Joe Orduna

Joseph Manuel Orduna (born November 6, 1948) is a former American football running back who played for the New York Giants and Baltimore Colts from 1972 to 1974.

Joe Orduna
No. 49, 37
Position:Running back
Personal information
Born: (1948-11-06) November 6, 1948
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school:Omaha Central
(Omaha, Nebraska)
College:Nebraska
NFL Draft:1971 / Round: 2 / Pick: 49
Career history
Career highlights and awards
  • National champion (1970)
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards:236
Average:3.3
Touchdowns:3
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Orduna played college football for the University of Nebraska where he ran for over 100 yards 4 times.[1] He was the Cornhusker's leading rusher in their 1970 National Championship season with 834 yards.[2] He was the most valuable player of the 1971 Coaches All-America Game.[3] Over his career at Nebraska he rushed for 1958 yards.[4] He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2nd round (49th pick overall) of the 1971 NFL draft but spent the 1971 season on the 49ers taxi squad due to a leg injury suffered in the final preseason game and did not play a game for them.[5][6]

The Giants acquired Orduna on waivers from the 49ers just before the beginning of the 1972 season.[6] He was active for the Giants first game of the 1972 season but was deactivated for the next 3 games before he was reactivated due to injuries to other running backs.[7] Orduna ended up playing 11 games for the Giants in 1972, starting 4.[8] He rushed for 129 yards on 36 carries with 1 touchdown.[8]

In 1973 Orduna played in all 14 games for the Giants, starting 3 and rushing for 104 yards on 36 attempts with 1 touchdown.[8] Before the 1974 season the Giants traded him along with a draft choice to the Colts for defensive end Roy Hilton.[2][4] Although he played in all 14 games for the Colts in 1974, he rushed only twice for 3 yards and 1 touchdown, all coming in an October 20 game against the New York Jets.[8][9] The Colts waived him before the 1975 season due to an excess of running backs on the team, and he was not picked up by any other team.[10]

References
  1. Parker, Virgil (November 7, 1974). "I May Be Wrong". Lincoln Journal Star. p. 21. Retrieved 2018-08-04 – via newspapers.com.
  2. "Colts Swap Roy Hilton". York Daily Record. June 12, 1984. p. 21. Retrieved 2018-08-04 – via newspapers.com.
  3. "49ers Cut Halfback Joe Orduna". The Press Democrat. September 14, 1972. p. 37. Retrieved 2018-08-04.
  4. "Colt-Giant Deal Dashes 'Old Guard'". Press and Sun-Bulletin. June 12, 1974. p. 11. Retrieved 2018-08-04 – via newspapers.com.
  5. "49ers Open Camp in Santa Barbara". The Times Standard. July 16, 1972. p. 19. Retrieved 2018-08-04 – via newspapers.com.
  6. "Grid Giants Acquire Joe Orduna, Place Vin Clements on Waivers". Hartford Courant. September 14, 1972. p. 81. Retrieved 2018-08-04 – via newspapers.com.
  7. "10 Mothers and God on Joe's Side". Press and Sun-Bulletin. November 6, 1972. p. 24. Retrieved 2018-08-04 – via newspapers.com.
  8. "Joe Orduna". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 2018-08-04.
  9. "Baltimore Colts at New York Jets - October 20, 1974". Retrieved 2018-08-04.
  10. Jackson, James (July 31, 1975). "Colts Release Orduna". Baltimore Sun. p. 35. Retrieved 2018-08-04 – via newspapers.com.
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