| No. 11 | |
| Quarterback/Punter | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: May 8, 1945 | |
| Place of birth: Wynne, Arkansas | |
| Career information | |
| College: Arkansas | |
| NFL Draft: 1968 / Round: 5 / Pick: 115 | |
| No regular season or postseason appearances | |
| Career history | |
| *New Orleans Saints ( 1968) | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at NFL.com | |
| Stats at pro-football-reference.com | |
Ronnie Lee South (born May 8, 1945) is a former American football quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). South played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks where he was a member of their 1965, 1966 and 1967 teams.
South was taken in the fifth round of the 1968 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints.[1] On April 16, 1968, he signed his initial contract with the Saints to play as part of their 1968 season.[2] South played with the team through their summer training camp, but was later released in August as part of the teams' final roster cuts.[3] After the final cuts, South was signed to the Saints' practice squad.
During their November 3 game against Dallas, Saints starting quarterback Billy Kilmer injured his ankle.[4] As such, South was elevated to the active roster to serve as backup to Karl Sweetan.[4][5] As South was also a punter, then punter Tom McNeill was released from the team to make room for South on the active roster.[5] In their game against Cleveland, Sweetan injured his ankle and South entered the game in the first quarter for his first series before Sweetan returned later.[6] Sweetan was unable to complete the game, and in the fourth quarter South threw what was his only NFL touchdown pass to Jim Hester from seven-yards out in the fourth quarter.[6]
With both Kilmer and Sweetan injured, it was speculated South would start for the Saints in their game against the Packers at Milwaukee County Stadium.[7] Sweetan did start the game, but was taken out and replaced with South in the first quarter due to the lingering effects of his injured ankle.[8] South finished the game only 7 of 23 passing and with an average of 23 yards for his seven punts.[8] South finished the season as a backup. South was later cut by New Orleans on July 29, 1969.[9]
References[]
- ↑ "How pro teams fared in college draft". Sarasota Journal. Associated Press (Google News Archives): p. 34. February 1, 1968. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9WFhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LIwEAAAAIBAJ&dq=ronnie-south%20arkansas&pg=7072%2C181769. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
- ↑ "Saints sign QB". The News-Dispatch. UPI (Google News Archives): p. 20. April 17, 1968. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tsZWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=B0INAAAAIBAJ&dq=ronnie-south%20arkansas&pg=7133%2C1543756. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
- ↑ Bryson, Mike (August 27, 1968). "These Saints won't march". The Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press (Google News Archives): p. 6. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oxcfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=N5sEAAAAIBAJ&dq=ronnie-south%20draft&pg=5242%2C4771317. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Ankle injury idles Kilmer". The Windsor Star. UPI (Google News Archives): p. 20. November 4, 1968. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pjQ_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=dFEMAAAAIBAJ&dq=ronnie-south%20arkansas&pg=6279%2C172098. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Saints cut punter". Youngstown Vindicator. Associated Press (Google News Archives): p. 9. November 9, 1968. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tWhIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kIIMAAAAIBAJ&dq=ronnie-south%20arkansas&pg=5837%2C3322225. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Browns tip Saints and take lead". The Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press (Google News Archives): p. 2. November 11, 1968. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UQsqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IigEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7095%2C158033. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
- ↑ Bledsoe, Terry (November 14, 1968). "Rookie quarterback to start for Saints". The Milwaukee Journal (Google News Archives): p. 2. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VAsqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IigEAAAAIBAJ&dq=ronnie-lee-south&pg=7127%2C1974274. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lea, Bud (November 18, 1968). "Packers bounce Saints, 29–7". The Milwaukee Sentinel (Google News Archives): p. 2. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zEUxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=sBAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6806%2C3559775. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
- ↑ "Quarterback sneak surprising to coach". The Dispatch. UPI (Google News Archives): p. 13. July 30, 1969. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sHEcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=T1EEAAAAIBAJ&dq=ronnie-south%20arkansas&pg=5143%2C2067048. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
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