'Who wore it best' at Michigan State: No. 55

Lansing State Journal

Michigan State players celebrate with Adam Decker (55), who made the game saving tackle against Shonn Greene for Iowa during final minutes of the fourth quarter. The Spartans defeated the Hawkeyes 16-13, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan, Saturday, October 4, 2008. (Kirthmon F. Dozier/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

Ever see a number on a Michigan State football jersey and think of all the great players to wear it? Me, too. In this daily series, I’ll give you my take on which Spartan football player was the best ever to wear each number. The criteria are simple: How did he perform at MSU? And what kind of impact did he have on the program?

No. 55 – Dan Currie

Center, 1955-57, Detroit

Résumé

1955: 2,156 team rushing yards, 1,124 team passing yards, 215.6 team rushing yards per game, 28 team rushing touchdowns

1956: 2,312 team rushing yards, 919 team passing yards, 256.9 team rushing yards per game, 27 team rushing touchdowns

1957: 2,367 team rushing yards, 1,088 team passing yards, 263 team rushing yards per game, 29 team rushing touchdowns

Total: 6,835 team rushing yards, 3,131 team passing yards, 245.1 team rushing yards per game, 84 team rushing yards

Dan Currie was the No. 3 selection in the 1958 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. He won two NFL Championships under legendary head coach, Vince Lombardi.

Why Currie?

If Duffy Daugherty says you are the best center in college football – and “perhaps the best ever at Michigan State” – you are making this list.

The legendary Hall of Fame coach was talking about Dan Currie, who helped lead the Spartans to a pair of national championships in 1955 and 1957.

Currie was named a first-team All-American in 1957, and also received the Governor’s Award, which is given annually to the team’s most valuable player. The Football Coaches Association even named him the Most Outstanding College Player of the Year. That, of course, came with consensus first-team All-Big Ten honors.

Michigan State legendary head coach Duffy Daugherty called Dan Currie the best center in college football between 1955-57.

Playing the guard position on the offensive line during his first two seasons in East Lansing, Currie moved to center in 1957. Currie, a Detroit native, also played defense, recording 56 minutes of play – the most by any player -- during the Spartans’ 1956 Rose Bowl win over UCLA. He even picked off a pass.

Currie played in the North-South All-Star Game after his senior season. The game, which was held in Chicago on Aug. 15, 1958, pitted the best in college football against the Pro-football champion, Detroit Lions. The college kids won, 35-19.

Selected No. 3 overall in the NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers that same year, Currie was a member of two championship teams in 1961 and 1962 under a guy named Vince Lombardi. He earned first-team NFL All-Pro honors in three straight seasons between 1961-63. He played in the annual Pro Bowl in 1960. Currie was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 1984.

Currie died in Las Vegas on Sept. 11, 2017. He was 82.

Adam Decker (bottom) of MSU wraps up Ricky Evans of Montana State during their game Saturday September 5, 2009 in East Lansing. KEVIN W. FOWLER PHOTO

Who else wore No. 55?

Charles Ane (C, 1972-74), Frederick Boylen (G, 1958-60), William Covey (OG, 1984), OG; Michael Currie (C, 1961-63), Adam Decker (LB, 2006-09), Corey Freeman (DE, 2010-11), Patrick Gallinagh (MG/DT, 1965-66), Richard Glover (OLB, 1990-93), Ferris Hallmark (T/G, 1952-54), Mitch Herrema (LB, 2003), Kerry Keyton (OT, 1988-90), Miguel Machado (OT, 2015-16), Howard McAdoo (DT, 1980-82), James McCulloh (OG, 1977-78), Carl Reaves (OLB, 1994-95), Jason Ridgeway (DT, 1985-88), Errol Roy (OG/C, 1969-71)

Contact Cody Tucker at (517) 377-1070 or cjtucker@lsj.com and follow him on Twitter @CodyTucker_LSJ.

MORE ON DAN CURRIE:
* Former Spartan All-American Dan Currie passes away
* MSU's top 50 football players: No. 32 Dan Currie