Tom Boggs (1983) - Hall of Fame - University of Akron Athletics

Tom Boggs

Induction:
1983
Class:
1959

1955-57
Football
‘59
It is said that records are made to be broken, and in time most are. It is unusual for one to last 10 years, so it is amazing to find that Tom Boggs, still holds school marks that have stood the test of 30 years. The 5-8, 160-pound Boggs was a quarterback for three years under head coach Joe McMullen during the 1955, ’56 and ’57 seasons. Over that span, the Zip gridders, with Boggs at the controls, won 16, lost eight and tied one. Included in that total was a 7-1-1 season, the best since the 1930 team was 7-1, during the senior campaign. Boggs’ career got off to roaring start as he passed for 662 yards for a record 10 TDs. Four of those TD passes came in a 46-13 rout over Oberlin for another record—a record that has since been tied but, never broken. That 1955 squad became the first team to score 200 or more points in a single season since the 1893 team compiled 276 points. The Zips scored 245 points, including wins over 58-0 over Otterbein and 53-6 over Wooster, while gaining six wins and losing two. As a junior, Boggs passed for a career high 810 yards while completing 51 of 97 passes, nine for scores. That season against Ohio Wesleyan, Boggs passed for a record-breaking 301 yards and four TDs. His 1956 performance earned him All-Ohio Conference first-team honors. By the conclusion of the 5’7 campaign, Boggs had passed 263 times, completing 133 for a .506 percentage, 2082 yards and 28 touchdowns for his career—all all-time UA marks. It wasn’t long before those performances were surpassed—that is all but one. Despite the increase in the number of games played in recent years, Boggs still has the most career TD passes (28). Since graduating from UA in 1956, Boggs has been a restaurant owner and involved in residential construction in addition to his 25 years in education in the Akron Public School System. Currently, Boggs is Marketing and Distributive Education Coordinator at Ellet High School.