Alvin Toles facts for kids

Alvin Toles, born on March 23, 1963, is a former American professional football player. He played as a linebacker for the New Orleans Saints in the National Football League (NFL). His career lasted from 1985 until 1988, when a knee injury forced him to stop playing. Before joining the NFL, he played college football at the University of Tennessee. He started as a fullback and later became a linebacker. The Saints chose him in the first round of 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 running position.

In 1980, during his senior year, he had an amazing season. He ran for 1,663 yards. He helped his team, the Bulldogs, win the state championship. They had a perfect season, winning all 15 games. In the championship game, he ran for 149 yards and scored two touchdowns. Alvin was named the "All-Middle Georgia Player of the Year." He was also one of the top football recruits in Georgia.

College Career at Tennessee

Alvin Toles joined the Tennessee Volunteers in 1981. He was part of a strong group of new players. In his first year, he played as a fullback. He ran for 220 yards. In his second year (1982), he ran for 135 yards.

Switching to Linebacker

In 1983, his coach, Johnny Majors, asked Alvin to try a new position. He switched from fullback to linebacker, a defensive position. Even though he had never played defense before, Alvin quickly became a star. He led his team with 135 tackles. A tackle is when a defensive player stops the player with the ball.

In one game against Pittsburgh, he made 19 tackles. He even caused an injury to the opposing quarterback. He also had 17 tackles against Auburn and 18 tackles against Alabama. In the 1983 Florida Citrus Bowl game against Maryland, Alvin played a huge role. He stopped a touchdown near the goal line. He also recovered a fumble and made an interception. Both of these plays led to scores for Tennessee. He was named the "Outstanding Defensive Player" of 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 the season. Even with the injury, he still made 43 tackles in just four games. 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 for the Saints over four seasons. He often played on special teams. Special teams are units used for plays like kickoffs and punts. He competed for playing time with other talented linebackers like Sam Mills and Vaughan Johnson.

In 1987, Alvin scored a touchdown by returning a blocked punt. This play briefly gave the Saints the lead in a close game. Sadly, in November 1988, he suffered a serious knee injury. This injury ended his professional football career. The Saints released him in 1990.

Personal Life

Alvin Toles has two children who are also athletes. His son, Andrew Toles, played professional baseball. His daughter, Morgan Toles, was a talented basketball player in college.