May 18, 2005
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Paul Wiggin, a two-time All-American and one of the great football players in Stanford history, today was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Wiggin, who played on the Farm from 1953-56, becomes the 15th player in school history to be selected to the Hall of Fame. The announcement came today from Jon F. Hanson, Chairman of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame.
Wiggin is one of 13 inducted in the Class of 2005, which includes 11 players and two coaches. The 2005 College Hall of Fame Division 1-A Class will be inducted at the 48th Annual Awards Dinner on December 6, 2005 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. They will officially be enshrined at the Hall in South Bend, Ind., during ceremonies in August of 2006.
Included in the Class of 2005 are Cornelius Bennett (LB, Alabama), Tom Curtis (DB, Michigan), Anthony Davis (RB, USC), Keith Dorney (OT, Penn State), Jim Houston (E, Ohio State), John Huarte (QB, Notre Dame), Roosevelt Leaks (FB, Texas), Mark May (OT, Pittsburgh), Joe Washington (RB, Oklahoma), David Williams (WR, Illinois), Coaches Pat Dye and Don Nehlan.
Wiggin was 18 years old in the fall of 1953 when he first arrived on the Stanford campus. After being recruited out of Manteca High School, Indian head coach Chuck Taylor told Wiggin he would have to go to junior college before he could get into Stanford. "I was being recruited heavily by everyone," recalls Wiggin. "But Stanford stuck out in my mind. I've made a few great decisions in my life and Stanford University was clearly one of them."
Wiggin spent the 1952 season at Modesto Junior College, then transferred to Stanford. He was forced to sit out the `53 season due to an injury, but he came back to become a three-year starter as a defensive tackle from 1954-56.
Wiggin earned All-America and All-Pacific Coast Conference honors in 1955 and `56 and went on to an 11-year career in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns. He played in three world championship games with the Browns and was a member of the Browns' 1964 NFL title club which beat Baltimore 27-0.
Wiggin coached in the NFL for 12 years, including being the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs from 1975-77. He returned to Stanford in 1980 as the 27th head football coach in school history. A member of Stanford's All-Century Team, he returned to the NFL after his four-year reign as Stanford's head coach ended in 1983. He is currently Director of Pro Scouting for the Minnesota Vikings