George Achica
{{Short description|American Samoan gridiron football player (born 1960)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = George Achica
| number = 75, 62
| position = Defensive tackle
Nose tackle
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|12|19|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = American Samoa
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lb = 310
| high_school = Andrew Hill {{nowrap|(San Jose, California)}}
| college = USC
| draftyear = 1983
| draftround = 3
| draftpick = 57
| pastteams =
- Baltimore Colts ({{NFL Year|1983}})*
- Los Angeles Express ({{USFL Year|1983}}-{{USFL Year|1985}})
- Indianapolis Colts ({{NFL Year|1985}})
- New York Jets ({{NFL Year|1986}})*
- San Francisco 49ers ({{NFL Year|1987}})*
| highlights =
- Morris Trophy (1982)
- Consensus All-American (1982)
- Second-team All-American (1981)
- 3× First-team All-Pac-10 (1980, 1981, 1982)
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 4
| pfr = A/AchiGe20
}}
George R. Achica (born December 19, 1960) is an American former professional football defensive tackle. Achica played professionally for the Los Angeles Express of the United States Football League (USFL), and the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Southern California, and was recognized as a consensus All-American.
Early life
Achica was born in American Samoa on December 19, 1960. He attended Andrew Hill High School in San Jose, California where he was an All-American in both football and wrestling. In football, Achica was voted to the 1978 Parade All-America High School Football team as a senior.{{cite web |title=Parade All-Americans |url=https://www.ahsfhs.org/Articles/parade1.asp?year=1978 |website=AHSFHS.org |publisher=Alabama High School Football Historical Society |access-date=May 2, 2024}} In wrestling, he won two California high school state titles as a sophomore and junior. In his senior season, Achica lost in the semi-finals of the state tournament, his first wrestling loss of his high school career.{{cite news |title=More on state wrestling championships |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/rohnert-park-cotati-clarion-more-on-stat/146544815/ |access-date=May 2, 2024 |work=Rohnert Park Cotati Clarion |date=March 7, 1979}}
College career
Achica played football at the University of Southern California (USC) from 1979 to 1982. Achica joined USC as they were ranked #1 in the preseason AP poll. He saw playing time as a freshman and USC won their second straight Rose Bowl, defeating Ohio State 17-16. As a sophomore, Achica was named to the 1980 All-PAC-10 First-Team.
In his junior season, Achica was named to the 1981 All-PAC-10 First-Team while gaining an All-America Second-Team selection. During his that season, Achica blocked a field goal in USC's game against rival UCLA that he later said was one of his most important football performances.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-dec-01-sp-plaschke1-story.html|title= A trip off old block |last=Plaschke|first=Bill|work=Los Angeles Times|date=December 1, 2006|access-date=October 18, 2020}} With four seconds remaining, and USC leading 22-21, Achica blocked Norm Johnson's 46-yard field goal attempt, denying UCLA a trip to the Rose Bowl.{{cite news |last1=White |first1=Lonnie |title=Achica blocked UCLA’s path to Rose Bowl |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-defense29nov29-story.html |access-date=May 2, 2024 |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=November 29, 2007}}
As a senior, Achica was selected to his third All-PAC-10 First-Team and was named a consensus All-American. He also won the 1982 Morris Trophy, as the PAC-10 Conference's best defensive lineman. Achica was the first of four Samoans to be selected as All-Americans at USC; the others being Junior Seau, Troy Polamalu, and Lofa Tatupu.
Professional career
Achica was selected by the Los Angeles Express of the newly-formed USFL in the 1983 USFL territorial draft on January 4, 1983. At the 1983 NFL draft in April, Achica was selected in the third round with the 57th overall pick by the Baltimore Colts. Achica chose to play for the Express, citing a desire to remain close to home on the west coast.{{cite news |title=Colts' draft pick takes the Express |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/carroll-county-times-colts-draft-pick-t/146547006/ |access-date=May 2, 2024 |work=Carroll County Times |agency=Associated Press |via=Newspapers.com |date=May 18, 1983}}
=USFL career=
Achica joined the Express in the middle of their 1983 season. He played in six games, starting five. In 1984, the Express added quarterback Steve Young. The team went from one of the worst in the league to earning a spot in the USFL Western Conference championship, which they lost to the Arizona Wranglers. In the 1984 season, Achica had five sacks and played in all 18 games. In what became the USFL's final season, Achica again played in all 18 games of the Express's 1985 season. He recorded seven sacks. In three seasons in the USFL, Achica played in 42 games and had 64 tackles, 12 sacks, and one fumble recovery.{{cite web |title=George Achica USFL Statistics |url=https://www.usflsite.com/players/George_Achica/p-achicgeo001 |website=The History of the United States Football League |publisher=USFLSite |access-date=May 2, 2024}}
=NFL career=
After the USFL folded, Achica joined the Colts for the 1985 NFL season. The team had relocated to Indianapolis in 1984, but the Colts still retained Achica's NFL playing rights after drafting him in 1983.{{cite news |last1=Reitman |first1=Tom |title=Achica happy with Colts |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-news-acica-happy-with-c/146548867/ |access-date=May 2, 2024 |work=The Indianapolis News |via=Newspapers.com |date=August 7, 1985}} Achica's time with Indianapolis was short. He suffered a knee injury early in the season, which placed him on the injured reserve list.{{cite news |last1=Bansch |first1=John |title=NFL Notebook |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star-the-colts-and-ir/146549285/ |access-date=May 2, 2024 |work=The Indianapolis Star |via=Newspapers.com |date=September 15, 1985}} He appeared in four games before being released in November 1985.{{cite web |title=George Achica |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AchiGe20.htm |website=Pro Football Reference |access-date=May 2, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Reitman |first1=Tom |title=Colts shake up their offense |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-news-colts-shake-up-the/146549502/ |access-date=May 2, 2024 |work=The Indianapolis News |via=Newspapers.com |date=November 19, 1985}}
Achica was signed by the New York Jets on March 25, 1986, but failed his physical examination and was cut on May 21, 1986.{{cite news |last1=Needell |first1= Paul |title=Haight loves his number - Powell's '79' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-haight-loves-his-number-pow/146549884/ |access-date=May 2, 2024 |work=New York Daily News |via=Newspapers.com |date=May 22, 1986}}
In July 1987, Achica signed with the San Francisco 49ers before being cut by the team on August 28, 1987.{{cite news |last1=Jenkins |first1=Jim |title=Tuiasosopo gets birthday surprise - 49er release |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sacramento-bee-tuiasosopo-gets-birth/146551269/ |work=The Sacramento Bee |via=Newspapers.com |date=August 31, 1987}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Footballstats |nfl=george-achica |espn= |cbs= |yahoo= |fox= |si= |pfr=A/AchiGe20 |rotoworld= }}
{{Morris Trophy}}
{{1982 NCAA Division I-A College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{Baltimore Colts 1983 draft navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Achica, George}}
Category:American sportspeople of Samoan descent
Category:Players of American football from San Jose, California
Category:Players of American football from American Samoa
Category:American football defensive tackles
Category:USC Trojans football players
Category:All-American college football players
Category:Los Angeles Express players
Category:Indianapolis Colts players
Category:Pacific Islander American players of American football