After profiling a legend of the 1980's in Nathan LaDuke, today we're winding the clocks back even further to the 1950's to take a look at all-purpose star Bobby Mulgado.
Joining the Sun Devils in 1954, Mulgado played the sport at a completely different time. Colorado's Travis Hunter earned plenty of praise for playing both offense and defense the last two years, but that was the norm in Mulgado's time. In fact, he even played offense, defense, and special teams, rarely stepping off the field.
Committing to Arizona State under head coach Clyde B Smith, Mulgado immediately became a key player for the Sun Devils. He saw work as a running back, cornerback, punt returner, punter, and even got the occasional chance to play quarterback.
After Mulgado's first year in Tempe, Smith stepped away from the sidelines to become Arizona State's athletics director. He then turned around and hired Dan Devine, who brought in a coach named Frank Kush as his defensive line coach. While Mulgado would graduate the year before Kush was promoted to head coach, he helped build the foundations for success under Arizona State's most legendary coach.
Devine's first season as head coach saw the Sun Devils finish 8-2-1. The next year, they improved to 9-1 and, after that, a perfect 10-0 finish. That 1957 season marked the program's first time ever winning 10 games, and Arizona State led the nation in total offense and points per game.
Mulgado was a big part of that. His 1,020 scrimmage yards and seven total touchdowns both ranked second in the nation, behind only Leon Burton, the Sun Devils' other running back.
Mulgado was also adept as a punter, routinely pinning opponents deep in their own territory. He was just as good at returning them, too, going back for a touchdown twice. And on defense, he had a team-leading six interceptions that year.
It was certainly a different time - Arizona State even played in the now-defunct Border Conference - but Mulgado did it all, quite literally. It's no surprise that he became the very first Sun Devil to be inducted into Arizona State's Ring of Honor. He laid the foundation for the dynasty that Kush would later create in Tempe.