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Hank Lauricella

Halfback

Inducted 1981

Date of Birth

10/9/1930

Birthplace

Harahan, LA

School

University of Tennessee (1949-1951)

Bio

Francis "Hank" Lauricella was the star for the Holy Cross High School team which won the New Orleans city championship in 1947. His team used the single-wing formation. In choosing a college, he picked Tennessee, because its coach, Robert Neyland, still used the single-wing. Most other coaches had switched to the T formation. At Tennessee, Lauricella ran for 13 touchdowns and passed for 16 in a his career as a single-wing tailback. Lauricella stood 5-10 and weighed 169 pounds. In 1949, he threw three touchdown passes against Mississippi. The next season he made a 75-yard run against Texas and an 81-yard run against Tennessee Tech. His longest punts were 75 yards against Duke in 1950, 76 against Alabama in 1951. In 1951, he averaged 7.9 yards on every rushing play, was unanimous All-America, and finished second in voting for the Heisman Trophy. Tennessee won the national championship. After college he became a partner in Lauricella Brothers, real estate operations and home builders in New Orleans. He was elected to a four-year term in the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1964, re-elected in 1968, elected to a four-year term in the State Senate in 1972, re-elected in 1976.