Steve Preece

Steve Preece

Date of birth:	February 15, 1947 (1947-02-15)
Place of birth:	Boise, Idaho, United States
Career information
Position(s):	Defensive back
College:	Oregon State
Organizations
As player:
1969 1970-72 1972 1973-76 1977	New Orleans Saints Philadelphia Eagles Denver Broncos Los Angeles Rams Seattle Seahawks
Playing stats at NFL.com

Steven "Steve" Packer Preece (born February 15, 1947 in Boise, Idaho) is a former professional football player, a defensive back in the NFL for 9 seasons, from 1969 to 1977.

Early life

Preece grew up in Boise, Idaho, and played high school football at Borah High for legendary coach Ed Troxel, also his coach in track. At the talent-rich program, Preece had to wait his turn to play; he became the Lions' starting quarterback during his senior year in the fall of 1964.

College career

After graduating in 1965, he accepted an athletic scholarship to Oregon State, recruited by linebackers coach Ed Knecht. Knecht had previously been the head coach at Boise High, Borah's rival, and had connections in southwestern Idaho. Preece had great speed (10.0 in the 100 yard dash), and a good arm, a great fit for the option offense. Knecht had received a phone call warning him that a rival school was attempting to steal Preece away from the Beavers, so he promptly called new head coach Dee Andros with the news, to which Andros responded, "Get the $@%! over there. And if you don't get him, don't bother to come back."

After the graduation of Paul Brothers following the 1966 season, Preece became the starting quarterback for OSU. As a two-year starter from 1967–68, Preece compiled a 14-5-1 record (.725). Included in this success was a win and a tie against UCLA, and a split with USC and O.J. Simpson. The Beavers won 3-0 in 1967, the Trojans won 17-13 in 1968 in Los Angeles.

The 1967 OSU football team finished with a record of 7-2-1 and a #7 ranking in the AP national poll. OSU defeated previous #1 USC in Corvallis, and #2 Purdue on the road, and tied #2 UCLA in Los Angeles, earning them the title of "The Giant Killers." OSU also beat the Iowa Hawkeyes on the road, but a mid-season lapse of back-to-back losses to unranked teams severely damaged the Beavers' Rose Bowl chances and national ranking. OSU lost to the Washington Huskies in Seattle and BYU Cougars in Corvallis. Although OSU defeated USC, the Beavers wound up behind in the Pac-8 conference standings with a loss and a tie, USC defeated Indiana 14-3 in the Rose Bowl and was crowned national champion for the 1967 season. Oregon State did not play in a bowl game, due to conference rules.

The 1968 Oregon State team would go 7-3, and finish #15 in the nation.

Professional career

Undrafted, Steve Preece signed a free agent NFL contract with the New Orleans Saints in 1969, not as a quarterback but as a defensive back. He was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for the 1970 season, staying through 1971, and playing one game for them in 1972 before being traded to the Denver Broncos. In 1973 he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams, where he would play for four seasons, the last two as a back-up, the only time in his career. He played his last season in 1977 as a starter for the Seattle Seahawks, then retired at the age of thirty. Preece played a role similar to Nolan Cromwell, as a defensive back who held for place kicks and was available to play quarterback in an emergency; both had been option quarterbacks in college.

After football

Preece is in the real estate business in Portland and regularly provides color commentary for the Oregon State football broadcasts.

External links

• The Idaho Statesman, 16-Dec-1977
• Database Football: Steve Preece stats
• Season of the Giant Killers - Oregon State - 1967
• CFB Data Warehouse Oregon State results 1965-69
• Final AP Poll - 1967 season
• Final AP Poll - 1968 season