Gary O'Steen

O’Steen was a four-sport athlete at Anniston High School before his graduation in 1956. In football, he led Billy Bancroft’s Bulldogs in scoring his final two seasons. As a junior O’Steen rushed for seven touchdowns, passed for four scores and caught one touchdown pass. Anniston ended the season 7-2-1.

As a senior O’Steen rushed for 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns on 120 carries. He completed 13 of 23 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns. On defense he had eight interceptions as the Bulldogs finished 8-1-1. In 1955, O’Steen was one of five Alabama players selected to the All-Southern first team after having been an honorable mention in 1954. He was a first-team member of the Class AAA all-state team both years.

After lettering at the University of Alabama as a sophomore in 1957 under J.B. Whitworth, O’Steen remained at Alabama during Paul Bryant’s fabled 1958 “turnaround” season. That year he returned a team-high 16 punts for 162 yards, including a 44-yard return for a touchdown in the first of Bryant’s 232 wins at Alabama. Two weeks later, O’Steen’s 18-yard run set up Alabama’s only touchdown in a 9-7 victory over Mississippi State. As a senior, O’Steen moved to fullback and was the Crimson Tide’s second-leading rusher. He again led in kickoff returns.

Written by Joe Estep