Indiana Football HOF Profiles - Jade Butcher
6/13/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
June 13, 2007
With the induction of six former Hoosiers into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame on June 23, IUHOOSIERS.com will profile the inductees over the next two weeks. The profile for Wednesday, June 13, is of all-time great Jade Butcher.
One of the top receivers to ever don a Hoosier uniform, 1969 first team All-American Jade Butcher will be inducted to the Indiana Football Hall of Fame on June 23. In addition to being one of the most lauded players for his individual accomplishments, Butcher was a key piece of the 1967 Hoosier squad, as he and fellow Hall of Fame inductee Harry Gonso helped lead a Hoosier offense that marched all the way to the Rose Bowl and turned in a 9-2 season.
The Bloomington-bred Butcher was a two-time All-Big Ten selection for the Hoosiers, earning the distinctions following his junior and senior seasons. Butcher remains atop the all-time list in receiving touchdowns for the Hoosiers, with 30 catches for scores in his three-year career.
In his final season, Butcher finished with 37 receptions for 552 yards and 10 touchdowns and participated in the North-South Game and Hula Bowl following the year. Butcher led the Hoosiers in receiving from 1967 and 1968 as well, posting 10 touchdowns each year. He finished his three-year career with 117 receptions for 1,810 yards, still the fifth-highest total in school history.
Prior to the 2006 season, Butcher was the only Hoosier to ever have two games with three TD catches or more, but he was joined on that list when sophomore James Hardy grabbed three scores against Iowa and four more against Michigan State. He and Hardy are also the only two receivers to have scored 10 touchdowns or more in more than one season.