Hall of Fame
Tony Adkins arrived at Augustana in 1985 and quickly established himself as the anchor of the defensive line for the Viking football team. Tony wrote, "Coach Heinitz...shared a vision of turning a football program around and becoming recognized as a top team in the NCC. I signed up to help the coaching staff achieve that goal."
A disrupting force in the middle, Adkins was an All-NCC selection in 1986 and 1987, and was honored as the league's most valuable defensive lineman in 1987 when he recorded 113 tackles. That same year, he became the first defensive player in Augustana history to earn 1st Team Kodak All-American honors. He was a regional finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy and the only defensive player on the ballot. He shares Viking career records for sacks in a game (3) and for a season (8).
Tony's most memorable game occurred in 1987 against SDSU. He recalled, "Dan Sonnek, SDSU's running back, was touted as the top running back in the NCC and was supposed to run all over us. We shut SDSU down and held Sonnek to under 60 yards rushing. I earned NCC Player of the Week honors by recording 11 tackles and 2 sacks."
Defensive Coordinator, Mike Freidel, sticks out in his mind as a coach who made a difference for him. "My most memorable coach was Coach Freidel. He taught me how to channel my intensity and aggressiveness and play with pain. I share a kindred spirit with coach. I was the first player he coached to earn All-American honors. Though our team record was 6-14 for the two seasons I played there, I believe we set the stage for Augustana's back-to-back playoff appearances in 1988 and 1989."
Professor Les Carson also had a positive influence on Adkins. "He really brought business into real life. He always made sure we were looking out at the world of business and helped me to believe I could make a difference in the marketplace."
