Steve Little (American Football) - High School and College Career

High School and College Career

Little played high school football for Shawnee Mission South High School in Overland Park, Kansas where he was an All-State quarterback and defensive back. He was recruited to play football for the University of Arkansas by legendary Arkansas head coach Frank Broyles. Broyles later said that he initially recruited Little to play quarterback since Joe Ferguson had recently graduated and entered the NFL. However Little's kicking abilities so impressed Broyles that they utilized him in that position. Also coach Bo Rein had recently accepted an assistant coaching position with Arkansas, and was bringing with him high school standout quarterback Ron Calcagni.

In 1976 behind the passing skills of quarterback Ron Calcagni and the rushing of eventual NFL running back Ben Cowins, Little helped Arkansas in its defeat of the University of Georgia in the Cotton Bowl. In 1978 he helped the Razorbacks to a 1978 Orange Bowl victory over the University of Oklahoma. In that Orange Bowl game Arkansas running back Roland Sales rushed for 205 yards, an Orange Bowl record that stood until 1998 when Ahman Green rushed for 206 yards in the Orange Bowl. Defensively future Chicago Bears star Dan Hampton shut down the Oklahoma running game. In both those bowl games Little set team PAT records for bowl games, kicking 4 in each. He also set a team record for points with 280. During Little's career with Arkansas the Razorbacks went 10-2 in 1975, 5-5-1 in 1976, 11-1 in 1977 and 9-2-1 in 1978. In the latter Arkansas' 1 tie game was against UCLA during the Fiesta Bowl. During his final year at Arkansas Little played under head coach Lou Holtz.