John Sage - 1966

Sage started on the defensive line for the 1964 TCIL State Champion Eagles and was a TCIL All-District Team member. In his senior year, John was one of the tri-captains for the 1965 TCIL State Champions. He earned honors as TCIL All-District and All-State. He was named to the All-Greater Houston first team.

After graduation, Sage played football at LSU on a football scholarship. At LSU, he was a starting defensive lineman for 34 consecutive games beginning in the 1968 season. During Sage’s junior year, LSU had a 9-1 record and was rated in the top 10 in the nation. The defensive team was #1 in the nation in rushing defense at 36 yards per game.

During his senior year, Sage was the defensive captain of the LSU Tigers. The team had a 9-3 record, was in the top 10 in the nation, and again led the nation in rushing defense. Sage earned honors as unanimous first-team All-SEC, second team AP All-American and was selected to play in the Senior Bowl All-Star game. Sage was selected to the 1970 Notre Dame All-Opponent team. He was chosen in the 1971 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, but elected to continue his studies. He received his MBA from LSU in 1972.

Sage has spent the last few years directing Bridges to Life, a prison ministry he founded after his younger sister, Marilyn, was murdered in 1993. Bridges to Life is an effort to empower victims and rehabilitate prisoners. The primary mission of Bridges to Life is to connect communities to the prisons in an effort to reduce the recidivism rate of prisoners and effect a reduction in crime in Texas. Under his leadership, Bridges to Life has experienced significant growth and now has over 250 volunteers and coordinates programs in eight prisons throughout Texas. The tenacity that Sage first displayed on the football field more than 40 years ago has carried into his personal and business life and is now what drives him in his Bridges to Life endeavors.