Richard Gene Strenger (born March 10, 1960) is a former All-
Big Ten
The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
offensive tackle
Offensive may refer to:
* Offensive, the former name of the Dutch political party Socialist Alternative
* Offensive (military), an attack
* Offensive language
** Fighting words or insulting language, words that by their very utterance inflict inj ...
who played for the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
Wolverines
The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscul ...
(1980–1982) and
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
(1983–1987). He is now working as a lawyer in
Lake Orion, Michigan
Lake Orion ( ) is a village in the northern outskirts of Metro Detroit in Oakland County, Michigan, United States. The population was 2,973 at the 2010 census. "Lake Orion" can refer to either the village or the much larger Orion Township, of wh ...
.
High school and college
Strenger began in football as a speedy, 218-pound
end
End, END, Ending, or variation, may refer to:
End
*In mathematics:
** End (category theory)
** End (topology)
**End (graph theory)
** End (group theory) (a subcase of the previous)
**End (endomorphism)
*In sports and games
**End (gridiron footbal ...
for
Grafton High School in
Grafton, Wisconsin
Grafton is a village in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. Located about north of Milwaukee and in close proximity to Interstate 43, it is a suburban community in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. The village incorporated in 1896, and at ...
. In 1977, he was named All-Metro at the end position after catching four touchdown passes, including a 41-yard reception. At Michigan, Strenger grew into a 6'7, 285 pound lineman and became an intimidating presence in the Michigan offensive line from 1980–1982. In 1981, he was a backup to
Ed Muransky
Edward William "Ed" Muransky (born January 20, 1960) is a former professional American football offensive tackle who played for the Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) and Orlando Renegades of the United States Football Lea ...
and
Bubba Paris
William "Bubba" Paris (born October 6, 1960) is a former professional American football offensive tackle who played for the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL from 1983 to 1990 and for the Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions in 1991. He was a member ...
, and in 1982, he started all 12 games for the Big Ten champion Wolverines. In 1982, Strenger's blocking led the ways for tailback
Lawrence Ricks
Lawrence Tallmagde Ricks (born June 4, 1961) is a former American football player. He played college football as a tailback for the University of Michigan from 1979 to 1982 and was selected as a first-team running back on the 1982 All-Big Ten ...
to
rush for 1,428 yards. He was named All-Big Ten at offensive tackle and honorable mention
All-America
The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...
in 1982.
[ In the 1983 ]Rose Bowl game
The Rose Bowl Game is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 (New Year's Day) at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2. The Rose ...
, Strenger injured his ankle on the third play of the game and did not return to the lineup as the Wolverines lost to UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...
, 21-14. Strenger was also selected to play for the East Squad in the 58th East-West Shrine Game
East West (or East and West) may refer to:
*East–West dichotomy, the contrast between Eastern and Western society or culture
Arts and entertainment
Books, journals and magazines
*'' East, West'', an anthology of short stories written by Salm ...
on January 15, 1983 at Stanford Stadium
Stanford Stadium is an outdoor college football stadium on the west coast of the United States, located on the campus of Stanford University in Stanford, California. It is the home of the Stanford Cardinal and hosts the university's commencemen ...
.
Professional football
Strenger was the Detroit Lions' second-round draft pick (40th selection overall) in the 1983 NFL Draft. He played in 49 NFL games, including all 16 games for the Lions in 1983. He had earned the starting tackle job in 1984, but he sustained torn ligaments in his right knee in the seventh play of the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
on September 2, 1984, and underwent surgery. Lions coach Monte Clark
Monte Dale Clark (January 24, 1937 – September 16, 2009) was an American football player who served as head coach for the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions. He played college football at USC.
Early years
Clark attended Kingsburg High S ...
said of the loss of Strenger, "That's a disaster." He underwent surgery and missed the entire 1984 season and much of the 1985 season while recuperating.[ On returning to football after his injury, Strenger said, "Sometimes I feel like a rookie out there. In some ways, it's a new challenge to earn my position back, but I'm really anxious to get out there and do some hitting."][ Starting midway through the 1985 season, Strenger started 22 consecutive games and was considered Detroit’s comeback player of the year in 1986.][ He started all 16 games and played every offensive snap in 1986 on an offensive line that included ]Keith Dorney
Keith Robert Dorney (born December 3, 1957) is a former American college and professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons in the 1970s and 1980s. He played college football for Pe ...
and Lomas Brown
Lomas Brown Jr. (born March 30, 1963) is an American former college and professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. Brown played college ...
. Strenger was a leader on the Lions' offensive line, opening holes for Billy Sims
Billy Ray Sims (born September 18, 1955) is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons during the 1980s. Sims played college football for the Universi ...
(1,040 yards rushing in 1983) and James Jones (903 yards rushing in 1986). Comparing the college and pro training regimens, Strenger once noted that Bo Schembechler
Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler Jr. ( ; April 1, 1929 – November 17, 2006) was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University of ...
ran a more strenuous training camp than the Lions: "Things were tougher at Michigan, but they could afford to be because camp was only four weeks long. This is six weeks long, so there is more attention given to not tiring people out."[ The injuries caught up with Strenger as he was placed on injured reserve by the Lions in November 1987 and did not play in the NFL again. Strenger signed with the ]Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
in May 1988 but did not make the team. After trying to make the Bills team in 1988 and 1989, Strenger was waived by the Bills on August 30, 1989. In September 2006, Strenger was honored by the Lions as the Alumni Honorary Captain for the Lions-Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
game at Ford Field
Ford Field is a domed American football stadium located in Downtown Detroit. It primarily serves as the home of the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL), as well as the annual Quick Lane Bowl college football bowl game, state champ ...
.[
]
Legal career
Strenger later received his law degree
A law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers. But while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not confer a license themselves. A legal license is gra ...
from the Detroit College of Law
The Michigan State University College of Law (Michigan State Law or MSU Law) is the law school of Michigan State University, a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan. Established in 1891 as the Detroit College of Law, it was the ...
of Michigan State University
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...
in 1999, and worked with the law firm of Butzel Long
Founded in 1854, Butzel Long is one of the oldest law firms in Michigan. Based in Detroit, Michigan, the firm has 155 attorneys throughout the state, in New York City, and in Washington, D.C. It has alliance offices in Mexico and China. Butzel Lon ...
in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bloomfield Hills is a small city (5.04 sq. miles) in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a northern suburb of Metro Detroit and is approximately northwest of Downtown Detroit. Except a small southern border with the city of Bir ...
, before opening the Law Offices of Rich Strenger in Lake Orion, Michigan
Lake Orion ( ) is a village in the northern outskirts of Metro Detroit in Oakland County, Michigan, United States. The population was 2,973 at the 2010 census. "Lake Orion" can refer to either the village or the much larger Orion Township, of wh ...
.[ He was named Volunteer of the Quarter for the first quarter of 2003 by the board of directors and staff of Community Legal Resources in Detroit.][ In December 2007, Strenger was hired by the North Oakland Transportation Authority to respond to allegations that the agency's director, Pat Fitchena, had engaged in misconduct and abuse of staff members.]
Notes
External links
Rich Strenger will be the Alumni Honorary Captain for Lions-Packers Game, September 24
Website of The Law Offices of Rich Strenger, PLLC
{{DEFAULTSORT:Strenger, Rich
1960 births
American football offensive tackles
Detroit Lions players
Living people
Michigan lawyers
Michigan Wolverines football players
People from Port Washington, Wisconsin
Players of American football from Wisconsin
People from Lake Orion, Michigan