Pat Tillman - Arizona State University

Once at Arizona State University, Pat did not take long to prove to his coaches that giving him their last scholarship was a wise decision. Despite being considered undersized, he quickly became one of the most dominant players on the field. In 1996, he helped lead the Sun Devils to the 1997 Rose Bowl after an undefeated regular season. Pat's intensity on (and off) the field made him a clear fan favorite. His dominating play at linebacker earned him three selections to the All-Pac-10 Team and the Pac-10 Conference's Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1997.

Behind the scenes of football glory, Pat worked diligently on his marketing degree - graduating Summa Cum Laude with a B.S. in Marketing from ASU's prestigious W.P. Carey School of Business in just three and a half years. His intense focus and sheer determination led him to three consecutive selections to the Pac-10 All-Academic Football Team, a 1st team Academic All-American honor, as well as the NCAA's Post-Graduate Scholarship for academic and athletic excellence. Perhaps Pat's most impressive accomplishment as an ASU student was the high regards he received from nearly everyone he came in contact with, especially his professors and coaches.

"You don't find guys that have that combination of being as bright and as tough as him," said Phil Snow, Pat's defensive coordinator at ASU. "This guy could go live in a foxhole for a year by himself with no food."

Despite Pat's popularity in college, he remained humble and unassuming while continuously striving to improve himself. He was known for his well-thought out questions, which he used to stir up conversations in topics ranging from international political systems, world religions, or more trivial matters like the best type of sausage or merits of a good latte, to the personal concerns of his friends. However, his periodic visits with family and close friends became essential to 'recharge his batteries'.

Awards and Honors

1995 Second Team All Pac-10 All-Purpose Specialist
1995 Academic All Pac-10 Honorable Mention
1996 Second Team All Pac-10 Outside Linebacker
1996, 1997 Clyde B. Smith Academic Award
1996, 1997 GTE District VIII Academic All-American
1996, 1997 Academic All Pac-10
1997 East-West Shrine, Outside Linebacker, Game MVP
1997 Burger King Scholarship Award Winner
1997 Sporting News Honda Scholar-Athlete of the Year
1997 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year
1997 ASU Most Valuable Player
1997 All-American (2nd team)
1997-98 Pac-10 Medalist (ASU male representative)
1998 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Winner
1998 Sun Angel Student Athlete of the Year