He transferred to Santa Ana College after his freshman season, where he played basketball and baseball.
As a senior, he was named team captain, second-team All-West coast and honorable-mention All-American.
In 1961, he played in 8 games as a backup, before being traded to the Washington Redskins in exchange for offensive tackle Bob Whitlow on November 9.
On September 29, in a game against the Dallas Cowboys, he made 3 interceptions, returning one for a franchise record 78-yard touchdown.
In 1966, he suffered a punctured lung, a separated clavicle and 3 broken ribs in the first half of the preseason game against the Baltimore Colts.
[2] On August 30, he was traded along with a fifth round pick (#119-Willie Parker) to the Cowboys, in exchange for Brig Owens, Jake Kupp, and Mitch Johnson.
[5] He was a backup linebacker behind Chris Hanburger, until suffering a broken arm in a preseason game.