Early Years
Bethea was a standout for Ferguson High School (Newport News, Virginia), playing both offensive end and defensive end. He was a Parade All-American and a Group AAA all-state in 1973.
He went on to play for Michigan State University, where he started at tight end as a freshman. During his sophomore season he was moved to defensive end where he excelled.
In 1976 he earned second-team Big Ten All-conference recognition.
In 1977 he was the first defensive player named Big Ten Conference MVP since Dick Butkus. He also earned first-team Big Ten All-conference honors and played in the East–West Shrine Game.
Bethea still holds the school records for career sacks (33) and sacks in a season (16) and is arguably the greatest defensive end to play for Michigan State University.
Read more about this topic: Larry Bethea
Famous quotes containing the words early and/or years:
“Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not; it is the first lesson that ought to be learned; and however early a man’s training begins, its probably the last lesson that he learns thoroughly.”
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95)
“If you look at the 150 years of modern China’s history since the Opium Wars, then you can’t avoid the conclusion that the last 15 years are the best 15 years in China’s modern history.”
—J. Stapleton Roy (b. 1935)