Robert Wallner '83 is one of the greatest offensive lineman in the storied history of the Ripon College football program, which spans 130 years. One of just two players to earn First Team All-Conference honors in all four years, and the only offensive player to accomplish that feat in program history, Wallner started every game during his career for the Redmen. A two-time All-American as the team's center, Wallner was inducted into Ripon's Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998.
"Bob was one of the most talented centers I ever saw in Division-III football during my coaching career, and was also one of the most coachable," former Ripon College Head Football Coach Larry Terry said. "During his career, Bob played in front of a quarterback who was nationally ranked in total offense and a tailback who nearly set the school rushing record. Those are just two examples of his domination on the offensive line."
A Criminal Justice and History major from Milwaukee's Hamilton High School, Wallner came to Ripon as a highly touted center, but because the team already had a talented upperclassman at that position, Wallner was moved to tackle as a freshman. The big, young Milwaukeean proved so adept at that position that he was named First Team All-Conference as a tackle in each of his first two years, proving to be one of the most versatile linemen in school history. Prior to his junior season, Wallner was switched back to his natural position of center, where his ferocious play as the anchor of Ripon's offensive line continued.
During Wallner's junior year in 1981, Ripon set a school record for single season passing yards (2,501), which stood for four years and still ranks third in program history. His dominance continued the following season when, as a Senior co-captain, Wallner helped lead Ripon to the 1982 Midwest Conference Championship with an 8-2 record. That capped a career which saw Wallner lead the Redmen to a four-year cumulative record of 24-13.
"Bob was a great leader on a team of very good leaders and I always thought he was talented enough to play at the professional level because of his size and athleticism," Terry said. "I knew our bread was buttered on the offensive side of the ball by how well our line played and how well they protected our great quarterback Kevin King '82. Bob took pride in how well this unit performed."
Ripon's coaches believed Wallner was a bona fide All-American beginning in his freshman season, but it wasn't until he made the switch back to his natural position and continued dominating the nation's defensive linemen that the belief came to fruition. Wallner was named to the Associated Press Honorable Mention All-America Team as a junior, before capping his career with a First Team All-America selection as a senior, which marked just the sixth such honor in program history.
"Bob was an All-American if ever there was one," former Oshkosh Northwestern sportswriter Ken Cotton said. "He was the most intense football player on the field and could really move people out of the middle. He went about his work without a lot of hoopla, simply doing his job."
The awards and national recognition was nice, but it's what opposing coaches thought about Wallner as a player that may have been his biggest accolade.
"Bob is the best center we've played against, and we've played some of the top teams in the nation," former Lawrence University Head Football Coach Ron Roberts is on record as saying. "Ripon has a great running game and Wallner's strength in the middle is the reason for that."
After graduating from Ripon College, Wallner served as Detective Bureau Lt. for the Neenah Police Department for 16 years. He would go on to serve as Director of Corporate Security at Associated Bank in Milwaukee and Operations Manager at Servpro of Southeast Milwaukee County. Wallner, who received his Masters Degree in Public Administration from UW-Oshkosh in 1996, is currently retired and resides in San Francisco, Calif.
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