Howard Twilley, the 1992 College Football Hall of Fame inductee who starred at wide receiver for Tulsa from 1963-65, passed away Feb. 5. He was 81.
“Howard Twilley was one of the greatest receivers in college football history with an uncanny ability to get open and change the course of a game,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. “He simply redefined what it meant to be a dominant receiver, and his performance at Tulsa during the 1965 season remains one of the greatest in our sport’s history. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends at this time of loss.”
Twilley led the nation in three pass receiving categories in 1964: touchdowns (13), passes caught (95), and yards gained on receptions (1,178). He repeated in 1965, and his figures were higher: touchdowns (16), passes caught (134), and receiving yards (1,779), which all set NCAA records at the time and made him the first player in college football history to eclipse the 100-reception mark in a season. He averaged 13.4 receptions per game in 1965, which still remains the best in FBS history. His performance in 1965 landed him unanimous All-America honors, and he finished as the Heisman Trophy runner-up.
He led Tulsa to a Bluebonnet Bowl win in 1964 and an appearance in the postseason game in 1965. His Tulsa career totals include 261 receptions for 3,343 yards and 32 touchdowns, and he held the school record for career receiving yards for nearly 60 years.
Twilley was also a kicker for Tulsa, completing 43 PATs on 53 attempts in 1964 and 1965. He also caught 12 two-point conversions during his career.
Twilley, at 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, was not especially tall for a receiver, but he had shifty ways of getting open for a pass, and he had sure hands to catch it. His best college game was in 1965 against Memphis State. He caught 16 passes for 267 yards. One play was an 89-yard gain. Other big yardage games in 1965 included 242 against Southern Illinois, 230 against Louisville, 226 against Cincinnati, 214 against Colorado State. In 1964, he had a 242yard game against Oklahoma State.
A twotime Academic All-America in 1964 and 1965, Twilley graduated from Tulsa with a degree in electrical engineering and added a master’s degree in finance.
Twilley was inducted into the Tulsa Athletic Hall of Fame in 1984, the GTE Academic Hall of Fame in 1990, and the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 1995. His jersey, No. 81, was retired by the university.
Following his collegiate career, he played 11 seasons with the Miami Dolphins (196676), making three trips to the Super Bowl and winning twice, including as a member of the undefeated 1972 Dolphins.
After football, Twilley pursued a career in business, owning a chain of sporting goods stores and working at an investment firm. He also was a coach, including a stint as the head coach at Metro Christian Academy in Tulsa.
Born Dec. 25, 1943 in Houston, Texas, Twilley played high school football at Galena Park High School.
