View source for Ken Novak

{{Short description|American football player (born 1954)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL player
|name=Ken Novak
| image         = Novak-Ken-1977.jpg
| size          =
| caption       = Novak in 1977
|number=74
|position=[[Defensive tackle]]
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1954|7|3}}
|birth_place=[[Willowick, Ohio]], U.S.
|height_ft=6
|height_in=7
|weight_lbs=268
|high_school=[[Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School|Villa Angela-St. Joseph]]
|college=[[Purdue Boilermakers football|Purdue]]
|draftyear=1976
|draftround=1
|draftpick=20
|pastteams=
* [[Baltimore Colts]] ({{NFL Year|1976|1977}})
* [[Cleveland Browns]] ({{NFL Year|1978}})
|highlights =
* First-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1975 College Football All-America Team|1975]])
* First-team [[List of All-Big Ten Conference football teams|All-Big Ten]] ([[1974 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1974]])
* Second-team All-Big Ten ([[1975 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1975]])
| statlabel1  = Games played
| statvalue1  = 23
| statlabel2  = [[Starting lineup|Starts]]
| statvalue2  = 2
| statlabel3 = [[Quarterback sack|Sacks]]
| statvalue3 = 1
| statlabel4 = [[Fumble|Fumble recoveries]]
| statvalue4 = 2
|pfr=NovaKe20
}}

'''Ken Novak''' (born July 3, 1954) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[defensive tackle]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) in the 1970s. He played [[college football]] for the [[Purdue Boilermakers football|Purdue Boilermakers]] and was selected by the [[Baltimore Colts]] in the [[1976 NFL draft]].

==Biography==
===Early years===

Ken Novak was born July 3, 1954 in [[Willowick, Ohio]], a suburb of [[Cleveland, Ohio|Cleveland]], where he attended Saint Mary Magdalene grade school. He went to [[Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School|St. Joseph High School]], a private preparatory school in suburban Cleveland, where he earned six athletic letters participating in football, [[basketball]], and [[track and field]].<ref name=MG77>Wilt Browning (ed.), ''Baltimore Colts 1977 Media Guide.'' Baltimore, MD: Baltimore Colts Football Club, 1977, p. 39.</ref> He was the Ohio State [[discus]] champion in 1972, recording a throw of 179–6.<ref name=MG78>Jim Husbands (ed.), ''Baltimore Colts 78 Media Guide.'' Baltimore, MD: Baltimore Colts Football Club, 1978; p. 38.</ref>

===College career===

He received an athletic scholarship from [[Purdue University]] where he became a standout defensive lineman. During his three years of varsity eligibility — [[1973 Purdue Boilermakers football team|1973]], [[1974 Purdue Boilermakers football team|1974]], and [[1973 Purdue Boilermakers football team|1975]] — Novak started in 31 of 33 games, making a total of 229 tackles, including 87 during his senior year.<ref name=MG77 /> 

[[Big Ten Conference]] sportswriters named him Lineman of the Year in 1974 and he was named to Football Writers of America and ''Sporting News'' All-America teams as a senior in 1975.<ref name=MG77 />

===Professional career===

Strong enough to bench-press 475 pounds, the 6-foot-7 Novak was regarded as a top tier professional football prospect and was selected by the [[Baltimore Colts]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL) in the first round of the [[1976 NFL draft]]. He was the 20th overall pick from the 1976 talent pool.

Novak was unable to crack the Colts' starting roster, however, and was limited to a reserve role as a [[defensive tackle]]. He saw action in 11 games off the bench for the Colts in [[1976 Baltimore Colts season|1976]], recording a quarterback sack among his six solo tackles during this rookie year.<ref name=MG78 />

During the [[1977 Baltimore Colts season|1977 season]] he was similarly filled mostly a reserve role, contributing just 8 tackles (4 solo) and a fumble recovery in the 12 games in which he saw action.<ref name=MG78 />

Unable to live up to the lofty expectations of his draft position, the Colts released Novak on August 29, 1978, just ahead of the [[1978 Baltimore Colts season|1978 season]].<ref name=TSNFR80>Howard M. Balzer (ed.), ''Football Register: 1980 Edition.'' St. Louis, MO: The Sporting News, 1980; p. 276.</ref> He remained a [[free agent]] until signed by the [[Cleveland Browns]] on December 15 of that year — just two days before the final game of the season, in which he did not play.<ref name=TSNFR80 />

The Browns released Novak on August 6, 1979, and he was claimed the next day on [[waivers (NFL)|waivers]] by the [[Minnesota Vikings]].<ref name=TSNFR80 /> He did not report, however, and was on retired reserve for the entire [[1979 NFL season]].<ref name=TSNFR80 /> He was reinstated on May 20, 1980,<ref name=TSNFR80 /> but did not play in the NFL again.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{1976 NFL Draft}}
{{Baltimore Colts 1976 draft navbox}}
{{ColtsFirstPick}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Novak, Ken}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American football defensive tackles]]
[[Category:Baltimore Colts players]]
[[Category:Purdue Boilermakers football players]]
[[Category:People from Willowick, Ohio]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Lake County, Ohio]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Cleveland]]
[[Category:American people of Slovenian descent]]