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Former Brazosport linebacker Danny Boyiet Rhodes will be
posthumously inducted into the University of Arkansas
Hall of Honor in September.
His wife, Barbie Rhodes, and daughters, Mona Rhodes
Schreiber and Gena Rhodes, will be in Fayetteville,
Arkansas for Hall of Honor week, which runs Sept. 1-3,
to accept on Danny’s behalf.
Born in Stamps, Arkansas, Danny Rhodes and his family
relocated to Lake Jackson in 1956.
He graduated from Brazosport High School in 1970 after
a standout career on the football field as an Exporter.
After a long recruiting process, Danny Rhodes chose to
return to Arkansas and play for the Razorbacks.
“Danny’s four years at the University of Arkansas were
some of the best times of his life,” Barbie Rhodes said.
“He was recruited by countless major universities
across the country and he had it narrowed down to UT,
Arkansas, LSU, A&M and Houston. But in the long run,
his Arkansas roots and the persistence of coach
Harold Horton and coach Frank Broyles finally took
him to Fayetteville. His four years at Arkansas playing
football was not a job to Danny, it was his passion.”
Danny Rhodes will be joined in the 2016 class by
Lou Holtz, Greg Lasker, Oliver Miller, Tom Pickell,
Kendrick Moore, Tammy Kincaid Dustin,
Roddie Haley and Christin Wurth-Thomas.
The inductees were elected based on a vote by
former Razorback letter winners in conjunction
with the A Club.
A golf tournament and banquet at the
John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers, Arkansas
will be part of the festivities, along with recognition
during halftime of the Razorbacks’ home opener
against Louisiana Tech at Donald W. Reynolds
Razorback Stadium.
For tickets to the induction, call 479-443-9000 or visit
razorbackfoundation.com.
He was a two-time All-Southwest Conference
first teamer in 1971 and ‘73. He also was named to the
Arkansas All-Decade Team for the 1970s. In his senior
year, Danny tallied 128 tackles and was a team captain.
At the time, his total tackles ranked seventh in
school history.
“He played in a lot of great and memorable games at
Arkansas, but one that stood out the most was the win
in 1971 over UT,” Barbie Rhodes said. “The Razorbacks hadn’t
had a victory over the Longhorns in four long years,
but they held them to one touchdown in pouring rain during
the second half in Little Rock.
Danny was just a sophomore starting at strong side linebacker
and calling the defensive plays. He played one of the best
games of his life and was named the defensive player of the
game.
“Danny loved Arkansas and the Razorback spirit.
After we moved back to Texas he made several trips back to
Fayetteville on his motorcycle. If he were still here today,
you can bet that he’d still be making those trips every
chance he could get.”
During his college career, Danny Rhodes played in three all-star
games and wore No. 56. During his time in Fayetteville, Danny
was deemed “Old Hog 56.”
In 1973, Danny Rhodes received the Crip Hall Award as the top
senior for Arkansas’ 14-10 homecoming win over Texas A&M.
He also earned the Chism Reed Outstanding Senior Leadership
Award and the Gordon Campbell Senior Spirit Award.
Danny Rhodes went on to represent the Razorbacks that year
in the Blue-Gray All-Star game.
“It has been almost nine full years since we lost our father in a
tragic wreck,” Mona Rhodes Schreiber said. “Even thinking about
it now still brings me to tears like it happened just yesterday.
A lot of people in this area know my mom, Barbie Rhodes,
because she has given me, and so many other dancers,
such great dance training and amazing opportunities in the
dance world. But for those of you who knew my dad,
I share this post for you, he was such a proud Exporter football
player, a team leader and all around great guy.
“I don’t think he ever met a stranger. He taught me how to
get tough — play sports and perform with a deep passion and
to always stand up for what is right. I would not be the dancer
I am today without my mom, but I would not be the coach I
am today without my dad.”
Danny Rhodes was taken in the sixth round of the 1974 NFL
draft by the Baltimore Colts. He played in 14 games in one
season with the team.
The following year, Danny played his final season of professional
football with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football
League before a knee injury ended his playing career.
After football, Danny Rhodes worked for Dow Chemical from 1978-97
and also served as a deputy for the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office.
Danny Rhodes was killed in a 2007 car wreck at the age of 56.
________________
Port Lavaca, Texas
July 22, 2007
Survived by wife and daughters Mona & Gena
| Former UA Star Linebacker Dies At 56 |
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The Morning News/Razorback Central
Posted Jul 23, 2007
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FAYETTEVILLE — Former Arkansas standout linebacker Danny Rhodes died late Sunday night when the motorcycle he was driving was struck by a car in southeast Texas. He was 56.
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Rhodes is considered among the top linebackers to play for the Razorbacks, and he impressed coaches in the early 1970s with his size and ability to run from sideline to sideline to make a tackle.
Rhodes was named to Arkansas’ All-Decade Team for the 1970s following a stellar collegiate career that included him twice earning All-Southwest Conference first-team honors (1971 and ‘73).
“He’s in the upper echelon, no question, of linebackers that have played here,” said Harold Horton, who served as Rhodes’ linebacker coach at Arkansas. Horton is now a vice president for the Razorback Foundation. “He had instincts with football, something that you don’t teach.”
Rhodes was driving a 2006 Honda motorcycle southbound on Highway 35 in Matagorda County, Texas on Sunday night when he was hit by a car traveling east on another road, said Jon Adkison, a police communications operator for the Texas Highway Patrol.
Adkison said the other driver in a 1998 Buick Century failed to yield the right of way at a stop sign, entered the intersection and struck Rhodes. The former Arkansas linebacker was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:48 p.m. Sunday.
Adkison said the initial police report didn’t indicate whether the other driver was cited or charged with any crimes relating to the accident.
Horton said he remembered Rhodes as a very likable and coachable player whom Arkansas’ coaches pulled out all the stops to sign out of high school.
“It was between us and Texas A&M, and we got him and felt good about getting him because he was highly recruited as a good football player,” Horton said. “When he came here, he lived up to his billing. He was every bit as good as he was advertised coming out of high school.”
Rhodes was a three-year lettermen at Arkansas (1971-73), serving as a team captain during his final season. He received the Crip Hall Award as the top senior performer in the Razorbacks’ 1973 homecoming game — a 14-10 win over Texas A&M.
Rhodes represented Arkansas in the 1973 Blue-Gray Game before spending one season in the NFL with the Baltimore Colts, who selected Rhodes in the sixth round of the 1974 NFL Draft.
“He wanted to please the coaches; he was coachable. He was attentive to what you had to say,” Horton said. “He worked real hard to do it the right way, whether it was on the football field or off the football field.”
Horton said funeral arrangements have not been finalized yet, but he indicated that the Razorback Foundation will do something to recognize the former linebacker.
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Richard Schmerber
We all remember Danny as a football player, but he was a really good friend and person. He read about everything and could have a conversation about some of the most interesting topics - he rode with me to the Dome the year that Bport was in the playoffs and I don't think we talked about football for more than 5 minutes. Even though he had a very short pro career, how many of us can say that we reached our life goal?Mark Freeman
Well, I miss him. A reunion or two ago Danny, Tommy Bay, Johnny Howard and Sven R. all got together at a Beach House. What a great time we had! We talked to 3 in the morning about every single thing we could. Yeah - about each one of you guys too! One of the last things he said to me was what a "gift" this get together was, especially Tommy's 5th Grader from Alabama story and Johnny's remarkable memory of the crazy things we did. I just wish I could have seen the future.Murray H. Griffin
He broke my nose! I counted him as friend! Like Rick Wilkins and Dick Coker, he went way to early. I will miss them all, alot! My condolences to his family.Murray "Roach" Griffin
Randy (Wrangler) White
During my visit back to Lake Jackson in the summer of 2009, while at L.Z. Bryan's funeral I ran into Tinker Harlan as I found out about the death of Danny. Danny Rhodes was one of a kind, a truely gifted athleticwhen many of us followed during his post high school days at the University of Arkansas and his following professional football career. I really do believe Danny was the greatest linebacker I have ever seen, as he had a knack for the game like nobody else.
Danny came from a very competitive athletic family,
as the Rhodes brothers were each intense and active
in sports. As we each grow older, memories is all we have and my memories of growing up in Lake Jackson are the very best.