Alvin Toles facts for kids

Alvin Toles (born March 23, 1963) is a former American football player. He was a linebacker for the New Orleans Saints in the National Football League (NFL). He played from 1985 until 1988, when a knee injury ended his career. Alvin played college football at the University of Tennessee. He was the Saints' first-round pick in the 1985 NFL draft.

Early Life and High School Football

Alvin Toles grew up in Forsyth, Georgia. He played high school football at Mary Persons High School. His coach was Dan Pitt. Alvin played as a fullback, which is a player who runs with the ball.

In 1980, during his senior year, he ran for 1,663 yards. He helped his team, the Bulldogs, win the Class AA state championship. They had a perfect season, winning all 15 games. In the championship game, he ran for 149 yards and scored two touchdowns. The Bulldogs won 34–6. Alvin was named "All-Middle Georgia Player of the Year."

College Football at Tennessee

Alvin joined the Tennessee Volunteers in 1981. He started as a fullback. In his first year, he ran for 220 yards. In his second year (1982), he ran for 135 yards.

Switching to Linebacker

Before the 1983 season, his coach, Johnny Majors, asked Alvin to try playing linebacker. A linebacker is a defensive player who tackles opponents. Even though he had never played defense before, Alvin had an amazing season. He made 135 tackles, which was the most on his team. A tackle is when a player stops an opponent with the ball.

In one game against Pittsburgh, he made 19 tackles. In another game against Auburn, he made 17 tackles. He also had 20 tackles against Ole Miss. In the 1983 Florida Citrus Bowl, Alvin played a key role. He stopped a touchdown and recovered a fumble and made an interception. These plays helped Tennessee win the game. He was named the "Outstanding Defensive Player" for that game.

Senior Year Injury

Alvin was expected to have another great year in 1984. However, he broke his ankle during a game against Auburn. This injury caused him to miss the rest of his senior season. He finished his college career with 178 tackles. He also had 355 rushing yards from his time as a fullback.

Playing for the New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints chose Alvin Toles in the first round of the 1985 NFL draft. He was the 24th player picked overall. He was one of three linebackers from Tennessee drafted that year.

Alvin played 55 games over four seasons for the Saints. He often played on special teams, which are units used for kicking plays. He competed for playing time with other strong linebackers like Sam Mills and Vaughan Johnson.

In a game on October 25, 1987, Alvin returned a blocked punt for a touchdown. This play briefly gave the Saints the lead. On November 13, 1988, he suffered a serious knee injury during a game against the Los Angeles Rams. This injury unfortunately ended his football career. The Saints released him in 1990.

Personal Life

Alvin Toles has two children who also became athletes. His son, Andrew Toles, played professional baseball. His daughter, Morgan Toles, was a standout basketball player for the Seminoles.