Roger S. Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame
Rizzo, Jack
Jack Rizzo
- Induction:
- 2002
- Class:
- 1972
A very quiet and introverted player that led by example, not speech, John “Jack” Rizzo was an intense and passionate fullback that had all the necessary weapons to drive a defensive coordinator crazy. He was the 22nd member of the football fraternity to be inducted into the Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame.
“I can't say enough about Jack Rizzo,” said former teammate and fellow Lehigh Hall of Famer, Kim McQuilken ‘74. “Jack may be the fastest fullback Lehigh ever had. He was intense, committed and tough. I've never seen a fullback that had more weapons than Jack possessed. He was a vicious blocker and a tough inside runner with breakaway speed. Additionally, he had a great ability to come out of the backfield and catch the football. He was a real game breaker. I remember one screen pass that I threw him that he took 90 yards for a touchdown. I'm disappointed I only had one year to play with Jack. I would have loved to have had him in the backfield for two more years.”
Rizzo set several single-season and career marks on the football field during his four years at Lehigh. He currently holds the record for career rushing yards in a single game with 313 yards against archrival Lafayette. He broke the single-season rushing mark with 1,143 yards in 1971, which ranked sixth as of the end of the 2016 season. He ranks second in single-season touchdowns with 19, behind Jean who scored 23 (also through 2016). Through the 2016 season, his 2,216 rushing yards still ranked eighth all-time in program history.
Upon graduation, Rizzo began his professional career with the Ottawa Roughriders. He played for the New York Giants in 1973 and 1974 and finished his professional career with the Houston Texans in 1975.
In addition to being a star football player, Rizzo was also a track and field star. He was the top sprinter for the Brown and White and held school records in the 60 yard and 100 yard dashes. He was a member of the 100, 220 and 440 relay teams and was on the mile relay team.
“I am honored to be inducted into the Hall of Fame,” Rizzo said. ”I'm very pleased to be added to a list of great athletes that have already been inducted. I'm excited to join two of my very close teammates, John Hill '72 and Kim McQuilken in the Hall. I am proud to be a part of the strong tradition of Lehigh football. I truly believe that the teams of the early and late 1970s really laid the groundwork for the successful program that Lehigh Football is today.
Rizzo went on to serve as the managing director of ProLogis Trust and has been very involved in the community. He is the former board director for the YMCA in Haverhill, Massachusetts. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology school of real estate and the Harvard school of design. He is the former CEO and Senior Vice President of Perini Management Services in Framingham, Massachusetts. Rizzo and his wife Priscilla have three children, Lauren, Dana and Andrea.
“I can't say enough about Jack Rizzo,” said former teammate and fellow Lehigh Hall of Famer, Kim McQuilken ‘74. “Jack may be the fastest fullback Lehigh ever had. He was intense, committed and tough. I've never seen a fullback that had more weapons than Jack possessed. He was a vicious blocker and a tough inside runner with breakaway speed. Additionally, he had a great ability to come out of the backfield and catch the football. He was a real game breaker. I remember one screen pass that I threw him that he took 90 yards for a touchdown. I'm disappointed I only had one year to play with Jack. I would have loved to have had him in the backfield for two more years.”
Rizzo set several single-season and career marks on the football field during his four years at Lehigh. He currently holds the record for career rushing yards in a single game with 313 yards against archrival Lafayette. He broke the single-season rushing mark with 1,143 yards in 1971, which ranked sixth as of the end of the 2016 season. He ranks second in single-season touchdowns with 19, behind Jean who scored 23 (also through 2016). Through the 2016 season, his 2,216 rushing yards still ranked eighth all-time in program history.
Upon graduation, Rizzo began his professional career with the Ottawa Roughriders. He played for the New York Giants in 1973 and 1974 and finished his professional career with the Houston Texans in 1975.
In addition to being a star football player, Rizzo was also a track and field star. He was the top sprinter for the Brown and White and held school records in the 60 yard and 100 yard dashes. He was a member of the 100, 220 and 440 relay teams and was on the mile relay team.
“I am honored to be inducted into the Hall of Fame,” Rizzo said. ”I'm very pleased to be added to a list of great athletes that have already been inducted. I'm excited to join two of my very close teammates, John Hill '72 and Kim McQuilken in the Hall. I am proud to be a part of the strong tradition of Lehigh football. I truly believe that the teams of the early and late 1970s really laid the groundwork for the successful program that Lehigh Football is today.
Rizzo went on to serve as the managing director of ProLogis Trust and has been very involved in the community. He is the former board director for the YMCA in Haverhill, Massachusetts. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology school of real estate and the Harvard school of design. He is the former CEO and Senior Vice President of Perini Management Services in Framingham, Massachusetts. Rizzo and his wife Priscilla have three children, Lauren, Dana and Andrea.
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