Hall of Honor
Roy Painter played football for the Indians from 1973-76. A four-year starter, the 6-0, 190-pound Painter was considered one of the most consistent defensive players and hardest hitters on the team.
The native of England, Ark., had strong 4.5 speed, but coaches once clocked him at 4.45. Painter finished his career with 210 tackles, five interceptions for 118 return yards and two touchdowns, recovered two fumbles, caused four fumbles and had seven stops behind the line of scrimmage for minus 36 yards.
One of Painter's most memorable plays was a 64-yard interception return for a touchdown against Memphis in ASU's undefeated 1975 season. That season and that game were later voted by fans as the 'Top Game' and 'Top Season' in ASU football history.
However, probably Painter's best game was against Southern Illinois in 1974 when he scored on a 52-yard interception return, made 11 unassisted tackles, forced two fumbles and knocked down three passes.
Those two interception returns still rank high on ASU's all-time list.
Painter was named Honorable Mention All-America by the Associated Press in 1976 and received Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors that same year. Painter, who was a first-team pick on the '76 All-Southland Conference team, is also a member of ASU's All-Time team as a defensive back. He played in the 1976 Blue-Gray Classic in Montgomery, Ala.
He signed a free agent contract with the New York Jets and later played with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.
