Rich Curtiss

Rich Curtiss, a 1986 DeWitt graduate, earned eight varsity letters in football, basketball and track. At the time of his induction, he still holds defensive records for most solo tackles in a career (160) and most tackles in a career (331). His 152 tackles in 1985 places him in fourth place for a single season. His offensive records for three touchdown receptions in a game and seven touchdown receptions in a season stood for approximately two decades. As a senior, he set the record for most kickoff return yards in a season (385) and his 528 total return yards in a season are still good for second place all-time. He was a preferred walk-on at Central Michigan University but earned a scholarship going into his second year. He led the team in tackles in each of his final three seasons. He is sixth all-time in career tackles for the Chippewas with 402, but he trailed only USFL and NFL star Ray Bentley when he graduated. He earned Second Team All-Conference honors in 1989. During his senior season in 1990, at inside linebacker, he called the defensive signals for a CMU team that led the country in scoring defense. CMU finished 8-3-1 overall (7-1 in the Mid-American Conference) as the defense held nine of its 12 opponents to fewer than 14 points. The unanimous First Team All-MAC selection recorded 21 tackles in a 13-12 victory over Nick Saban’s Toledo squad that clinched the MAC title. That victory sent the Chippewas to the California Raisin Bowl, the school’s first post-season appearance since joining Division I football. He was also a standout in basketball at DeWitt, regularly scoring double figures, and although he competed in track primarily to stay in shape for football, he finished fifth in the state for Class C in the shot put during his senior year. He was named DeWitt’s Male Athlete of the Year in 1986.