Who Is This Florida HS Football Legend? Barry Krauss

[OldSchoolLion]

One of the better defensive players ever to come out of south Florida.  He was highly recruited in high school and went on to play for Bear Bryant at Alabama.  While there, he earned All-American honors and has since been named to Alabama's All-Century team  He was involved in a famous play that ultimately won the Tide a national championship.  Was first round draft pick of the Baltimore Colts and played for the Colts for many years.

Who is he, what position did he play, and where did he play in high school?  

[FL_HS_football]

Barry Krauss- Played Pompano Beach HS,  and was a linebacker. He was a three year letterman at linebacker for theUniversity of Alabama .  In 1977 he led the team in tackles with 91 and in ’78 he was second with 112. On Jan. 1, 1979 in the Sugar Bowl he made the hit on the Penn State running back on 4^th and one that kept him out of the end zone and won a National Championship for Alabama .  He was named All SEC in ’77 and ’78, All American in ’78 and was named to Alabama ’s All Century team. He was drafted in the first round (6^th overall) by Baltimore and was captain of the Colts defense from 1979-1988. In 1984 he was named their MVP. He completed his career with the Miami Dolphins (’88-’89) where he led the team in tackles and captained the defense and named the Dolphins Most Valuable Player in ‘89.  He amassed more than 1,000 tackles during his career.

I know you meant this to be only about Barry, but when you mentioned that goal line stand against Penn State, you'd be absolutely wrong to not also mention a another Florida boy  that was also very much involved on that Play for Alabama.......St Pete Catholic's own Marty Lyons 

[OldSchoolLion]

On 3/6/2019 at 12:18 AM, FL_HS_football said:

Barry Krauss- Played Pompano Beach HS,  and was a linebacker. He was a three year letterman at linebacker for theUniversity of Alabama .  In 1977 he led the team in tackles with 91 and in ’78 he was second with 112. On Jan. 1, 1979 in the Sugar Bowl he made the hit on the Penn State running back on 4^th and one that kept him out of the end zone and won a National Championship for Alabama .  He was named All SEC in ’77 and ’78, All American in ’78 and was named to Alabama ’s All Century team. He was drafted in the first round (6^th overall) by Baltimore and was captain of the Colts defense from 1979-1988. In 1984 he was named their MVP. He completed his career with the Miami Dolphins (’88-’89) where he led the team in tackles and captained the defense and named the Dolphins Most Valuable Player in ‘89.  He amassed more than 1,000 tackles during his career.

I know you meant this to be only about Barry, but when you mentioned that goal line stand against Penn State, you'd be absolutely wrong to not also mention a another Florida boy  that was also very much involved on that Play for Alabama.......St Pete Catholic's own Marty Lyons 

Great write-up above.  Thank you!  Some of you might be surprised to learn that Pompano Beach, a school not really known for football, had some very good teams in the mid 1970's.  Their 1976 team was the real deal...I saw them with my own eyes.  In the playoffs, they upset a loaded Chaminade team in a game with a controversial ending, and then took a great Carol City team to the wire in a state semi.  Former NFL kicker MIke Rendina was a hs all-American there way back then.  

[OldSchoolLion]

On another note, for those who believe we have always had the level of transferring we have today...sorry, not true.  St Thomas and Chmainade had some very good teams back then, but, unlike today, many kids "stayed home" and played 4 years at a school and took their chances on being "found" by the colleges.  Somehow Bear Bryant found Barry...despite no computers.  Imagine that.