Tulsa, 1968
• 1964 Academic All-America®
• 1965 Academic All-America®
Howard Twilley was inducted into the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Hall of Fame in 1990.
Savvy in both the business and football arenas, Howard Twilley’s career is marked by success. As a University of Tulsa standout, Twilley led the Hurricanes as one of the greatest wide receivers in college football history. During his time in Tulsa, Twilley set numerous NCAA records for pass receptions in his junior and senior seasons in 1964-65 and led his team to two Bluebonnet Bowl appearances. In 1964 he capped off at 95 receptions for 1,178 yards and 12 touchdowns. During his 1965 senior season Twilley was the nation’s leading scorer with 16 touchdowns with 134 catches for 1,779 yards. During that electrifying season he was also named Heisman Trophy runner-up, earned first-team All-America honors, and was selected as Lineman of the Year by United Press International, and had his number 81 jersey retired. In 1992 he earned his place in the College Football Hall of Fame. When he graduated in 1966, Twilley had stacked up 261 catches for 3,343 yards and 32 touchdowns.
After graduating with academic honors, Twilley entered the AFL and NFL drafts and was chosen by the Miami Dolphins and the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. He decided to join the Dolphins under Coach Shula and proved himself to be a clutch player and asset, making key touchdowns and providing a solid offensive outlet for his team. In 1968 Twilley had an especially good year, hauling in 39 receptions for a total of 604 receiving yards. After four seasons the Dolphins moved into the NFL and Twilley stuck with them, as a member of the 1972 Dolphin’s Championship perfect season and participant in three Super Bowls. In that 1973 Super Bowl VII, completing the 1972 perfect season, Twilley caught a memorable 28-yard touchdown pass to seal the Dolphin’s 14-7 victory. After 11 seasons with the Dolphins, Twilley retired in 1976, ending with 212 catches for 3,064 yards and 23 touchdowns in his 120-game career. Twilley still adamantly proclaims that he bleeds aqua and orange as a faithful Dolphin’s supporter.
Stepping off the football field and into the business field, Twilley parlayed his celebrity into a chain of highly successful shoe stores in Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas called The Athlete’s Foot. He bought his first franchise in 1974 while still with the Dolphins and when he sold it in 1990 it had grown to a total of 31 stores. Twilley later worked at the Tulsa, Okla., office of Merrill Lynch with other former NFL players tackling financial issues.