Stanford alum and college Hall of Famer dies at 93
Bill McColl, a two-time All-American at Stanford who finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting in 1951 and was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1973, died Thursday.
At 93, McColl was the third oldest college Hall member, according to a statement by the organization.
“Bill McColl was a phenomenal player and an even more special human being,” said National Football Foundation President and CEO Steve Hatchell. “He used the gridiron to create educational opportunities for himself and his family, and he impacted countless people during his subsequent medical career. He remained a staunch supporter of the NFF and our San Diego Chapter, and we are extremely grateful for him embodying everything right with the game of football. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this time of loss.”
McColl was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1952 NFL draft and went on to play eight seasons for the legendary George Halas. According to a story written by the Chronicle's Tom FitzGerald in 2019,
McColl was so good that Halas moved the Bears' practices from the afternoon to the morning to allow McColl to attend medical school.
He finished his pro career with 201 receptions for 2,815 yards and 25 touchdowns. The yards and catches remain top 25 on the career list in the 104-season history of the Bears, and his receiving TDs are tied for 10th.
At Stanford, McColl earned All-America honors in 1950 and '51. He played both offense and defense and in '51 helped Stanford go 9-2, win the Pacific Coast Conference Championship and earn a No. 7 national ranking and a berth in the Rose Bowl. It wasn't until 1970 that Stanford won another conference championship.
McColl was the patriarch of an accomplished athletic family. His son Milt played linebacker at Stanford and then won two Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers. Another son, Duncan, was a defensive end at Stanford and is in the school's Athletics Hall of Fame. His granddaughter, Meridith, was a goalie on Stanford's 2005 national runner-up women's water polo team.