Richmond Athletics Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2002
- Class:
- 1970
Richard "Dickie" Irvin was one of the most dominating interior defensive linemen of his era. Almost impossible to block, Irvin was the Spiders' nose guard during the 1967-69 seasons. He earned First Team All-Conference and All-State honors in 1968 and 1969. He also earned Second Team All-Conference honors in 1967. He helped lead Richmond to back-to-back Southern Conference Championships in 1968 and 1969.
Irvin was part of the 1968 Tangerine Bowl champion, one of the most celebrated teams in Richmond athletics history. The 1968 team went 8-3 on the season, and defeated Ohio University, 49-42, on Dec. 27. The Spiders finished the season ranked No. 18 in the UPI poll and No. 20 in the AP poll.
During his senior season, Irvin earned Sports Illustrated National Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors after making 16 tackles, six for loss, in a 17-10 win against Virginia Tech on Oct. 4, 1969. Following his collegiate playing career, Irvin signed with the Montreal Allouettes, of the Canadian Football League, in 1970.
