View source for Jerry Tagge

{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1950)}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox Canadian Football League biography
| name = Jerry Tagge
| image = 
| alt = 
| caption = 
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1950|4|12}}
| birth_place = [[Omaha, Nebraska]], U.S.
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| number = 8, 14, 17
| import = yes
| position1 = Quarterback
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lb = 215
| college = [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska]]
| high_school = [[Green Bay West High School|Green Bay West]] {{nowrap|([[Green Bay, Wisconsin]])}}
| NFLDraftedYear = 1972
| NFLDraftedRound = 1
| NFLDraftedPick = 11
| NFLDraftedTeam = [[Green Bay Packers]]
| playing_years1 = {{NFL Year|1972}}–{{NFL Year|1974}}
| playing_team1 = [[Green Bay Packers]]
| playing_years2 = 1975
| playing_team2 = [[San Antonio Wings]]
| playing_years3 = {{CFL Year|1977}}–{{CFL Year|1979}}
| playing_team3 = [[BC Lions]]
| career_highlights = 
* [[Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy]] (1977)
* 2× [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|National champion]] ([[1970 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1970]], [[1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1971]])
* Second-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1971 College Football All-America Team|1971]])
* First-team All-[[Big Eight Conference|Big Eight]] ([[1971 All-Big Eight Conference football team|1971]])
* Second-team All-Big Eight ([[1970 All-Big Eight Conference football team|1970]])
| CFLAllStar = {{CFL Year|1977}}
| CFLWestAllStar = {{CFL Year|1977}}
| awards =
| statlabel1 = Cmp–Att
| statvalue1 = 136–281
| statlabel2 = Passing Yards
| statvalue2 = 1,583
| statlabel3 = [[Touchdown]]s
| statvalue3 = 3
| statlabel4 = [[Interception]]s
| statvalue4 = 17
}}

'''Jerry Lee Tagge''' (born April 12, 1950) is an American former professional [[gridiron football|football]] player who was a [[quarterback]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL), [[World Football League]] (WFL) and [[Canadian Football League]] (CFL). He played [[college football]] for the [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska Cornhuskers]], leading them to consecutive [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|national championships]] in 1970 and 1971.   Tagge played professionally with the [[Green Bay Packers]] of the NFL from 1972 to 1974, the [[San Antonio Wings]] of the WFL in 1975, and the [[BC Lions]] of the CFL from 1977 to 1979.

==Early life==
Tagge was born at [[Offutt Air Force Base]] south of [[Omaha, Nebraska]], the third child and second son of William Robert (Billy) Tagge and Lois Jurczyk Tagge.

As a teenager in the mid-1960s in [[Green Bay, Wisconsin]], Tagge sold concessions at [[Lambeau Field]], the home of the [[Green Bay Packers]], then coached by [[Vince Lombardi]]. He graduated from [[Green Bay West High School]] in 1968.<ref name=yljtifap>{{cite news|url=http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/63625577.html|newspaper=Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel|title=Years later, Tagge is finally at peace|last=Hendricks|first=Martin|date=October 7, 2009 |access-date=November 10, 2013}}</ref>

==College career==
Tagge played [[college football]] at the [[University of Nebraska–Lincoln]] under head coach [[Bob Devaney]]. In his sophomore year in [[1969 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1969]], Tagge rose to second-string quarterback for the [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Cornhuskers]]. His playing time increased until midway through his junior year when he took over the starting position from Van Brownson, leading the team to a 10–0–1 season and a matchup with [[LSU Tigers football|LSU]] in the [[1971 Orange Bowl]]. Tagge scored the game-winning touchdown in a 17–12 victory over the Tigers on a quarterback sneak, earning himself Most Valuable Player honors, and the Huskers the AP national championship for [[1970 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1970]]. Both #1 [[1970 Texas Longhorns football team|Texas]] and #2 [[1970 Ohio State Buckeyes football team|Ohio State]] lost their [[bowl game]]s on New Year's Day. (Through the [[1973 NCAA Division I football season|1973 season]], the final UPI coaches' poll was released in December, before the bowls.)

In his senior season in [[1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1971]], Tagge quarterbacked the Huskers for the entire season, including the "[[Game of the Century (college football)|Game of the Century]]" against the undefeated [[Oklahoma Sooners football|Oklahoma Sooners]] in [[Norman, Oklahoma|Norman]], a 35–31 victory on  [[Thanksgiving Day]]. Nebraska crushed undefeated [[Alabama Crimson Tide football|Alabama]], 38–6, in the [[1972 Orange Bowl]], earning Tagge MVP honors for the second time. The Huskers finished 13–0 in 1971 and were a consensus choice, earning consecutive [[NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship|national titles]].  Nebraska had defeated the next three teams in the final AP poll: Oklahoma, [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Colorado]] (31–7 in [[Lincoln, Nebraska|Lincoln]]), and Alabama. Tagge then played in the [[Hula Bowl]] in [[Honolulu]], leading the North to a 24–7 win over the South.

Tagge was the first of three Nebraska Cornhuskers selected in the first round of the [[1972 NFL draft]], along with [[running back]] [[Jeff Kinney (American football)|Jeff Kinney]] and [[defensive tackle]] [[Larry Jacobson]]. The eleventh overall pick, Tagge was the first quarterback selected.

==Professional career==
Tagge's performance earned the notice of [[Dan Devine]], [[head coach]] of the [[Green Bay Packers]]. Devine was formerly the head coach at [[Missouri Tigers football|Missouri]] in the Big Eight Conference, through the [[1970 Missouri Tigers football team|1970]] season. On his recommendation, the Packers selected Tagge in the first round of the [[1972 NFL draft]] (11th overall). Tagge did not enjoy the success in his hometown that he had at Nebraska, completing only three touchdown passes in 17 games played during three seasons from [[1972 Green Bay Packers season|1972]] to [[1974 Green Bay Packers season|1974]].  Following the 1974 season, Devine left the Packers for [[1975 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame]]. The Packers' new head coach was [[Bart Starr]], who released Tagge during the [[1975 Green Bay Packers season|1975]] preseason, in {{nowrap|early September.<ref name=tcbpc>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=U8opAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yvgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4016%2C2123919 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=(Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Tagge cut by Packers |date=September 5, 1975 |page=17}}</ref><ref name=pctbwgu>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=C4BQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zhEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4771%2C1032014 |work=Milwaukee Sentinel |last=Hofmann |first=Dale |title=Packers cut Tagge, but he won't give up |date=September 6, 1975 |page=1, part 2 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>}}

Tagge signed with the [[San Antonio Wings]] of the short-lived [[World Football League]]. He started in the Wings' final game on October 19, 1975, and was intercepted five times; he ran for two touchdowns and threw for another.<ref name=stmr43>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JtZVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JuADAAAAIBAJ&pg=3651%2C6203816 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=Steamer, 41-31 |date=October 20, 1975 |page=6C}}</ref> The Wings folded three days later with the rest of the WFL on {{nowrap|October 22.<ref name=wfdrns>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KdZVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JuADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6812%2C7026439 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=WFL finally drowns in its own red ink |date=October 23, 1975 |page=6C}}</ref>}}

Tagge then moved north to [[Canada]] to the [[Canadian Football League|CFL]], joining the [[BC Lions]] in [[1977 CFL season|1977]].  He finally saw plenty of playing time as a starter, and was awarded the [[Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy]] in his first season. He played three seasons with BC, until a knee injury ended his career in [[1979 CFL season|1979]].

== Post-football career and life ==
In 1981, Tagge moved to [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]], where he sold apartment buildings. He also met his future wife, Betty, whom he married the following year. He returned to Nebraska in 1986, initially selling life insurance, then founded Tagge-Rutherford Financial Services in Omaha, for which he serves as executive vice president.

==Career highlights==
As the [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska Cornhuskers]]'  quarterback, he led his team to national titles in [[1970 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1970]] and [[1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1971]], was named [[Orange Bowl (game)|Orange Bowl]] [[Most Valuable Player]] (MVP) in [[1971 Orange Bowl|1971]] and [[1972 Orange Bowl|1972]] and shared honors as [[Hula Bowl]] MVP with [[Walt Patulski]] of [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish|Notre Dame]], the first selection in the [[1972 NFL draft|1972 draft]]. Additionally, Tagge was an [[All-American]] in 1971 and is a member of the [[University of Nebraska-Lincoln|University of Nebraska]] Hall of Fame.

At Nebraska, Tagge threw for 5,071 yards, completing 377 of 637 passes (59.2%), 32 for touchdowns. He was a first-round draft choice, 11th overall, of the [[Green Bay Packers]] in [[1972 NFL draft|1972]].

In three years with the Packers, Tagge played 17 games completing 136 of 281 passes for 1583 yards,3 TDs, and 17 interceptions. In 1975, he played briefly for the Wings in the [[World Football League|WFL]], where completed  18 of 34 passes for 265 yards, 1 TD, and 5 interceptions.

In 1977, he moved north to [[Canada]], where he was named a CFL all-star and winner of the [[Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy]] and runner-up for the [[CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award]]. In 1977, he completed 232 of 405 passes for 2787 yards, and in 1978, he hit 243 of 430 passes for 3134 yards. He played part of the 1979 season before injuries forced him to retire.

As a professional quarterback, Tagge had 718 completions in 1,304 attempts for 9,277 yards and 38 TDs.

==See also==
* [[List of NCAA major college football yearly passing leaders]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* Buechler, August F., ''History of Hall County, Nebraska''. Western Publishing and Engraving, Lincoln, Nebraska, 1920.
* Kelly, Michael, "Tagge Finds Peace Off Field," ''Omaha World-Herald'', October 3, 2004.
* Rodgers, Johnny, ''An Era of Greatness''. Champion Publishing, Inc., 2006.

{{Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback navbox}}
{{1970 Nebraska Cornhuskers football navbox}}
{{1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers football navbox}}
{{Green Bay Packers starting quarterbacks}}
{{BC Lions starting quarterback navbox}}
{{1972 NFL Draft}}
{{Green Bay Packers 1972 NFL draft picks}}
{{Green Bay Packers first-round draft picks}}
{{Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tagge, Jerry}}
[[Category:1950 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American football quarterbacks]]
[[Category:Players of Canadian football from Nebraska]]
[[Category:BC Lions players]]
[[Category:Canadian football quarterbacks]]
[[Category:Green Bay Packers players]]
[[Category:Nebraska Cornhuskers football players]]
[[Category:San Antonio Wings players]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Green Bay, Wisconsin]]