NDHSAA/BEK Communications Throwback Thursday: A look back at Dave Osborn's first TD in the NFL

By Tom Mix
NDHSAA Media Specialist

VALLEY CITY, N.D. – Each Thursday NDHSAA Media Specialist Tom Mix posts a “Throwback Thursday” that connects the past to the present. Each story will feature a news story highlighting a championship team, a specific tournament/event or significant individual(s) from NDHSAA history on the NDHSAA NOW website. Keep visiting each Thursday!

NDHSAA/BEK Communications Throwback Thursday: A look back at 1961 Cando High School graduate Dave Osborn scoring his first touchdown in the National Football League during his rookie season in 1965.

After a stellar collegiate career at the University of North Dakota, Dave Osborn took his football talents to the National Football League. After being drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the 13th round of the 1965 NFL draft, Osborn – a 1961 graduate of Cando High School – found himself in a talented backfield that featured former 1961 No. 1-overall draft pick Tommy Mason, bruising fullback Bill Brown and halfback Phil King.

Though the former Cando Cub wouldn’t make a start during his rookie campaign, it didn’t take Osborn long to make an impact for the Vikings.

Osborn had two carries for 12 yards in the Vikings’ 1965 season opener against the Baltimore Colts at Memorial Stadium and the in Week 2 he’d find the endzone scoring on a 3-yard run in the fourth quarter to give the Vikings a 29-21 lead over the Detroit Lions at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minn. The Lions would rally for the 31-29 victory, but Osborn had shown an early sign of the running back he’d become.

Osborn would play in 14 games in 1965 with the Vikings and totaled 106 yards rushing on 20 carries and two touchdowns. He’d make his first NFL start during the 1966 season and by 1967 he’d be a regular starter forming one of the NFL’s toughest backfields of the late 1960s beside Bill Brown.

 


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