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Posted: 10:00 AM- Beginning with Super Bowl I, when defensive lineman Lionel Aldridge of Utah State and tight end Marv Fleming of Utah played key roles in the Green Bay Packers' convincing victory, players from Utah college and high school programs have appeared regularly in pro football's championship games.
Sunday's Super Bowl XLII will be a rare case when the state is not represented by a former player, after five players with Utah ties were part of losing teams in the conference title games.
More than three-fourths of Super Bowls have featured at least one product of a Utah school on the game-day active roster, as well as head coaches George Seifert, Brian Billick and Andy Reid and several assistant coaches - including Utah State alumnus Mike Waufle, who's returning to the Super Bowl this week with the New York Giants.
There are enough players to easily fill out The Tribune's All-Utah Super Bowl Team, with strong competition at several positions - particularly at tight end, where Fleming's four victories raised him above others who had better statistics, and receiver, where Kevin Dyson could be said to have fallen a yard short of selection after being tackled that close to the goal line on the final play of Tennessee's loss to St. Louis in Super Bowl XXXIV.
Marv Fleming, Utah
TE: Four of Fleming's eight career catches in Super Bowls contributed to the second of Green Bay's consecutive victories. He also won two titles with Miami, while losing once with the Dolphins. His appearances in five of the first eight Super Bowls give him the edge over Todd Christensen and Al Pupunu.
John Tait, BYU
OL: Chicago lost to Indianapolis in Super Bowl XLI, but Tait performed well against the Colts' Dwight Freeney.
Steve Young, BYU
QB: His six-touchdown, MVP performance for San Francisco against San Diego in Super Bowl XXIX qualified him to join Joe Montana and Tom Brady as a quarterback on USA Today's all-time, 53-man Super Bowl roster, selected last year. Young also won two titles as Montana's backup.
DEFENSE
Lionel Aldridge, Utah State
DL: A starter in the first two Super Bowls, Aldridge helped Green Bay limit Kansas City and Oakland to a total of 24 points in decisive victories.
Rulon Jones, Weber High/Utah State
DL: Jones' Denver Broncos were known for Super Bowl disasters, but he was a strong force in the first half of Super Bowl XXI as Denver took a 10-9 halftime lead over the Giants.
Jim Turner, Utah State
K: Kicking three field goals, Turner accounted for 10 of the New York Jets' 16 points in their historic upset of Baltimore in Super Bowl III.
MORE OFFENSE
WR - Roy Jefferson, Utah
Playing for Baltimore in Super Bowl V and for Washington two years later, Jefferson caught a total of eight passes for 102 yards.
RB - Jamal Anderson, Utah
One of the driving forces of Atlanta's only Super Bowl appearance with his "Dirty Bird" touchdown celebration, Anderson rushed for 96 yards in a loss to Denver in Super Bowl XXXIII.
RB - Corey Dillon, Dixie State
A season of junior college football in St. George may have saved Dillon's career, enabling him to move on to the University of Washington and a lengthy NFL stay. In New England's third Super Bowl victory, he rushed for 75 yards and a touchdown against Philadelphia.
OL - Bart Oates, BYU
Oates was the starting center for the New York Giants' victories in Super Bowls XXI and XXV and joined Young in the 49ers' win over San Diego.
OL - Jordan Gross, Utah
As a rookie, he started for a Carolina team that scored 29 points in a loss to New England in Super Bowl XXXVIII.
OL - Gordon Gravelle, BYU
He started for Pittsburgh in consecutive victories in Super Bowls IX and X, becoming the first ex-Cougar to appear in the big game. He also played for the Los Angeles Rams in a loss to the Steelers in Super Bowl XIV.
OL - John Tait, BYU
Chicago lost to Indianapolis in Super Bowl XLI, but Tait performed well against the Colts' Dwight Freeney.
OL - Barry Sims, Park City/Dixie State/Utah
Oakland lost to Tampa Bay in Super Bowl XXXVII, but Sims helped the Raiders' offense produce three touchdowns.
MORE DEFENSE
DL - Jason Buck, BYU
While losing with Cincinnati in Super Bowl XXIII and winning with Washington in Super Bowl XXVI, Buck registered sacks of Joe Montana and Jim Kelly.
DL - Manny Fernandez, Utah
Chosen as the third defensive tackle behind Bob Lilly and Mean Joe Greene on USA Today's all-time Super Bowl team, Fernandez was a monster for Miami in three straight Super Bowls, including the perfect season of 1972. In a loss and two victories, he recorded 28 tackles, including three sacks.
LB - Kurt Gouveia, BYU
A starter in two of Washington's Super Bowl victories, he returned an interception 23 yards to the Buffalo 2-yard line on the first play of the second half of Super Bowl XXVI, helping the Redskins win 37-24.
LB - Rob Morris, BYU
Morris made four tackles in Indianapolis' victory in Super Bowl XLI, after his move into the starting lineup helped turn the season around for the Colts' defense.
LB - Leon White, BYU
His Cincinnati team lost to San Francisco in Super Bowl XXIII, but his role as a starter elevates him above 49ers linebacker Todd Shell of BYU.
DB - Tom Holmoe, BYU
Sidelined by an injury for his last of three Super Bowl trips with San Francisco, Holmoe played for two winning teams as an extra defensive back. He also coached the 49ers' secondary in a title season.
DB - Andre Dyson, Clearfield High/Utah
A starter for Seattle in Super Bowl XL, Dyson became part of the 17th set of brothers to play in Super Bowls, following Kevin's two appearances.
DB - Darryl Pollard, Weber State
Mostly a special-teams player, Pollard is the only ex-Wildcat to actually play in a Super Bowl, doing so twice in San Francisco victories.
DB - Cornell Green, Utah State
The former Aggie basketball player started for Dallas in a loss and a win in Super Bowls V and VI.
SPECIAL TEAMS
P - Lee Johnson, BYU
His 63-yard punt for Cincinnati in Super Bowl XXIII remains the longest in Super Bowl history.
RS - Golden Richards, Granite High
While he caught a touchdown pass for Dallas in Super Bowl XII, he was primarily a punt returner in Super Bowl X.
COACHING STAFF
Head coach - George Seifert, Utah
The former Westminster College coach is among eight coaches with two or more wins and no losses, having gone 2-0 with San Francisco. He was an assistant coach for the 49ers' three other victories.
Offensive staff - Tom Lovat (Bingham High), Green Bay, line; Mike McCoy (Utah), Carolina, receivers; Andy Reid (BYU), Green Bay, quarterbacks; Lynn Stiles (Utah), Philadelphia, San Francisco, St. Louis, tight ends; Wade Harman (Utah State), Baltimore, running backs.
Defensive staff - Mike Waufle (Utah State), Oakland, line; George Seifert (Utah), San Francisco, linebackers; Tom Holmoe (BYU), San Francisco, secondary.
Special teams - Steve Kazor (Westminster), Chicago.