Today is #42...
#42 Myles Spearman is a Senior Defensive Back from Surprise, AZ (one of the last two of our "AZ recruiting connection")
Myles is a Biology major who played in 5 games in 2014, finishing with 18 tackles, and all 13 games in 2015, finishing with 35 tackles and 2 interceptions. Due to an injury sustained in the off-season, he missed last season (not sure if eligible for medical redshirt/6th year).
Other #42's we've had:
Dwight Sellers........................1959-61
Ron Hartman..........................1961-62
Bruce Gebhardt........................... 1969
Daryl Schuette........................1976-78
Bob Niemi...............................1981-84
Armie Gasbarro......................1985-89
Lamar McGriggs.......................... 1990
Jim Hagedorn.............................. 1991
Avery Scott.................................. 1993
Aaron Franklin............................. 1995
Ed Josephs.............................1996-97
Karim Ross.................................. 1998
Antwian Davis.........................1999-00
Matt Yellin...............................2002-05
Heaven Desir............................... 2004
Mike Garoppolo......................2007-08
Ryan Carleton........................ 2010-11
Dwight Sellers was inducted into the Leatherneck HOF as part of the 1959 undefeated football team.
Bruce Gebhardt was, following his time at Western, an FBI agent who worked his way up until he was appointed Deputy Director of the FBI from 2002-2004. In 1976, he was awarded the FBI Medal of Valor (the FBI's highest honor for heroism) for actions taken during a plane hijacking at the Denver Airport in 1976:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_J._Gebhardt
Armie Gasbarro was the team's tackle leader in 1988 (130) and 1989 (131). He was a First Team All-Conference LB in both of those years, was an AP Honorable Mention in '88 and Sporting News First Team in '89). He was a 6th round draft pick the NFL's World League of American Football in 1991. Gasbarro has been coaching baseball for the last decade and is in his first season with Top Tier's high school program as the head coach of the
Top Tier - Czerwinski 15u team.
Lamar McGriggs was a Second Team All-Conference DB in 1990. He is 10th (tied) on the list for most passes broken up in a season (11 in 1990), 6th (tied) for forced fumbles in a season (4 in 1990), and 1st (tied) for fumble recoveries in a season (4 in 1990). He was drafted in the 8th round of the 1991 NFL Draft by the NY Giants. He played
two seasons with the Giants and two seasons with the Vikings. Following that, he played for 9 years in the CFL for various teams, earning CFL East All-Star recognition in 1996 and winning a Grey Cup championship in 1999 with the Hamlton Tiger-Cats. It looks like McGriggs had an interesting route to Western, starting at Arizona Western College as a freshman in '86, transferring to Ellsworth (IA) Junior College, but not being able to play football due to not being granted a release from AZ Western. He then went to Oklahoma State where he played for at least one year (possibly two) and finally finished his senior year as a Leatherneck in 1990.
Aaron Franklin was an Academic All-Conference NB in 1995.
Ed Josephs was an All-Conference Honorable Mention RB in 1997.
Mike Garoppolo was a LB who played in 29 games over 3 years, starting in all 11 games his senior year. He is the older brother of former EIU star and current backup QB for the New England Patriots,
Jimmy Garoppolo.