Ken Hobart

Kenneth Charles Hobart (born January 27, 1961) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the United States Football League (USFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 1985 to 1990.[2]

Ken Hobart
No. 9, 4, 3
Born: (1961-01-27) January 27, 1961
Kamiah, Idaho, U.S.
Career information
Position(s)QB
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight205 lb (93 kg)
CollegeIdaho (1980–1983)
High schoolKamiah
Supplemental draft1984 / Round: 1 / Pick: 10[lower-alpha 1]
Drafted byNew York Jets
Career history
As player
1984Jacksonville Bulls
1984Denver Gold
1985Edmonton Eskimos*
1985–1987Hamilton Tiger-Cats
1989–1990Ottawa Rough Riders
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
CFL East All-Star1985
Awards
Retired #sIdaho Vandals No. 9
Records
  • Most passing touchdowns in a playoff game: 5 (1985; tied)[1]
Career stats
Passing attempts879
Passing completions415
Completion percentage47.2%
TD–INT31–31
Passing yards5,080
Passer rating62.6

Collegiate career

Hobart played college football at the University of Idaho from 1980–1983, starting at quarterback for the Vandals in every game (46) for four seasons. The first two years were in the veer option offense under Jerry Davitch,[3] and the final two in a passing attack under new head coach Dennis Erickson.[4][5] In Erickson's first season in 1982, Hobart led the Vandals to an 8–3 record in the regular season and advanced to the quarterfinals of the twelve-team Division I-AA playoffs, falling on the road 30–38 to eventual champion Eastern Kentucky, and was named offensive player of the year in the Big Sky Conference.[6][7] In Hobart's senior season of 1983, the Vandals again went 8–3, but lost all three games in conference and were not selected for the national playoffs. Throwing for over 10,000 yards in his collegiate career, he was a Division I-AA All-American in 1983.[5][8][9][10]

Hailing from tiny Kamiah (KAMM-ee-eye) on the Clearwater River in north central Idaho,[11] Hobart was a bespeckled 155-pound (70 kg)[12] wishbone quarterback at Kamiah High School and led the Kubs to the A-3 (now 2A) state title in his senior season.[13][14][15][16][17] In the summer, he played American Legion baseball for nearby Orofino.[18][19] After graduation in 1979, he enrolled at Lewis–Clark State College in Lewiston,[20] with the intent of playing college baseball as a pitcher and outfielder for the Warriors,[3][21] and also basketball.[22]

After a semester, Hobart transferred thirty miles (50 km) north to UI in Moscow in January 1980 with the intent to walk-on; he was soon granted a scholarship by Davitch,[22] and became the starting quarterback in his redshirt freshman season.[12] Nicknamed the "Kamiah Kid" by longtime Spokesman-Review columnist Harry Missildine,[11] Hobart also competed for the Idaho track team in the decathlon and still ranks as one of the top decathletes in the school's history, a program which later produced Dan O'Brien. (Idaho dropped baseball as a varsity sport in May 1980.)[23] After his football eligibility was used up, he was also asked to play basketball for the Vandals in January 1984.[24] Hobart graduated in the spring with a bachelor's degree in management.[25]

After losses to rival Boise State in his first two seasons, Hobart led the Vandals to two wins under Erickson; this winning streak over the Broncos reached twelve games in 1993.

Hobart was a charter member of the Vandal Hall of Fame, inducted in 2007.[25]

Professional career

Hobart started his professional football career in 1984 with the Nez Perce Nighthawks and Kamiah Klubs of the United States Football League (USFL), as a second round pick in the 1984 USFL Draft.[26] and signed a contract in January.[12] After four appearances and two starts, he was traded in May to the Denver Gold for a draft pick,[27][28] and was the starter on June 8, a two-point loss to eventual champion Philadelphia, decided by a late field goal.[29] He was the tenth overall selection in the 1984 NFL Supplemental Draft by the New York Jets,[30][31] but never played in the NFL.[32][33]

As the USFL folded in 1985, Hobart moved north to Canada, where he played for five seasons in the CFL, three with Hamilton and two with Ottawa. The Edmonton Eskimos originally held his CFL rights, and he was traded in June 1985 to Hamilton.[34] That season, he set the CFL record for rushing yards by a quarterback (928) a total that has since only been surpassed 5 times and was winner of the Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy and runner up as CFL MVP.[4][35][36][37] He guided Hamilton to the Grey Cup in 1985,[38][39][40] was a member of the championship team in 1986,[41] then broke his left fibula in the second game of the 1987 season.[42]

After a brief stint in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers in 1988, he stayed and sold cars in San Diego,[43] then returned to the CFL for two seasons with Ottawa.

Personal

Following his playing career, Hobart returned to north central Idaho and resides in Lewiston with his wife Valerie and three children, Zion, Klaree,[44] and Laney.

After his first season in Canada in 1985, Hobart returned to his hometown to co-coach the Kamiah boys basketball team for a season.[33] Ken Hobart is now an official for high school sports in Region II in Central Idaho

Notes and references
  1. For the correct Draft page, see: 1984 NFL Supplemental Draft of USFL and CFL players
  1. "Playoffs (Individual)". CFL Records. TSN.ca. Retrieved 2008-09-17.
  2. CFLapedia.com - Ken Hobart - accessed 2010-05-27
  3. Missildine, Harry (October 23, 1981). "Hobart can become college grid's doomsday machine". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 27.
  4. Blanchette, John (November 8, 1985). "Hobart isn't a quitter, eh?". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 25.
  5. Wright, Josh (October 6, 2009). "Ken Hobart - A family man now". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  6. "All-Big Sky". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). December 2, 1982. p. 1B.
  7. "Hobart acclaimed best in the Sky". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). December 4, 1982. p. 12.
  8. Stalwick, Howie (November 18, 1983). "Hobart's not through". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 29.
  9. Stalwick, Howie (December 6, 1983). "Hobart named I-AA All-American". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. C1.
  10. "Hobart named to Kodak 1-AA first team". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). December 6, 1983. p. 3B.
  11. Missildine, Harry (September 10, 1980). "Idaho's 'Kamiah Kid': He could be an uncommon football story". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. C1.
  12. Stalwick, Howie (January 30, 1984). "Ken Hobart signs huge USFL pact". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). p. 13.
  13. "Kubs solve Parma defense". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). November 12, 1978. p. 1B.
  14. "Kamiah plays for state championship tonight". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). November 17, 1978. p. 1B.
  15. "Kubs bring home state title, 16-14". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). November 18, 1978. p. 1B.
  16. idhsaa.org Archived 2012-04-15 at the Wayback Machine - Idaho high school football - state champions
  17. "Kamiah's Ken Hobart is state's co-player of the year". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). November 30, 1978. p. 3B.
  18. "Hobart leads Orofino into finals". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). August 6, 1978. p. 3B.
  19. "Orofino wins state 'B' title". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). August 7, 1978. p. 2B.
  20. "Cheff recruits Hobart, Munden". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). June 24, 1979. p. 3C.
  21. "Ken Hobart (relief pitcher)". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). (photo). June 3, 1979. p. 1C.
  22. Emerson, Paul (March 23, 1980). "Davitch gets second chance at Hobart". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 11D.
  23. Goodwin, Dale (May 13, 1980). "Baseball is 'out' at Idaho". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 19.
  24. Stalwick, Howie (January 11, 1984). "Hobart not done with Idaho athletics?". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 24.
  25. "Ken Hobart". Vandal Athletics Hall of Fame. Idaho Athletic Media Relations. Retrieved 2008-09-17.
  26. USFL.info - Jacksonville - 1984 Draft - accessed 2010-05-27
  27. Stalwick, Howie (May 9, 1984). "Confused, bitter Ken Hobart seeking new start with Denver". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 21.
  28. Stalwick, Howie (May 12, 1984). "Hobart deal wrapped up". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 17.
  29. "Stars shine in victory over Denver". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. June 9, 1984. p. 8B.
  30. "1984 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2023-10-10.
  31. Stalwick, Howie (December 4, 1984). "Where will Hobart be next year?". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. B1.
  32. Stalwick, Howie (January 17, 1985). "Hobart 'waives' hello to $100,000". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 22.
  33. "Hobart takes coaching position with Kamiah". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). August 17, 1985. p. 17.
  34. "Hobart 5th quarterback to join Tiger-Cats' den". The Gazette. (Montreal, Quebec). Canadian Press. June 5, 1985. p. C5.
  35. "Hobart only unanimous choice for Eastern all-star team". The Citizen. (Ottawa, Ontario). Canadian Press. November 7, 1985. p. C3.
  36. Blanchette, John (November 8, 1985). "Kamiah Kid learns he can have fun without the sun". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). p. 17.
  37. Campbell, Don (June 12, 1986). "Ti-Cats want to pounce on Cup". The Citizen. (Ottawa, Ontario). p. C5.
  38. "Hobart keeps up Canadian frolics". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). November 20, 1985. p. 1C.
  39. "Hobart's Ti-Cats fed to Lions in Grey Cup". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 25, 1985. p. 1B.
  40. Bacon, Dick (November 25, 1985). "'Ifs' haunt Ticats coach Bruno after loss to Lions". Montreal Gazette. p. C2.
  41. Lee, Greg (June 7, 1987). "Ex-Vandal Ken Hobart hearing talk of trade". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. D6.
  42. Lee, Greg (July 12, 1987). "Hobart faced with a series of bad breaks". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. D8.
  43. Stalwick, Howie (September 19, 1989). "Hobart gets handle on rash of bad luck". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). p. B2.
  44. "Klaree Hobart". University of Idaho Athletics. (Volleyball). Retrieved September 12, 2017.
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