History's Finest Lineman

ALL-AMERICAN BILL FRALIC "You've Got To Remember What Your Priorities Are!!"

Bill "Bull" Fralic at 6-5, 280 pounds is a super talented football player. He nas been described by many as the absolute best to ever play in the offensive line. Many are saying Bull has a decent shot at the Heisman Trophy and has already wrapped up the Outland Trophy (the Nation's top Lineman Award). After playing Pitt last year, West Virginia Coach Don Nehlen said "He just mowed everybody down. I've never seen anything like it. We set up our whole defense to stop him. To my knowledge, that's never been done before." Bill Davis, personnel director for the Cleveland Browns states "Fralic is the best there has ever been at his position."

Most of our articles in the past have been about athletes who have overcome great obstacles to achieve great heights through ha rd work especially in the weight room. We look for athletes who" made" something happen. For example, Terry Long from East Carolina was featured last year. He graduated from high school weighing 165 pounds and made himself into a 280 pound All-American. However, the Bill Fralic story has a different slant but just as important. You see, Bill Fra lic has always been big and al ways been great. His nickname "Bull" was given to him in junior high school. He started lifting in the 7th grade at 6-1,210 pounds.

In the summer before his ninth grade year, Bill stood 6-31/2 and weighed 235 pounds. It was at this time, he met then Head Coach at the University of Pittsburgh, Jackie Sherrill. Bill was working at the golf course and Coach Sherrill spotted him and asked, "What college do you play for?" Needless to say the Pitt coach was flabergasted when Bull told him he was still in junior high school. Naturally, Coach Sherrill kept a close eye on Bull from then on. Bull lived in the Penn Hills High School District and was invited to tryout for the varsity team.

He started most of the games as a 9th grader and later became a high school All-American and was perhaps the most highly sought after lineman in collegiate history. Now Penn Hills is not your average high school. When Bull played, it had an enrollment of 3500 students. The tradition in football was tops in the Pittsburgh suburban area where football tradition abounds anyway. Penn Hills High School had the reputation at that time of being in the top ten football schools in America. So it was no small feat for a 9th grader to sta rt on the va rsity. Buddy Morris, the strength coach at Pitt, has noth ing but praise for Bill Fralic. "He is a great leader. He leads by example.

Fralic also carries a 2.65 G.P.A in Economics and Communication. Bull is unique and is up at the top in terms of dedication" lauds Morris. Continued on Page 7 "No one is going to touch my QB" "Fralic gives 110% on each Rep of each Set even on warm-ups!" "I want to be the best I can be" says Fralic.

Bill Fralic works out from 8:30 to 1:00 in the afternoon. He spends 2 hours in the weight room 4 days per week Bull runs everyday and stretches with PNF and static methods every day. He also works on speed improvement drills 3 times per week. Bull's running program involves a variety of training consisting of some long distance. some interval and some speed intervals. Coach Morris trains his athletes much like trackmen. Fralic does only very limited plyometrics. Coach Morris states "We have not had a whole lot of success with plyometrics We do some bounding but feel that jumping off boxes creates too much pressure on our athletes, especially our big people like Fralic.

Both Fralic and Morris believe free weights, not machines, are the answer for primary athletic training. "The Nautilus people don't like me but then I'm not losing any sleep over it" chuckles Coach Morris. Fralic basically does big power movements consisting of closer grip bench presses, Inclines, Squats, Cleans and Push Presses. I asked Coach Morris, "What if you had a lineman that could squat only 350 pounds?" He exclaimed, "That would destroy me. We've got to be able to do 500 at least. We try to teach our athletes not to accept limits. In fact, we have Tshirts that say "There is no limit." We declare war on our bodies. Eighty percent of training has got to be mental.

It's like when Bull gets under the bar. First he's quiet, then he makes noises like a Grizzly. His eyes get super big. He gives 110% on each Rep of each Set even on Warm-ups." I think you probably feel as we do that Bill Fralic is special. However, the purpose or the different slant to Continued on Page 10 was going. "To lift weights ... I have to work out every day." I asked Fralic, "Bill you could have layed on the beach, watched girls in their bikinis, had a good time and still worked out at Gold's Gym. In fact you don't have to touch a weight the rest of the year and you'll still be a unanimous choice for All-American, with the Outland Trophy and be a #1 draft pick Why work out at all?"

"It's simple," responded Fralic, "I want to be the best I can be. 1have to have intense workouts because right now that's most important to me. I keep thinking about the other guys out there wanting to beat me. My conscience won't let me take it easy. There is a time to have fun and a time to work I've got to remember what my priorities are. I like doing what I'm supposed to do. In the long run, I'll feel better about myself than if I'd cheated myself." What a philosophy for us all to emulate. I hope my family and I can always strive with the Fralic intensity of Being the Best We Can Be. We wish Bill all our best and continued success and say thanks for being you!

SEASON UP- DATE Unfortunately Pitt has gone through a horrible start by losing their first 4 games. This will hurt Fralic's chances for the Heisman Trophy considerably. "Bill's not satisfied with just keeping his man out of the play" says Pitt Panther Coach Foge Fazio. "He wants to demolish the line of scrimmage." this important story is how does Bill Fralic react to being" Already Great." Let me relate this incident about Bill. This summer Bill went to Phoenix to do an antidrug film for the N.C.A.A.. After filming. a friend of his invited him down to Puerto Rico. Everything was set. Bull could work out at Gold's Gym and he could get away from it all for two weeks.

After three days, Coach Morris gets a call, "Hey open up the gym Coach" demanded Fralic. "I thought you were in Puerto Rico" said Coach Morris. "It just wasn't intense enough" stated a determined Fralic. "Nothing surprises me about Bill Fralic," offered Coach Morris. Last year in Miam~ while being photographed for Playboy's pre-season All-American team, Gil Brandt of the Dallas Cowboys, spotted Fralic leaving the team hotel carrying his bags. Brandt knew that the rest of the team was going to Sea World, or on boat rides and fishing trips, so he asked Fralic where he BFS Medal comes in Beautiful Burnished Gold!

Great For Any Award! COST Medal Only Medal with Jacket Ribbon Medal with Neck Ribbon $5.50 Ea.

$5.00 Ea.

650 Ea.

6.00 Ea.

7.50 Ea.

7.00 Ea.

From BFS Magazine — November/December 1984. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).