU receiver Barry Smith (1970-72) echoed Dawson's sentiments about Whitehurst, known to teammates as "Dan, Dan the Mountain Man" due to his 6-foot-4, 215-pound frame. Smith also credited Whitehurst's leadership skills in helping with the integration of the program. In 1970, J.T. Thomas became the first African American to play in a FSU varsity football game.

"Dan was a wonderful teammate and a better friend whom I loved dearly," Smith said. "Dan had a big heart and he also was a character. But he was always there for everybody. He was a good man."

Longtime Seminole fans will certainly break into a smile when they recall the "tackle" Whitehurst made against Houston in 1970 in Tampa Stadium on Thanksgiving night. The game was televised nationally by ABC and reportedly watched by 30 million.

The good natured Whitehurst never changed his story over the years.

“The guy was going for a touchdown,” Whitehurst told the Democrat in 2015.

“I stepped off the sideline and tripped him, simply by impulse.”

With Houston leading 39-21 in the fourth quarter, FSU quarterback Tommy Warren, who had separated his right throwing shoulder earlier in the game, threw his fourth interception on a ball tipped to Houston defensive back Nick Holm.

With blockers in front of him, Holm sped down the FSU sideline.

Whitehurst, a redshirt sophomore, was on the Seminoles’ sideline near linebackers coach Bill Parcells. Whitehurst recalls Parcells yelling “somebody ought to get him” as Holm ran with the football.

Whitehurst reacted.

He grabbed Parcells arm, leaned out on the field near the 50-yard line and, with his size-14 left foot, tripped Holm.

FSU was called for a 15-yard penalty, and Houston scored a few plays later in the 53-21 rout. Today, a touchdown is awarded if the fouled player was unimpeded to the end zone.

“I just wanted to stop the guy with the ball,” Whitehurst said.

“Parcells always told us if we forget what the down and distance is and forget how much time is on the clock, just tackle the guy with the ball.

“So that’s all I was doing.”

The press asked Parcells what he thought about the trip and he quipped, “At least I know he’s paying attention.” FSU coach Bill Peterson added he “thought about doing it myself.”

Whitehurst continued to follow his beloved Seminoles over the years.

"I was glad to be a part of it and still love all those guys that I played with, and am real proud to be a letterman there," he told Garnet & Great.


Published in the Tallahassee Democrat on 9 Apr 2019, page B3.

TALLAHASSEE - William Daniel "Dan" Whitehurst passed away Sunday, April 7, 2019 in Tallahassee, Florida. He lived 1,000 years in the 68 calendar years we had with him, because he attacked life and lived it to the fullest.

He was born in Adel, Georgia on November 13, 1950, the son of Burris and Mildred Whitehurst. Dan was a Florida State University graduate where he was known for his notorious football career with the FSU Seminoles. After his football days he dedicated his time to his work as a Land and Timber Broker. Dan lived life to the fullest through simple pleasures…quail hunting, chatting and cutting up with friends and family, and looking for his next pair of cowboy boots.

Dan will be remembered by his children Kim Henry (Mick Cox), Kane Whitehurst (Ashley). Whitney Fletcher (Brian) and his grandchildren, Forrest and Morgann Henry, Molly Cox, Montana and Colt Whitehurst, Harbor and Slate Fletcher, by his sister Hilda Allen (Jim), by his nephews Marty and Jared Howell, and his girlfriend Jean Gibson.



Conference Awards
Football
Year  Award
1971  All-South Independent - Honorable Mention


FSU Statistics
Football
Season Statistics
Defense
         |       Tackles        |   Sacks  |    Fumble    |     Pass Defense    | Blkd |   PAT Attempts  |        |         |    |
Year  GP |  ua   a Tot  tfl-yds |   no-yds | ff fr-yds-td | int-yds-td qbh brup | kick |   kick  rsh rcv |   fg   | saf dxp | td | pts
---------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
1969     |   0   0   0  0.0-    |  0.0-    |  0  0-  0- 0 |   0-  0- 0   0   0  |   0  |   0- 0   0   0  |  0- 0  |   0   0 |  0 |   0
1970  11 |  50  46  96  0.0-  0 |  0.0-  0 |  0  0-  0- 0 |   2- 21- 0   0   0  |   2  |   0- 0   0   0  |  0- 0  |   0   0 |  0 |   0
1971  11 |  72  37 109  0.0-  0 |  0.0-  0 |  0  0-  0- 0 |   0-  0- 0   0   0  |   0  |   0- 0   0   0  |  0- 0  |   0   0 |  0 |   0
1972  10 |   0   0   0  0.0-  0 |  0.0-  0 |  0  0-  0- 0 |   0-  0- 0   0   0  |   0  |   0- 0   0   0  |  0- 0  |   0   0 |  0 |   0
---------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
Tot   32 | 122  83 205  0.0-  0 |  0.0-  0 |  0  0-  0- 0 |   2- 21- 0   0   0  |   2  |   0- 0   0   0  |  0- 0  |   0   0 |  0 |   0
Offense/Kick and Punt Returns
         |       Rushing        |      Receiving       |         Passing          |     Kick Returns      |     Punt Returns      |  all
Year  GP |  no  yds  avg td lg  |  no  yds  avg td lg  | cmp- att-int  yds td lg  |  no  yds  avg td  lg  |  no  yds  avg td  lg  | purp
---------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
1969     |        0  0.0        |           0.0        |    -    -                |           0.0         |           0.0         |     
1970  11 |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0-  0 - 0     0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0      |   0    0  0.0  0      |   21
1971  11 |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0-  0 - 0     0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0      |   0    0  0.0  0      |    0
1972  10 |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0-  0 - 0     0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0      |   0    0  0.0  0      |    0
---------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
Tot   32 |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0-   0- 0     0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0      |   0    0  0.0  0      |   21
Football
Game Participation
                            |      Starts
1970                        | GP  Off  Def
----------------------------|--------------
Sep 12 Louisville           |  1       RLB 
Sep 19 Georgia Tech         |  1       RLB 
Sep 26 Wake Forest          |  1       RLB 
Oct 10 Florida              |  1       RLB 
Oct 17 Memphis State        |  1       RLB 
Oct 24 South Carolina       |  1           
Oct 30 Miami                |  1       RLB 
Nov  7 Clemson              |  1       RLB 
Nov 14 Virginia Tech        |  1       RLB 
Nov 21 Kansas State         |  1       RLB 
Nov 26 Houston              |  1       RLB 
----------------------------|--------------
Tot                         | 11   0   10

                            |      Starts
1971                        | GP  Off  Def
----------------------------|--------------
Sep 11 Southern Mississippi |  1       WLB 
Sep 18 Miami                |  1       WLB 
Sep 25 Kansas               |  1       WILL
Oct  2 Virginia Tech        |  1       WLB 
Oct  9 Mississippi State    |  1       WLB 
Oct 16 Florida              |  1       WLB 
Oct 23 South Carolina       |  1       WLB 
Oct 30 Houston              |  1       WLB 
Nov 13 Georgia Tech         |  1       WLB 
Nov 20 Tulsa                |  1       WLB 
Nov 27 Pittsburgh           |  1       WLB 
Dec 27 Arizona State        |  1       WLB 
----------------------------|--------------
Tot                         | 12   0   12

                            |      Starts
1972                        | GP  Off  Def
----------------------------|--------------
Sep  9 Pittsburgh           |  1       WLB 
Sep 23 Virginia Tech        |  1       MLB 
Sep 30 Kansas               |  1           
Oct  7 Florida              |  1       WLB 
Oct 14 Mississippi State    |  1       WLB 
Oct 21 Colorado State       |  1       WLB 
Oct 28 Auburn               |  1       WLB 
Nov  4 Houston              |  1       RLB 
Nov 11 Tulsa                |  1       LB  
Nov 18 South Carolina       |  1       WLB 
----------------------------|--------------
Tot                         | 10   0    9

----------------------------|--------------
Career Tot                  | 33   0   31
Football
Game Statistics
                            |       Tackles        |   Sacks  |    Fumble    |     Pass Defense    | Blkd |   PAT Attempts  |        |         |    |
1970                        |  ua   a Tot  tfl-yds |   no-yds | ff fr-yds-td | int-yds-td qbh brup | kick |   kick  rsh rcv |   fg   | saf dxp | td | pts
----------------------------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
Sep 12 Louisville           |   0   0   0  0.0-  0 |  0.0-  0 |  0  0-  0- 0 |   0-  0- 0   0   0  |   1  |   0- 0    0   0 |  0- 0  |   0   0 |  0 |   0
Oct 17 Memphis State        |   1   0   1  0.0-  0 |  0.0-  0 |  0  0-  0- 0 |   0-  0- 0   0   0  |   0  |   0- 0    0   0 |  0- 0  |   0   0 |  0 |   0
Oct 30 Miami                |   3   1   4  0.0-  0 |  0.0-  0 |  0  0-  0- 0 |   0-  0- 0   0   0  |   0  |   0- 0    0   0 |  0- 0  |   0   0 |  0 |   0
Nov 14 Virginia Tech        |   0   0   0  0.0-  0 |  0.0-  0 |  0  0-  0- 0 |   1- 21- 0   0   0  |   0  |   0- 0    0   0 |  0- 0  |   0   0 |  0 |   0
Nov 21 Kansas State         |   0   0   0  0.0-  0 |  0.0-  0 |  0  0-  0- 0 |   1-  0- 0   0   0  |   0  |   0- 0    0   0 |  0- 0  |   0   0 |  0 |   0
----------------------------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
Tot                         |   4   1   5  0.0-  0 |  0.0-  0 |  0  0-  0- 0 |   2- 21- 0   0   0  |   1  |   0- 0    0   0 |  0- 0  |  0    0 |  0 |   0

                            |       Tackles        |   Sacks  |    Fumble    |     Pass Defense    | Blkd |   PAT Attempts  |        |         |    |
1971                        |  ua   a Tot  tfl-yds |   no-yds | ff fr-yds-td | int-yds-td qbh brup | kick |   kick  rsh rcv |   fg   | saf dxp | td | pts
----------------------------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
Sep 18 Miami                |   5   3   8  0.0-  0 |  0.0-  0 |  0  0-  0- 0 |   0-  0- 0   0   0  |   0  |   0- 0    0   0 |  0- 0  |   0   0 |  0 |   0
Oct  2 Virginia Tech        |   6   2   8  0.0-  0 |  0.0-  0 |  0  0-  0- 0 |   0-  0- 0   1   0  |   0  |   0- 0    0   0 |  0- 0  |   0   0 |  0 |   0
Oct 30 Houston              |   6   0   6  0.0-  0 |  0.0-  0 |  0  0-  0- 0 |   0-  0- 0   0   0  |   0  |   0- 0    0   0 |  0- 0  |   0   0 |  0 |   0
----------------------------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
Tot                         |  17   5  22  0.0-  0 |  0.0-  0 |  0  0-  0- 0 |   0-  0- 0   1   0  |   0  |   0- 0    0   0 |  0- 0  |  0    0 |  0 |   0

                            |       Tackles        |   Sacks  |    Fumble    |     Pass Defense    | Blkd |   PAT Attempts  |        |         |    |
1972                        |  ua   a Tot  tfl-yds |   no-yds | ff fr-yds-td | int-yds-td qbh brup | kick |   kick  rsh rcv |   fg   | saf dxp | td | pts
----------------------------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
Sep  9 Pittsburgh           |   3   2   5  0.0-  0 |  0.0-  0 |  0  0-  0- 0 |   0-  0- 0   0   1  |   0  |   0- 0    0   0 |  0- 0  |   0   0 |  0 |   0
Sep 30 Kansas               |   4   1   5  0.0-  0 |  0.0-  0 |  0  0-  0- 0 |   0-  0- 0   0   0  |   0  |   0- 0    0   0 |  0- 0  |   0   0 |  0 |   0
----------------------------|----------------------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------|-----------------|--------|---------|----|----
Tot                         |   7   3  10  0.0-  0 |  0.0-  0 |  0  0-  0- 0 |   0-  0- 0   0   1  |   0  |   0- 0    0   0 |  0- 0  |  0    0 |  0 |   0

                            |       Rushing        |      Receiving       |         Passing          |     Kick Returns      |     Punt Returns      |  all
1970                        |  no  yds  avg td lg  |  no  yds  avg td lg  | cmp- att-int  yds td lg  |  no  yds  avg td  lg  |  no  yds  avg td  lg  | purp
----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
Sep 12 Louisville           |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0     |    -   0- 0     0  0     |   0    0  0.0         |   0    0  0.0  0      |     
Oct 17 Memphis State        |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0     |    -   0- 0     0  0     |   0    0  0.0         |   0    0  0.0  0      |     
Oct 30 Miami                |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0     |    -   0- 0     0  0     |   0    0  0.0         |   0    0  0.0  0      |     
Nov 14 Virginia Tech        |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0     |    -   0- 0     0  0     |   0    0  0.0         |   0    0  0.0  0      |     
Nov 21 Kansas State         |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0     |    -   0- 0     0  0     |   0    0  0.0         |   0    0  0.0  0      |     
----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
Tot                         |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0-   0- 0     0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0      |   0    0  0.0  0      |    0

                            |       Rushing        |      Receiving       |         Passing          |     Kick Returns      |     Punt Returns      |  all
1971                        |  no  yds  avg td lg  |  no  yds  avg td lg  | cmp- att-int  yds td lg  |  no  yds  avg td  lg  |  no  yds  avg td  lg  | purp
----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
Sep 18 Miami                |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0     |    -   0- 0     0  0     |   0    0  0.0         |   0    0  0.0  0      |     
Oct  2 Virginia Tech        |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0     |    -   0- 0     0  0     |   0    0  0.0         |   0    0  0.0  0      |     
Oct 30 Houston              |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0     |    -   0- 0     0  0     |   0    0  0.0         |   0    0  0.0  0      |     
----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
Tot                         |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0-   0- 0     0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0      |   0    0  0.0  0      |    0

                            |       Rushing        |      Receiving       |         Passing          |     Kick Returns      |     Punt Returns      |  all
1972                        |  no  yds  avg td lg  |  no  yds  avg td lg  | cmp- att-int  yds td lg  |  no  yds  avg td  lg  |  no  yds  avg td  lg  | purp
----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
Sep  9 Pittsburgh           |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0     |    -   0- 0     0  0     |   0    0  0.0         |   0    0  0.0  0      |     
Sep 30 Kansas               |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0     |    -   0- 0     0  0     |   0    0  0.0         |   0    0  0.0  0      |     
----------------------------|----------------------|----------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----
Tot                         |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0     |   0-   0- 0     0  0     |   0    0  0.0  0      |   0    0  0.0  0      |    0