Bubba Pena
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wareham, Massachusetts, U.S.
| No. 68 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Guard |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | August 8, 1949 Wareham, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight: | 268 lb (122 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Lawrence (Falmouth, MA) |
| College: | UMass |
| NFL draft: | 1971: 4th round, 92nd pick |
| Career history | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Robert "Bubba" Pena (born August 8, 1949) is a former National Football League (NFL) offensive lineman who played four seasons with the Cleveland Browns from 1971 to 1974.
Pena attended Lawrence High School in Falmouth, Massachusetts, from 1963 to 1967, playing football there all four years. He started on the varsity team his last two years, helping the Lancers reach a combined 17–1 record. He also helped Lawrence complete its first undefeated season. Pena received nearly 60 college recruitment letters during his junior season alone, but he ultimately chose to stay close to home to attend Dean College (then Dean Junior College).[1][2]
Pena was inducted into the Lawrence/Falmouth High School Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the 1998 class.[3]
College career
Pena played two seasons for the Dean Bulldogs in 1967 and 1968, and was chosen as team captain in both years. The team went 3-4 and 2–6 in his two seasons.[4] Despite Dean's records, Pena earned All-New England selections in both years. After the 1968 season, Pena decided to play football with the University of Massachusetts Amherst Redmen (now called Minutemen) for his remaining two years of collegiate eligibility. Pena was inducted into the Dean College Hall of Fame as part of the 1991 class.[5]
In the 1969 season, Pena helped the Redmen win the Yankee Conference with a 5-0 conference record and a 6-3 overall record. He earned All-Yankee Conference honors for his efforts. The Redmen declined in the 1970 season, amassing a 3-1-1 conference record and a 4-5-1 overall record, but Pena's skill did not fall with them. He earned All-Yankee Conference honors for the second straight season and was awarded the 1970 UMass MVP, marking the first time an offensive lineman won the award. As his collegiate eligibility expired after the 1970 season, Pena entered the 1971 NFL draft. He was later inducted into the UMass Amherst Hall of Fame as part of the 2015 class.[1][2]