Steve Preece
| No. 33, 23, 20 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Defensive back | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Date of birth: | February 15, 1947 | ||
| Place of birth: | Idaho Falls, Idaho, U.S. | ||
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
| Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Boise (ID) Borah | ||
| College: | Oregon State | ||
| Undrafted: | 1969 | ||
| Career history | |||
| Career NFL statistics | |||
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| Player stats at NFL.com |
Steven Packer "Steve" Preece (born February 15, 1947) is a former professional football player, a defensive back in the NFL for 9 seasons, from 1969 to 1977. He played his college football at Oregon State, where he was a successful option quarterback.
Born in Idaho Falls, Preece grew up in Boise and played high school football at Borah High for legendary coach Ed Troxel, also his coach in track. At the talent-rich program, Preece had to wait his turn to play. Opened in 1958, Borah had won or tied for the conference title and mythical state title (writers' poll) in each of its first six years.
Preece became the Lions' starting quarterback during his senior year in the fall of 1964. The Borah Lions were undefeated entering the final game against rival Boise on Veterans Day, but allowed the Braves to overcome a ten-point deficit in the second half to gain their first win in seven tries over Borah, and the Lions had to settle for second place for the first time in the conference and final state poll.
In March 1965, Preece helped lead the Lions to their first state title in basketball, winning the A-1 (largest schools) state tournament in Pocatello and finishing the season with a 24–1 record.
After graduating in 1965, Preece accepted a scholarship to Oregon State, recruited by linebackers coach Ed Knecht. Knecht had previously been the head coach at rival Boise High, and had connections in southwestern Idaho. Preece had great speed (10.0 in the 100 yard dash), and a good arm, a great fit for the option offense. Knecht had received a phone call warning him that a rival school was attempting to steal Preece away from the Beavers, so he promptly called new head coach Dee Andros with the news, to which Andros responded, "Get the $@%! over there. And if you don't get him, don't bother to come back." (Andros was previously the head coach at the University of Idaho. Knecht was a former assistant coach at Idaho and a future athletic director (1969–74).
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