Irving J. Heller
 |
|---|
|
Sport:
Football |
|
Year
Graduated: 1950 |
|
Year
Inducted: 1964 |
Irv Heller was the football player who bridged the gap between
the Terriers' All-Time team prior to 1948 and the Post-War
All-Time team. He was selected for both teams.
Irv was considered a specialist. He specialized in everything.
Blocking, tackling, opening holes for the tailbacks, protecting
the quarterback, covering kicks. He did it all.
He was primarily used at left tackle, starting every game
for three years, where he earned All-New England and All-Eastern
honors in his B.U. career.
Upon graduation, Heller was high on the draft list of the
NFL's Detroit Lions, but he had other plans. His goal was
to work in the insurance business, and to meet that goal,
he decided coaching for a few years would earn him the money
to do so.
He became the Terriers' Freshman coach until he received
his Master's Degree, when he moved on to become the line coach
at Brandeis. He was able to start his own business and, not
surprisingly, was extremely successful.
For years, Heller was also head of the Boston University
Shriners Football Committee, which annually staged the Shriners
Intercollegiate Bean Bowl game that officially opened the
Terriers' gridiron season at Nickerson Field.
