Chuck Webb

Webb was raised in Toledo, Ohio.{{Cite web |date=January 17, 1990 |title=Chuck Webb, Tennessee's leading rusher |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-01-17-sp-201-story.html |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} At age 10, he suffered a broken leg, and was told by doctors at the time that a future in sports was unlikely."[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19900107&id=7UNPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BgMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4485,503811 Chuck Webb: The Best]?" Toledo Blade, January 7, 1990. He recovered, however, and was a three-year starter at tailback for Toledo's Macomber High School."[http://diglib.lib.utk.edu/fbpro/main.php?bid=692&pg=86 Tennessee Signees] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304061431/http://diglib.lib.utk.edu/fbpro/main.php?bid=692&pg=86 |date=March 4, 2016 }}," 1988 Tennessee Volunteers Football Guide, p. 85.{{Cite web |last=Nowicki |first=Brian |date=January 16, 2012 |title=TheRocketNation - Webb Decides to Stay Local |url=https://toledo.rivals.com/news/webb-decides-to-stay-local |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=Rivals.com}} During his junior year, he rushed for nearly 1,800 yards, and was named "Ohio Back of the Year." In the championship game against Waite, Webb carried 24 times for 311 yards, and twice scored on runs longer than 95 yards. He also ran track, and won the state championship in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.5 seconds.

Webb entered his senior year at Macomber a preseason All-American. In spite of playing part of the season with a broken hand, he rushed for 1,590 yards, averaging 10.7 yards per carry. He rushed 13 times for 275 yards in a game against DeVilbiss, and carried 13 times for 268 yards and three touchdowns in just one half against Woodward. In an important game against Central Catholic, Webb rushed for 213 yards on just 12 carries, and scored touchdowns on runs of 56 yards, 76 yards, and 15 yards, the latter pulling Macomber to within a point with just a few seconds left in the fourth quarter (a subsequent two-point conversion attempt failed).John Agee, "[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19870926&id=Qp1PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6QIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5682,4880875 Irish Escape Tangled Webb]," Toledo Blade, September 26, 1987. He was named an All-American by USA Today and several other publications at the end of the season.

Webb's speed (4.3 seconds in the 40-yard dash) and his phenomenal game stats made him one of the top 25 prospects in the nation. He surprisingly chose Tennessee over regional schools Ohio State and Michigan State.{{Cite web |last=Sielicki |first=Jim |date=February 9, 1988 |title=Chuck Webb, an All-Ohio running back from Toledo Macomber High School considered one of the nation's top prospects, Monday said he will attend the University of Tennessee this fall |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/02/09/Chuck-Webb-an-All-Ohio-running-back-from-Toledo-Macomber/7460571381200/ |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=UPI |language=en}} He stated in an interview that he preferred the run-oriented offense of Tennessee head coach Johnny Majors."[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=799&dat=19880209&id=U7hTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HYgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4516,3433393 Webb Picks Tennessee]," Bryan (OH) Times, February 9, 1988.

Webb redshirted during the 1988 season at Tennessee as star running back Reggie Cobb handled the bulk of the rushing duties.{{Cite web |last=Harralson |first=Dan |date=June 3, 2021 |title=PHOTOS: Reggie Cobb-Chuck Webb at Tennessee |url=https://volswire.usatoday.com/gallery/photos-cobb-webb-reggie-cobb-chuck-webb-playing-at-tennessee-vols-football/ |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=Vols Wire|publisher=USA Today |language=en-US}} Following a disastrous start to the season, Tennessee's young offensive line began to gel, and the Vols finished the year with five consecutive wins.{{Cite web |title=1988 Tennessee Volunteers Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/tennessee/1988-schedule.html |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}} With Cobb suspended during spring practice in 1989, Webb carried 11 times for 83 yards in the Orange and White Game."[http://diglib.lib.utk.edu/fbpro/main.php?bid=750&pg=84&s=orange%20and%20white Tennessee Squad] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140907005044/http://diglib.lib.utk.edu/fbpro/main.php?bid=750&pg=84&s=orange%20and%20white |date=September 7, 2014 }}," 1989 Tennessee Volunteers Football Guide, p. 82.

Webb entered the 1989 season as a backup to Cobb. The two talented backs formed a powerful running combination that became known as "the Cobb-Webb connection".Matt Dixon, "[http://utdailybeacon.com/sports/2011/sep/9/cobb-still-fond-ut-hometown/ Cobb Still 'Fond' of UT, Hometown] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20131006112159/http://utdailybeacon.com/sports/2011/sep/9/cobb-still-fond-ut-hometown/ |date=2013-10-06 }}," The Daily Beacon, September 9, 2011. Retrieved: October 5, 2013. Playing behind Cobb, Webb rushed for 134 yards and two touchdowns in a win over UCLA, picked up 93 yards and a touchdown in a key win over Auburn, and ran for 83 yards and a touchdown in a win over Georgia.{{Cite web |last=Crowe |first=Jerry |date=September 10, 1989 |title=It's a Tennessee Waltz Over UCLA : Volunteers Score Fast, Furious in 24-6 Victory |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-10-sp-2905-story.html |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} After Cobb was kicked off the team for failing a drug test, Webb became the starter. He carried 23 times for 111 yards and a touchdown in a losing effort to Alabama before reeling off a string of impressive games, including a 132-yard outing against LSU,{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Stephen |date=October 28, 2015 |title=The Vols won a high-scoring 45-39 contest at LSU on Oct. 28, 1989 |url=https://utsports.com/sports/2017/6/15/blog-football-148-html |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=University of Tennessee Athletics |language=en}} and a 162-yard outing against Akron.{{Cite web |date=November 12, 1989 |title=Georgia Rushes Past No. 20 Florida, 17-10 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-11-12-sp-2196-story.html |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} In the Vols' win over Ole Miss, Webb rushed 35 times for 294 yards, breaking the single-game rushing record of 248 yards set by Johnnie Jones in 1983.{{Cite web |last=Inabinett |first=Mark |date=November 18, 2017 |title=LSU at Tennessee by the numbers: Vols sinking against the West |url=https://www.al.com/sports/2017/11/lsu_at_tennessee_by_the_number.html |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=AL.com |language=en}} He finished his regular season with 27 carries for 145 yards against Kentucky (he missed the regular season finale against Vanderbilt with an injury)."[https://web.archive.org/web/20140907005737/http://diglib.lib.utk.edu/fbpro/main.php?bid=703&pg=91 Tennessee Squad]," 1990 Tennessee Volunteers Football Guide, p. 89. In Tennessee's win over Arkansas in the 1990 Cotton Bowl, Webb exploded for 250 yards and two touchdowns, including a 78-yard score in the third quarter, to win "Offensive Player of the Game" honors."[http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-footbl/guides/2012/records.pdf Tennessee Football Records] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304113625/http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-footbl/guides/2012/records.pdf |date=2016-03-04 }}," UTSports.com, 2012. Accessed: September 5, 2014. Though he started just five games, Webb finished the regular season with 1,236 yards, the second-highest total in the SEC behind Emmitt Smith, and the eighth-highest in the nation.{{Cite web |title=Chuck Webb College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/chuck-webb-2.html |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}

Entering the 1990 season as one of the nation's premier running backs,{{Cite web |last=Sisak |first=Michael |date=August 26, 1990 |title=Lots of Volunteers for the No. 1 Spot |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/26/sports/college-football-90-lots-of-volunteers-for-the-no-1-spot.html |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=The New York Times |language=en-US}} Webb carried 27 times for 131 yards in Tennessee's season-opening tie against Colorado.{{Cite web |last=Barnes |first=Mike |date=August 26, 1990 |title=Tennessee 31, Colorado 31 |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/08/26/Tennessee-31-Colorado-31/9880651643200/ |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=UPI |language=en}} During the second game of the season against Pacific, Webb suffered a torn ACL early in the first quarter, effectively ending his season."[http://diglib.lib.utk.edu/fbpro/main.php?bid=167&pg=11&catid=20&s=chuck%20webb Vols Repeat as SEC Champs for the First Time Since 1940] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140907005803/http://diglib.lib.utk.edu/fbpro/main.php?bid=167&pg=11&catid=20&s=chuck%20webb |date=September 7, 2014 }}," 1991 Sugar Bowl Media Guide, p. 9.{{Cite web |date=August 30, 2013 |title=5 Big Things: Tennessee vs. Austin Peay |url=http://www.knoxnews.com/sports/vols/football/5-big-things-tennessee-vs-austin-peay-ep-510469085-355523401.html |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=Knoxville News Sentinel |language=en}} Rather than risk further injury, Webb opted to forgo his remaining eligibility and enter the 1991 NFL draft."[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19910123&id=-VJSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mzYNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3725,3863936 Moore, Webb Going Pro]," Victoria (TX) Advocate, January 23, 1991.{{Cite web |last=Shelton |first=Will |date=May 14, 2014 |title=A History of Vols Leaving Early for the NFL |url=https://www.rockytoptalk.com/2014/5/14/5713962/a-history-of-tennessee-football-players-leaving-early-for-the-nfl |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=Rocky Top Talk |language=en}}

As of the 2012 season, Webb's 294-yard outing against Ole Miss in 1989 remains the highest single-game total in school history, and his 250-yard tally in the 1990 Cotton Bowl remains the school's second-highest single-game total.{{Cite web |last=Calhoun |first=Caleb |date=July 27, 2020 |title=Tennessee football’s 10 toughest records to break |url=https://allfortennessee.com/2020/07/27/tennessee-football-10-toughest-records/ |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=All for Tennessee |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Nix |first=Mede |date=January 1, 1990 |title=Chuck Webb makes his mark in Cotton Bowl |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/01/01/Chuck-Webb-makes-his-mark-in-Cotton-Bowl/9948631170000/ |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=UPI |language=en}} His average of 5.91 yards-per-carry in 1989 remains a school single-season record for running backs with a minimum of 200 carries. In 2013, Webb was honored as a Vol "Legend of the Game" during Tennessee's season-opener against Austin Peay.{{Cite web |date=August 31, 2013 |title=Tennessee vs. Austin Peay Postgame Notes |url=https://utsports.com/news/2013/8/31/Tennessee_vs_Austin_Peay_Postgame_Notes.aspx |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=University of Tennessee Athletics |language=en}}

Undergoing surgery to repair his right knee, Webb was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 1991 NFL draft with the 82nd overall pick.{{Cite web |title=1991 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1991/draft.htm |access-date=May 7, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} His knee continued bothering him during training camp, however, and he again underwent surgery to repair torn cartilage in the knee.{{Cite web |date=August 3, 1991 |title=Packers Lose Webb for at Least 5 Weeks |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-08-03-sp-82-story.html |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Times|agency=Associated Press |language=en-US}} He spent the first part of his rookie year on injured reserve, and wasn't activated until the Packers' game against Minnesota in November. He played only marginally, however, and retired following the 1992 season.{{Cite web |title=Chuck Webb 1991 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WebbCh20/gamelog/1991/ |access-date=March 16, 2024 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}

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Category:Players of American football from Toledo, Ohio

Category:Green Bay Packers players

Category:American football fullbacks

Category:Tennessee Volunteers football players

Category:1969 births

Category:Living people