R.I.P. Kevin Long

1979 Profile: Chris Ward

Offensive Tackle

No. 72

Ohio State

"Mount Everest in cleats. Big, broad tackle, who when he spreads out, you need a mountain climbing team to get all over him. Ward is probably bigger than he's listed. 

Born December 15, 1955, in Cleveland, he's another of Woody Hayes' fat tackles who've made it in the pros. However, Ward figures to make it bigger than any Buckeye since Jim Parker. 'I see Chris as a modern edition of Parker,' says head coach Walt Michaels, 'and I wouldn't say that about many people. With Marvin Powell at right tackle, we've got two bookends for the next 10 years.'

Ward was an instant starter for the Jets after he was the fourth player taken in the 1978 draft. He's so versatile, he could play guard or tackle."

-Dave Newhouse, the Complete Handbook of Pro Football (1979 Edition)

1979 Profile: Pat Leahy

Place Kicker

No. 5

St. Louis

"Franz Beckenbauer he's not, but Leahy played four years of soccer at St. Louis University. The Jets saw him during a preseason game with St. Louis in 1974, when Leahy tried to unseat Jim Bakken as the Cardinal place kicker. Fat chance. When Bobby Howfield was hurt during that season, New York signed Leahy. Howfield left, and Leahy's still there.

Leahy led the AFC in scoring with 107 points and hit 22 of 30 field goal attempts. He had a slump in '77 when he became known as Wide-Left Leahy. But Walt Michaels stuck with him, and now there aren't too many better kickers in the game.'

Born March 19, 1951, in St. Louis, Leahy teaches in the off-season- kids, not kickers."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football (1979 Edition)

"Pat enjoyed his finest season in pro football last year. He led the AFC in scoring and was one of only two players to score 100 points.

Pat works as a teacher's aide."

-1979 Topps No. 121

1979 Profile: Jerome Barkum

Tight End

No. 83

Jackson State

"The Bekins of tight ends. Barkum was a wide receiver for the first five years of his career before making the move to tight end in '77. 'At first I had some doubts, not about my ability, but I hadn't played the position,' he recalls. 'Now I'm catching balls in the middle and up the chute and it's nice. It's fun, too. I get to hit people before they hit me.'

Barkum was one of Namath's favorite targets in the old days. He was born July 18, 1950, in Gulfport, Mississippi,  and was the Jets' No. 1 draft pick in '72 out of Jackson State. Barkum set a high school basketball record by grabbing 30 rebounds in one game. He's still a dangerous deep threat wherever he plays."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football (1979 Edition)

"Jerome has made the transformation from wide receiver to tight end. He's a clutch receiver with great hands and his blocking has noticeably improved.

Jerome had 30 rebounds in a high school basketball game."

-1979 Topps No. 21

1979 Profile: Kevin Long

Fullback

No. 33

South Carolina

"A 'Who's he?' All-Pro. Long exploded on the scene in his second NFL season, rushing for 954 yards (4.5) and scoring touchdowns. He had just 170 yards (3.0) as a rookie. He's another reason to keep an eye on those Jets.

Long certainly isn't surprised by his big year. He had been a 1,000-yard rusher at South Carolina; in fact, teammate Clarence Williams also gained 1,000 that 1975 season.

Long was born June 4, 1954, in Clinton, South Carolina, where he still lives. He was an offensive guard in high school- good coaching, right? The Jets drafted him ninth, almost as an afterthought, after his rushing yardage fell off as a college senior. The Jets tried him at fullback, then made him a tailback- good coaching."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football (1979 Edition)

"The Jets' leading rusher in 1978, Kevin adjusted from fullback to tailback and has become a two-way threat to the club. He was the first 1,000-yard rusher in South Carolina history in 1975 with 1,133 yards gained on the ground.

Kevin was married after the 1977 season."

-1979 Topps No. 519

1979 Profile: Wesley Walker

Wide Receiver

No. 85

California

"The Jets' Wesley Walker caught eight touchdown passes in 1978. Not so amazing, unless you consider his shortest touchdown catch was 33 yards. Overall, his average touchdown reception was 52 yards. Impressed yet? Now consider that of the AFC's top ten receivers, excluding Walker, only four caught at least one pass of 52 or more yards all year. And there were three starting AFC quarterbacks who didn't complete a pass of 52 yards or more all season: Ken Stabler, Mike Livingston and Craig Morton.

Walker, after being named the Jets' 1978 MVP: 'I can't ask for anything more. I almost feel like crying. It's unbelievable what's happened to me, a real turnabout from last year when I was dropping the ball, but I never doubted my abilities and I'm thankful for the confidence of the coaches.' "

-from Notes, Quotes & Comments, Football Digest, April 1979

"The Seattle Slew of pass catchers. Walker was All-Pro last year after a superb season- 48 catches for a league high 1,169 yards and an amazing 24.4 per catch average- and eight touchdown catches, too. And he's legally blind in one eye!

In two years in the NFL, Walker has given defensive backs, especially those in the AFC East, nervous disorders. He broke in as a rookie starter and caught an 87-yard touchdown bomb against Oakland. He 'fell off' to just a 77-yard best in '78.

Born May 26, 1955, in San Bernadino, California, Walker lettered in both football and track at California where he set an NCAA career record for average yards per catch (25.7). He can outrun them on any level."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football (1979 Edition)

"Wesley's speed is equal to that of anyone in the NFL. He has quick moves, good football intelligence and great desire to excel.

The Jets' leading receiver in 1978, he led the entire NFL with 1,169 yards and played in the Pro Bowl. He was an outstanding sprinter at California."

-1979 Topps No. 141

1979 Profile: Matt Robinson

Quarterback

No. 17

Georgia

"Where did he come from? When Richard Todd went down last year, there was despair in Gotham. But Robby was ready. He completed just 46 percent of his passes, but for 2,002 yards and 13 touchdowns, including several game-busters to Wesley Walker.

Robinson gives the Jets two good young quarterbacks for the future, although he might tire of being No. 2 after a while. He was born June 8, 1955, in Farmington, Michigan. Drafted ninth in '77 out of Georgia, his passing talents were lost in the Veer Offense. In fact, after leading the conference in passing as a sophomore, he played little as a junior and was a backup as a sophomore. Sounds like the Bart Starr story, but let's not rush things."

-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football (1979 Edition)

"Matt has displayed outstanding leadership qualities with the Jets. He has a strong arm, a quick release and can scramble with the best of them.

Matt was known for passing at Georgia, averaging 21.9 yards per completion. He played in the Tangerine Bowl as a sophomore."

-1979 Topps No. 267