Matt Dunigan, and old friend of the Designated Writers staff, was an All-America quarterback for Louisiana Tech in 1982 and, a few months after Tech’s season ended in the second round of the I-AA playoffs on a miserable, wet and cold grey afternoon in Ruston, he was eligible for the historic 1983 NFL Draft.
It’s one of the most famous Quarterback Drafts in NFL history. Six QBs were taken in the first round, the most in the league’s history. John Elway, Dan Marino, Todd Blackledge, Jim Kelly, Tony Eason, Ken O’Brie. Big boys with strong arms.
Dunigan was and is 5-9. He wasn’t drafted. Longtime NFL scout C.O. Brocato was at Tech practices often in those days; he told Larry Dauterive, then Tech’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, that Dunigan’s arm was as strong if not stronger than the arms of any of those guys–but that he wouldn’t be drafted because of his height.
That’s what happened. But this happened too:
Dunigan went on the be the only QB in the history of the Canadian Football League to lead four different organizations to the Grey Cup. He played on five Grey Cup teams and won two. He’s in the CFL Hall of Fame, the Louisiana Tech Athletics Hall of Fame, and he’ll be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame June 8 in Natchitoches.
A funny thing, how the NFL game has evolved over time. Last week, the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft was Kyler Murray, the Heisman winning QB from Oklahoma’s Sooners. Kyler’s 5-10.
Baker Mayfield is 6-1. Drew Brees is 6-0. Russell Wilson is 5-10. In 1983, it’s doubtful any of those guys get a look. But now, a player like Dunigan, a fierce competitor with lightning in his arm and quick feet, a guy with a linebacker mentality, is what the league’s looking for.
“He was ahead of his time,” said Mike Kelly, Dunigan’s QB coach/OC for two Grey Cups. “If the draft back then was the draft today, he’s what they’d want.”
Go to LaSportsHall.com for ticket information about Induction Week. Dunigan, Les Miles, Peyton Manning, and Tech play-by-play star Dave Nitz are part of this fairly studly 2019 class.
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