Randy Schultz

{{Short description|American football player (1943–1996)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Use American English|date=March 2019}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Randy Schultz

| image =

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption =

| number = 33

| position = Running back

| birth_date = {{birth date|1943|11|17}}

| birth_place = Iowa Falls, Iowa, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1996|10|4|1943|11|17}}

| death_place = Cedar Falls, Iowa, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 0

| weight_lb = 210

| high_school = Alden
(Alden, Iowa)

| college = State College of Iowa

| draftyear = 1966

| draftround = 5

| draftpick = 74

| pastteams =

• Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|1966}})
• New Orleans Saints ({{NFL Year|1967|1968}})

| highlights =

• 2× First-team Little All-American (1964, 1965)
• 2× NCC Most Valuable Back (1964, 1965)
• 3× All-NCC (1963–1965)
• University of Northern Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame

| statlabel1 = Rushing yards

| statvalue1 = 301

| statlabel2 = Rushing touchdowns

| statvalue2 = 2

| statlabel3 = Receptions

| statvalue3 = 26

| statlabel4 = Receiving yards

| statvalue4 = 220

| pfr = S/ShulRa00

}}

Randolph B. Schultz (November 17, 1943 – October 4, 1996) was an American football player in the National Football League (NFL).

Drafted in the fifth round of the 1966 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns,{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/draft/history/fulldraft|title=NFL.com Draft 2018 - NFL Draft History: Full Draft Year|website=NFL.com|access-date=April 1, 2019}} Randy Schultz played the 1966 season with the Browns,{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/ShulRa00.htm|title=Randy Schultz Stats|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=April 1, 2019}} followed by two seasons with the NFL's New Orleans Saints. He was also drafted in the 20th round of the 1966 AFL draft (177th overall) by the New York Jets.{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/news/1966-draft1/|title=1966 Draft - Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site|website=www.profootballhof.com|access-date=April 1, 2019}}

As a collegian, Schultz was twice named to the first team of the Associated Press Little All America squad (1964–65).{{cite web|url=https://www.library.uni.edu/gateway/indexuni/pager1?url=https://www.library.uni.edu/gateway/indexuni/ni/1965/00000139.jpg|title=The College Eye, December 3, 1965: "Schultz, Krover Go Pro, Randy All-American Again"|website=UNI.edu|access-date=April 1, 2019}} At State College of Iowa (SCI) – now the University of Northern Iowa – he rushed for 2,808 yards and 22 touchdowns in three seasons, averaging more than 100 yards rushing per game. He led the North Central Conference (NCC) in rushing for the 1963, '64 and '65 seasons.{{cite web|url=https://www.library.uni.edu/gateway/indexuni/pager1?url=https://www.library.uni.edu/gateway/indexuni/ni/1965/00000103.jpg|title=The College Eye, November 9, 1965, "Ten Graduating Seniors Make SCI Grid History"|website=UNI.edu|access-date=April 1, 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://northcentral.prestosports.com/Record_Book/08_Updates/08football.pdf|title=North Central Conference Football Record Book Archive|website=PrestoSports.com|access-date=April 1, 2019}} In the 1964 football season, Schultz's rushing yards outnumbered the total combined rushing yards of all SCI opponents that season. {{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sioux-city-journal-little-all-americ/88849593/|title=SCI's Randy Schultz Honored|website=Newspapers.com|access-date=November 12, 2024}} He was named the NCC Most Valuable Back for the 1964 and '65 seasons and an NCC All-Conference selection at fullback for the 1963, '64 and '65 seasons.

In his final college game, he set school records for rushing yards in a game (120) and rushing touchdowns in a game (4) against South Dakota University{{cite web|url=https://www.library.uni.edu/gateway/indexuni/pager1?url=https://www.library.uni.edu/gateway/indexuni/ni/1965/00000103.jpg|title=The College Eye, November 9, 1965, "SCI Panthers Crush SDU 41-0 For 4th Win in Row;3rd Place in NCC"|website=UNI.edu|access-date=April 1, 2019}} and finished his college career holding all Panther rushing records.

In 1987, he was inducted into the University of Northern Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame{{cite web|url=http://unipanthers.com/sports/2015/3/2/GEN_2014010113.aspx|title=Hall of Fame|website=UNI Athletics|access-date=April 1, 2019}} and again in 2010 as a member of the 1964 SCI football team, which won the 1964 Pecan Bowl.{{cite web|url=https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/uni-announces-athletics-hall-of-fame-class/article_e1594f30-8ff2-11df-b00c-001cc4c03286.html|title=UNI announces 2010 Athletics Hall of Fame class|website=Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier|access-date=April 1, 2019}}

Schultz died October 4, 1996.{{Cite web |url=https://www.library.uni.edu/gateway/indexuni/pager1?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.library.uni.edu%2Fgateway%2Findexuni%2Fni%2F1996%2F00000245.jpg |title=IndexUNI |access-date=July 16, 2022 |archive-date=October 7, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007042717/https://www.library.uni.edu/gateway/indexuni/pager1?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.library.uni.edu%2Fgateway%2Findexuni%2Fni%2F1996%2F00000245.jpg |url-status=dead }}