Susanville’s Jack Ellena Chosen Lineman of the Year
December 16, 1954
Gigantic Jack Ellena, whose bone-cracking tackling helped make UCLA the team of the year and Red Sanders coach of the year, picked up an accolade for himself today – Lineman of the year in the Annual United Press poll.
Ellena, a 223 pound tackle who is deft despite his heft, received 69 votes in the balloting by 336 sports writers and broadcasters, just beating out Kurt Burris, the Oklahoma center, who had 66 votes.
For Ellena, who was cited by Sanders as “the best tackle I ever coached,” it was only because of diligence that he was on the UCLA team at all.
He cracked up scholastically in his freshman year and would have been ineligible for athletics, but he went to Lassen Junior College and made up his credits, reentering UCLA after a term there.
This time he tackled his books as proficiently as he did his opponents. He climaxed his three year career on the gridiron with standout play in every one of UCLA’s nine triumphs in 1954, as the Bruins rated No 1 spot in the United Press ratings and Sanders won the 20th annual Scripps-Howard newspaper poll as coach of the year.
Ellena, who wants to play professional football before trying to break into the ranks as a college football coach, may wind up with the Los Angeles Rams if they can maneuver him in the draft next month.
He was the Pacific Coast Conference intercollegiate heavy weight wrestling champion for the past two years and is in good bet to win the title again in 1955.