Early Life and Career
Muncie was born and raised in a coal-mining Pennsylvania town, as one of six children in a football-playing family. Muncie played during his senior year in high school, before an injury halted his career and he turned to basketball. Muncie got a scholarship to Arizona Western Junior College (now Arizona Western College). While there, the coach of the football team was sufficiently impressed by Muncie's talent that he convinced him to try out for football as well. Muncie did so, and made the team. He never played basketball for the school but was recruited by the University of California after one year.
Muncie was a star running back for California during the 1970s. He was big, fast and elusive, and was also a good receiver. Muncie set six school rushing records, including most touchdowns and most yards gained in a single season. He was instrumental in Cal's NCAA-leading offense which propelled the team to the co-championship of the Pac-8 in 1975, and he appeared for the first time on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Muncie was a strong candidate for the Heisman Trophy and finished second in the voting in 1975 behind Archie Griffin of Ohio State. He was awarded the 1975 W.J. Voit Memorial Trophy as the outstanding football player on the Pacific Coast. After Muncie graduated, the New Orleans Saints selected him in the 1st round of the 1976 NFL Draft with the 3rd overall selection. Michael Trope known as Mike Trope during his days of being an NFL agent was able to negotiate an unheard of amount of $900,000 contract for seven years on behalf of Munice with the New Orleans Saints.
Muncie was part of the "Thunder and Lightning" backfield along with Saints' first round pick Tony Galbreath.
Muncie was one of the first players to wear glasses or goggles during games.
Muncie was also an active member of the fraternity Theta Delta Chi, nicknamed the "Chia House," for its noticeable ivy exterior. In Theta Delta Chi, Muncie lived in Grass Hut and then in Ski Hut—two rooms of the house named after Muncie.
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