Note: At the bottom of this article is the 2014 inductees into the New Mexico Highlands Hall of Honors, including six members being enshrined with two other members that will receive special recognition. Over the next few weeks, a more in-depth article will be written about all eight honorees. They will be inducted at the Hall of Honors Banquet on Sept. 18, 2014 at 6 p.m. Pete Przyborowski It is not often you can mention yourself in the same sentence as arguably the greatest punter in NFL history.
Pete Przyborowski did just that.
"Did you know Ray Guy was both a quarterback and punter in college?" Pete asked.
Przyborowski did just that, playing quarterback and punting for New Mexico Highlands for the 1980 and 1981 seasons. Playing those positions, He helped guide the Cowboys to the 1981 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference crown.
It remains the only outright football championship in Highlands' history.
Born to Boleslaw and Teodozja in Rogale, Poland, in 1959, the Przyborowski's came to the U.S. in December 1966. Pete did not start playing organized football until his high school years, but he had developed a passion for the game in his early years while learning American culture and the English language in Englewood, New Jersey.
After attending the New Mexico Military Institute in Rosswell, New Mexico, Przborowski earned a football scholarship to be the quarterback and a punter for the Cowboys for the 1980 and 1981 seasons. He led the team to a 4-6 (3-5 RMAC) record in 1980, throwing for 1,352 yards and nine touchdowns while connecting on 137 passes in 280 attempts.
With the Cowboys returning every starter, 1981 was shaping up to be a special season. Few knew it would result in Cowboys' football first conference crown since the 1969 NAIA District 7 title. Przyborowski completed 80-of-176 passes for 1,076 yards and eight touchdowns. The Cowboys went 7-3 overall and 7-1 in the RMAC to capture the title, including winning their last seven conference games.
"Coach Bleil gave me a lot of freedom and flexibility to do a lot of things, such as formation and audibles," Przyborowski stated. "I was fortunate enough to have a lot of input."
After his football career at Highlands, Przyborowski was invited to try out for the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles before playing in the American Football Association with the San Antonio Bulls (1982) and the West Virginia Rockets (1983).
Przyborowski began his coaching career at his alma mater in 1982 and was promoted to passing game coordinator while also coaching quarterbacks and punters in 1983. That season, quarterback John Chisholm matched a season passing record while surpassing two others.
"Coach Bleil was a huge influence on why I went in to coaching," Przyborowski recalled. "After being at Highlands and seeing how much fun he had while also influencing young people, I knew this was the profession for me. Coach Bleil and (assistant) coach Orlando Brown were like little kids on the bus. Those two got paid for doing what they loved."
From 1984-1999, Przyborowski coached quarterbacks, punters and receivers as Wagner College. He also served as offensive coordinator from 1989-1997 and was an assistant athletic director with the Seahawks from 1989-1999. In his 15 seasons, Przyborowski helped guide Wagner to four Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference titles with two runner-up finishes. The Seahawks made the NCAA Division III playoffs in 1987 and 1988, winning the NCAA Championship in 1987.
The Seahawks also won the Liberty Football League crown in 1992.
During his coaching tenure at Wagner, Przyborowski coached four All-American Quarterbacks and three All-American Receivers – with one quarterback and one receiver participating in preseason NFL camps. A quarterback that Przyborowski mentored, who had a Seahawk-best career passing efficiency of 158.1, was inducted into the Wagner Hall of Fame. Numerous quarterback and receiver records are held by players Przyborowski had coached. Pete has also mentored a few high school quarterbacks, including one who led the state of New Mexico in passing and another who earned a scholarship to Purdue.
As an assistant athletic director at Wagner, Przyborowski oversaw the sports of wrestling, men's tennis and men's and women's golf. During his tenure, he helped resurrect the Seahawks wrestling program that sent a 190-pound wrestler to the NCAA Championships in 1991. The men's golf team also became a viable contender for the Northeast Conference title.
Pete is a lifetime member of the "H" Club and was instrumental in organizing three football reunions for the 1981 RMAC Championship football team. He is also one of the organizers of the Fred Bleil Memorial Scholarship Golf Classic.
2014 Hall of Honors Inductees: Enrique Gonzales Jr. Ben Cortez Pete Przyborowski R. Nicole (Allman) Boulom Albert E. Tolentino Freddy Hernandez Special Recognition: Larry Kelly Ronnie (Ron) McCraig
