Cornell University Athletics

Dekdebrun transferred to Cornell after attending Columbia his freshman year, and became a three-year letterman in football (1943, 1944 and 1945). As a senior in 1945, Dekdebrun captained the team and started every game at quarterback. He led the nation in passing that year, completing 90 of 194 passes for 1,227 yards in nine games. He played for the East squad in the annual East-West Shrine Game on New Year’s Day 1946. He started at quarterback and led the East squad on a 42-yard TD drive, giving his team a tie with the West team. He was awarded the William M. Kaufman Trophy as the outstanding player in the game. In 1950 he was named to the Honor Roll of Modern All-Shrine Squads and Games from 1939 through 1950. After graduation, he played professional ball in the United States and Canada and was selected to the All-Canadian Pro team while a member of the Toronto Argonauts in 1950.