Sandy Stephens

September 21, 1940 – Sandy Stephens was a quarterback from the University of Minnesota. Mr. Stephens became college football’s first first-team All-American quarterback of African American descent.

Sandy’s playing time with the Golden Gophers was not always rosy. In their first season with the team, they finished with a dismal 2-7 record. However, with Stephens under center the following year, they embarked on one of the most significant program turnarounds in football history, winning the Big Ten Title and playing in the Rose Bowl, where they won the National Championship.

The following season, Stephens and the Gophers returned to the Rose Bowl and won the game again, defeating UCLA 21-3! Minnesota has only retired 4 jersey numbers, and Sandy Stephens’ number 15 is one of them. Sandy Stephens was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011.