Ron Holmes, who may have been the greatest defensive player in Washington football history, died at age 48 on Thursday, October 27, 2011. A high school basketball star who was recruited as a linebacker, Holmes retained his smaller man skills when moved to defensive tackle. Those skills were apparent in his biggest play as a Husky, a Superman-esque feat of power, agility, and speed. (Video, 1:24 mark)
To set the stage: It’s the 1985 Orange Bowl. #4 Washington vs. undefeated #2 Oklahoma. A little more than five minutes remain in the fourth quarter. Washington has just pulled ahead, 21-17. The Sooners, backed up in their own territory after their kick returner, the original Buster Rhymes, fumbled the ball out of bounds at the two, are looking to drive for a winning score.
Moments later, Husky fullback Rick Fenney ran for a six-yard touchdown, providing the final 28-17 score, one of the greatest victories in Husky history.
Holmes had 28 sacks in his Husky career, which stood as the team record until 2009 when Daniel Te’o Nesheim broke it in 2009. But, consider that Te’o-Nesheim played in the current pass-happy era where freshmen often play. Te’o-Nesheim, a four-year starter, played in 49 games, during which Husky opponents attempted 1,809 passes. Holmes played in 32 games, during which Husky opponents attempted 954 passes. So, on a sack-per-pass-attempt basis, Holmes is 77 percent better. He’s even better than Husky legend Steve Emtman–who is usually cited as Washington’s greatest defensive player.
Note: That’s giving Emtman the benefit of only listing his sophomore and junior seasons–he started three games as a freshman, but I don’t count those years. Holmes went on to an eight-year NFL career, starting for the Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV.
According to Bob Condotta’s obituary of Holmes in the Seattle Times, Holmes had been struggling with heart and diabetes problems. He was working at a moving company in the Olympia area, where he went to high school, and had also been working as an assistant football coach.
