Len Younce (January 8, 1917 – March 26, 2000) was another key lineman on Oregon State's breakthrough football teams in the late 1930s. He played in the NFL after helping the Beavers reach their first bowl game.
Younce graduated from Portland’s Roosevelt High and enrolled at Oregon State, where he played three varsity seasons (1938-40). At 6-foot-1 and 200-pounds, he fit nicely on the offensive line, playing guard between fellow Hall of Fame members Quentin Greenough and Vic Sears. He also was OSC's punter and kicker. The Beavers had a three-season record of 19-7-3 while Younce was on the team including the 9-1-1 mark of 1939. That team rode ship to Honolulu and defeated Hawaii in the Pineapple Bowl. After his senior season, Len was voted All-Coast, honorable mention All-America and played in the East-West Shrine Game.
The New York Giants selected Younce in the eighth round of the 1941 Draft and he played on the Giants offensive line for six seasons, helping the team reach the NFL title game three times. He also played linebacker and handled punting and placekicking duties at times.
In 1944, he led the league in punting yards. In 1948, he made 36 of 37 extra-point attempts. He finished his career with 10 interceptions. Younce was voted All-NFL five times and
was voted to the NFL’s Team of the Decade for the 1940s at guard.
Following his playing career, Younce returned to Oregon State as an assistant coach for six seasons. He also coached in the Canadian Football League for the Edmonton Eskimos. In 1992, Younce came out of retirement and coached Joseph High in Eastern Oregon for one season at age 75.
Len Younce was inducted into the Oregon State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1988. He is also a member of the Portland Interscholastic League Hall of Fame.