Wally Highsmith facts for kids
| Born: | August 27, 1943 Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Offensive line |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) |
| Weight | 238 lb (108 kg) |
| College | Florida A&M |
| High school | Roosevelt School (Lake Wales, Florida) |
| Career history | |
| As coach | |
| 1980–1985 | Miami Edison Senior HS (FL) (Head coach) |
| 1986–1988 | Florida A&M (Defensive coordinator) |
| 1989–1993 | Texas Southern (Head coach) |
| 1994–1997 | Florida A&M (Offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator) |
| 2000 | Toronto Argonauts (Defensive line) |
| 2000 | Toronto Argonauts (Interim head coach) |
| 2006 | Selma HS (AL) (Defensive coordinator) |
| As player | |
| 1968–1969 | Denver Broncos |
| 1970–1971 | Montreal Alouettes |
| 1972 | Houston Oilers |
| 1973 | Montreal Alouettes |
| 1974–1975 | Memphis Southmen |
| 1976–1977 | Toronto Argonauts |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Walter "Buzz" Highsmith (born August 27, 1943) is a former American gridiron football player and coach. He played professionally as an offensive lineman. This means he was part of the group of players who block for their teammates. Highsmith played in several different leagues, including the American Football League (AFL), Canadian Football League (CFL), World Football League (WFL), and National Football League (NFL). He also served as a head football coach for the Texas Southern University team.
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Playing Professional Football
Wally Highsmith began his professional football journey with the Denver Broncos in the AFL. He played 23 games over two seasons with them.
Winning the Grey Cup
Next, Highsmith joined the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL. He played for two years and appeared in 22 games. A big highlight of his time there was winning the Grey Cup championship in 1970. The Grey Cup is the championship trophy of the Canadian Football League.
Moving Between Leagues
After his time in Canada, Highsmith moved to the Houston Oilers in the NFL. He played nine games with them for one season. In 1973, he returned to the Montreal Alouettes for a short period, playing just one game. He then joined the Memphis Southmen in the new World Football League (WFL), where he played for two seasons. Highsmith finished his playing career back in the CFL with the Toronto Argonauts. He played 21 games for them over two years.
Coaching Football Teams
After retiring from playing, Wally Highsmith stayed involved in football. He first worked as a physical education teacher in Montreal.
Coaching High School and College
In 1980, Highsmith moved to Florida. There, he became a teacher and football coach at Miami Edison Senior High School. Later, he became the defensive coordinator for Florida A&M. A defensive coordinator is a coach who plans how the team's defense will play.
From 1989 to 1993, Highsmith was the head football coach at Texas Southern. During his five seasons, he helped many players. He coached 22 players who went on to sign contracts with NFL teams. One famous player he coached was Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan. Highsmith left his coaching role at Texas Southern after the 1993 season.
Return to Florida A&M and CFL
Highsmith then returned to Florida A&M. He worked as the offensive line coach and helped with recruiting new players. In 2000, he went back to the CFL to coach the Toronto Argonauts. He was their defensive line coach. For a short time, he also served as the interim head coach for two games. This means he took over as head coach temporarily. In 2006, he was the defensive coordinator at Selma High School in Alabama.
Family Life
Wally Highsmith has a family with strong ties to football. He is the father of Alonzo Highsmith, who also played in the NFL. He is also the uncle of Ali Highsmith, another former NFL player.
