There are 10 days that separate us from Ohio State's march to Blacksburg. To help pass the time until the Buckeyes put the Sandman to bed I will countdown Ohio State's top 100 players according to the metric* listed at the bottom of this article.
Houston was named Team MVP twice.
JIM HOUSTON, DEFENSIVE END (1957-59)
Born: 1937 (Massillon, Ohio)
High School: Massillon
OHIO STATE CAREER
- The Buckeyes were 18-7-3 when Houston was on the team.
- 1957 won the National Championship.
- 1957 won the Big Ten title.
- 19 receptions, 467 yards and 7 touchdowns as a receiver.
- Played both offense and defense at Ohio State.
- Led the team in receiving yards in 1959.
HONORS
- 1958 Team MVP.
- 1959 Captain.
- 1959 Team MVP.
- 1979 Inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame.
- 2000 Named to the Ohio State All-Century Team.
MISCELLANEOUS
- Selected to four Pro Bowls with the Browns.
NFL DRAFT
Round 1 to the Cleveland Browns with the 8th pick of the 1960 draft.
Jim Houston's Ohio State career per Wikipedia:
Houston played for the Ohio State Buckeyes as an end. He was a three-year starter under head coach Woody Hayes and twice the team MVP. He was elected the team captain as a senior.
Houston contributed on both offense and defense. Although known primarily for his excellent blocking and tackling, he was also the leading receiver on the 1959 team, including a 100-yard game that year against Michigan State. He was an All-America selection in 1958 and 1959.
Houston was inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame in 1979, and was named to the Ohio State Football All-Century Team as a defensive end in 2000.
Houston currently has some health problems and is part of a study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Excerpts from an article by Branson Wright of The Plain Dealer:
Ultimate pride and the permanent gleam of his championship ring are not the only reminders of Jim Houston's NFL tour that included the last title for the Cleveland Browns.
Mangled fingers and the inability to completely straighten his left arm are also present. The addition of dementia and ALS are also the result from a game and season that continues to bring joy to a legion of Browns fans.
Houston, who will donate his brain for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) testing following his death, did not know the risk during his career and he does not have any regrets.
[...]
He's one of many former NFL players who are a part of a study (players who participated for at least five seasons from 1959-88) by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
The study found an increase in nervous system deaths among former NFL players, and how brain and nervous system disorders were more than three times higher among former players. More speed position players died from these disorders. Offensive and defensive linemen are considered non-speed positions.
| CATGEGORY | POINTS |
|---|---|
| HEISMAN | |
| NO. RETIRED / HONORED | |
| BIG TEN MVP | |
| TEAM MVP | 10 |
| ALL-AMERICAN | 8 |
| CAPTAIN | 4 |
| 1ST ROUND NFL DRAFT PICK | 4 |
| ALL-BIG TEN | 6 |
| ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN | |
| NFL DRAFT PICK | |
| ACADEMIC ALL-BIG TEN | |
| LETTER | 0.75 |
| TOTAL | 32.75 |
For more information on other players who wore No. 84 go here.
Sources- The Ohio State Team Guide and Wikipedia
| CATEGORY | POINTS |
|---|---|
| HEISMAN | 8 |
| NO. RETIRED / HONORED | 8 |
| BIG TEN MVP | 6 |
| TEAM MVP | 5 |
| ALL-AMERICAN | 4 |
| CAPTAIN | 4 |
| 1ST ROUND NFL DRAFT PICK | 4 |
| ALL-BIG TEN | 3 |
| ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN | 3 |
| NFL DRAFT PICK | 2 |
| ACADEMIC ALL-BIG TEN | 1 |
| LETTER | 0.25 PER YEAR |
Today's article is brought to you by Jim Houston and his wife, Donna, showing their Buckeye pride:
