1956 Little All-America college football team
The 1956 Little All-America college football team honors the best players from small colleges. The Associated Press picked three teams of 11 players each, with no separate defensive units.
Key stars:
- William Rhodes, senior back, Western State (Colorado): 1,200 rushing yards on 130 carries. Had a single-game record with 327 yards against Adam State. Career average of 8.49 yards per carry (the highest in college football history) and 4,294 rushing yards (second all-time).
- Larry Houdek, senior back, Kansas Wesleyan: 1,432 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns on 168 carries, plus two passing touchdowns.
- James “Jimmy” Stehlin, Brandeis: 1,566 yards of total offense (1,155 passing, 411 rushing).
- Nate Clark, back, Hillsdale: African American star who led Hillsdale to its second straight undefeated season, named to the first team for the second year in a row.
Other players earning first-team honors for a second straight year:
- End Charles Schultz, Alfred
- Tackle Vince Vidas, Drexel
- Guard Steve Myhra, North Dakota
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 08:43 (CET).