5/5/2016 football Edit

No. 27: Chris Hanburger

Chris Hanburger (55) was an excellent player on both sides of the ball for the Tar Heels in the 1960s.

Andrew Jones • TarHeelIllustrated

Publisher

Andrew Jones has covered sports for 26 years, including all major college & professional sports for daily newspapers & national sites. He's done radio and TV & is entering his seventh year at THI.

No. 27

Name: Chris Hanburger

Position: Center

Jersey #: 55

Years: 1962-64

Honors: 2-time, 1st-team All-ACC 1962 and 1963;

Notable Stats: NA

In Closing: While he’s in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a linebacker and played middle linebacker at UNC, Hanburger earned ACC honors as a center with the Tar Heels. He was described as a gritty, physical center who got off the snap quickly and could turn his man with regularity. On defense, he was a nasty hitter who roamed well and routinely found his way to ball carriers.

The 1963 Tar Heels were co-ACC regular season champions and finished with a 9-2 mark after clobbering Air Force, 35-0, in the Gator Bowl. Following the lead of Hanburger’s blocking was tailback Ken Willard, who ran for 742 yards that season, a year before he was the No. 2 overall selection in the NFL draft. Behind Hanburger again in 1964, Willard ran for 835 yards. The Heels defeated Duke, N.C. State and Wake Forest by a combined score of 68-24 that season. A 9-time Pro Bowler, Hanburger is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Prior Ranked Heels

30 - Natrone Means

29 - Jack Merritt

28 - Landon Turner