Saint Michael's College

Joe Hermans was a very tough "60 minute man" for the great Purple Knight football teams of the late 1940's and early 1950's. Nicknamed "Tiger," Joe played left tackle for four seasons. He was named All-State three times, garnering Honorable Mention status as a sophomore and junior, and First Team honors as a senior. Although the work of the lineman was seldom praised in Joe's era, the SMC line was a major factor in the team's success -- particularly in the Championship season of 1950. During Joe's career, the Knights were among the top five college teams in New England in both total offense and total defense. His abilities in run blocking were often praised in the local newspapers by fellow Hall of Fame backs like Jack Daly '50, Billy Hart '51, Pete Plourde '52, and Frank Simas '52.