Santa Clara Athletics Hall of Fame
William “Smokey” Denser is one of the original greats of the Santa Clara football program. As a high school player, Desner was already known nationally as a stellar player. A fast and agile right halfback for the Broncos, Denser was often flying by his opponents on the field. In 1932, he was selected as team captain and had one of his most notable plays: a crucial breakthrough run to beat the St. Mary’s Gaels. Off the field, Denser was known on campus as the Sergeant-at-arms, a position that goes to a student who has the respect of his classmates' and represents the values of Santa Clara University.
