Lou Rash
{{Short description|American football player (born 1960)}}
{{good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Lou Rash
| number = 28, 34
| position = Defensive back
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|6|5}}
| birth_place = Cleveland, Mississippi, U.S.
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 9
| weight_lb = 180
| high_school = East Side (MS)
| college = Mississippi Valley State (1979–1982)
| undraftedyear = 1983
| pastteams =
- Pittsburgh Steelers ({{NFL Year|1983|1984}})*
- Philadelphia Eagles ({{NFL Year|1984}})
- Saskatchewan Roughriders ({{CFL Year|1985}})*
- Toronto Argonauts ({{CFL Year|1987}})*
- Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|1987}})
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 7
| pfr = RashLo20
}}
Lou Rash (born June 5, 1960) is an American former professional football defensive back who played two seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers. He played college football for the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils. He was also a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL and the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League (CFL), although he did not appear in any games for those teams.
Life and career
Rash was born on June 5, 1960, in Cleveland, Mississippi.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RashLo20.htm|title = Lou Rash Stats|website = Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=October 20, 2024}} He attended East Side High School in Mississippi and was the school's second alumnus to play in the NFL.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/schools/high_schools.cgi?id=93ba166e|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=October 21, 2024|title=East Side (Cleveland, MS) Alumni Pro Stats}} At East Side, he played football as a strong safety and won four letters, being an all-conference selection and recording four interceptions with two punt return touchdowns as a senior.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-delta-democrat-times/157514202/|newspaper=Delta Democrat Times|via=Newspapers.com|date=December 11, 1977|page=34|title=Three E. Siders ink grants}} {{Open access}} Rash married and had at least two children{{Better citation needed|reason="At least two children" insinuates that there's reason to believe there were more than two. In a WP:BLP, we need some solid source to make that statement.|date=December 2024}}, including a son who played college football at Akron and a daughter who ran track at Slippery Rock.{{Cite web|url=https://gozips.com/sports/football/roster/joe-rash/712|publisher=Akron Zips|title=Joe Rash}} He signed to play college football for the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils in December 1977 and played for Mississippi Valley State from 1979 to 1982.{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/r/rash00200.html|website=Pro Football Archives|title=Lou Rash Stats|access-date=October 21, 2024}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-greenwood-commonwealth/157515381/|newspaper=The Greenwood Commonwealth|via=Newspapers.com|date=May 4, 1983|page=10|title=Former Delta Devil signs with Steelers}} {{Open access}} He was a cornerback for the Delta Devils and also served as their return specialist, being a starter for three seasons.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-news/157515033/|newspaper=The Morning News|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 18, 1984|page=41|title=Eagles acquire QB, cornerback|author=Noonan, Kevin}} {{Open access}} As a senior, he was named the school's scholar-athlete of the year. He graduated with a degree in chemistry.
After going unselected in the 1983 NFL draft, Rash signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent. In July, during training camp, he was mistakenly told that he had been released, and so he began to fly back home and reached Memphis, Tennessee.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pittsburgh-press/157516712/|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press|via=Newspapers.com|date=July 17, 1983|page=62|title=One Turk Goofs, Another Prospers At Steeler Camp|author=Clayton, John}} {{Open access}} However, upon landing, he was messaged that the cut was a mistake, and he flew back to the Steelers camp.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald/157516819/|newspaper=The Miami Herald|via=Newspapers.com|date=July 19, 1983|page=19|title=Was it a Rash decision?}} {{Open access}} Rash missed the team's first two preseason games due to a sprained ankle, then pulled his hamstring upon returning for the third game. He was placed on the injured reserve list on August 16, 1983.{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/transactions/r/rash00200.html|website=Pro Football Archives|title=Lou Rash NFL Transactions|access-date=October 20, 2024}} Rash went on a weightlifting program for the 1984 season and added almost {{convert|20|lb|kg}}.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pittsburgh-press/157517731/|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press|via=Newspapers.com|date=July 24, 1984|page=33, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pittsburgh-press/157517852/ 36]|author=Clayton, John|title=Rash itching to clear up Steelers' problem at left corner}} {{Open access}} However, despite this, he saw little playing time in preseason and was released on August 28, 1984, as part of the final roster cuts. Steelers defensive coordinator Tony Dungy said that his release was based on the number of players the team had at the position and that he thought Rash was good enough to play in the NFL.
On October 15, 1984, Rash signed with the Philadelphia Eagles to the active roster to replace the injured Roynell Young.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gettysburg-times/157518222/|newspaper=The Gettysburg Times|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 16, 1984|page=16|title=Eagles sign former Steeler|agency=Associated Press}} {{Open access}} He made his NFL debut on October 21 in a Week 8 win over the New York Giants.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RashLo20/gamelog/|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|title=Lou Rash Career Game Log|access-date=October 21, 2024}} He ended up appearing in four games for the Eagles on special teams, recording one tackle before being released on November 16.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-news/157518852/|newspaper=The Morning News|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 17, 1984|page=11|title=Eagle Eyes|author=Noonan, Kevin}} {{Open access}} Rash signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL for the 1985 season, but was released on June 3, 1985.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/red-deer-advocate/157519212/|newspaper=Red Deer Advocate|via=Newspapers.com|date=June 4, 1985|page=24|title=Transactions}} {{Open access}} After a year out of football, he signed with the Toronto Argonauts in 1987 and although it was noted that he impressed at cornerback, he was released on June 18.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/waterloo-region-record/157520328/|newspaper=Waterloo Region Record|via=Newspapers.com|date=June 3, 1987|page=24|title=Argos thin, but taking shape|author=Conaway, Tom}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer/157520398/|newspaper=The Charlotte Observer|via=Newspapers.com|date=June 19, 1987|page=39|title=Update}} {{Open access}} Later that year, the NFL Players Association went on strike and teams assembled rosters of replacement players; Rash was signed by the Green Bay Packers as a replacement to play free safety on September 23, 1987.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-citizen/157520602/|newspaper=Beaver Dam Daily Citizen|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 29, 1987|page=8|title=Former USFLer Named Packer Quarterback|agency=United Press International}} {{Open access}} He appeared in all three strike games for the Packers, helping them win two of the three games, and was released after the strike on October 19. He finished his NFL career having appeared in seven games, three as a starter.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rash, Lou}}
Category:People from Cleveland, Mississippi
Category:Players of American football from Bolivar County, Mississippi
Category:American football defensive backs
Category:Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football players
Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players