To date, we have quarterbacks, linebackers, centers/guards, defensive ends, wide receivers, defensive tackles, offensive tackles, cornerbacks, tight ends and safeties in the Four Kings series. This week, we put the series to bed with arguably Ohio State's most prestigious position, running back.
To help you out, we've listed 28 of Ohio State’s most accomplished running backs with a description of their storied careers.
Chic Harley (1916-17,1919)
Three-time consensus All-American and three-time All-Big Ten honoree who was inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame and was named to the Ohio State All-Century Team.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
Gaylord Stinchcomb (1917, 1919-20)
A two-time All-American (consensus in 1919) and two-time All-Big Ten honoree, Stinchcomb is a member of the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame, College Football Hall of Fame and was named to Ohio State's All-Century Team.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
Les Horvath (1940-44)
Ohio State's first Heisman Trophy winner was also the Big Ten's MVP, a unanimous All-American and All-Big Ten honoree in 1944. Horvath rushed for 924 yards during his Heisman season and averaged just over 102 rushing yards per game. He lined up as the prestigious left halfback in the single-wing formation and was also used as a receiver and quarterback.
Horvath is a member of the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame and was named to the Ohio State All-Century Team. The Rams selected Horvath in the sixth round of the 1943 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 263 | 1,405 | 5.3 | 17 | 10 | 156 | 1 |
Ollie Cline (1944-45, 1947)
Cline was the Big Ten's MVP and an All-American and All-Big Ten honoree in 1945. He was inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame and was named to Ohio State's All-Century team. Cline led the Buckeyes in rushing in 1945 and 1947. In '45, he rushed for 936 yards and averaged 104 yards per game.
The Chicago Bears selected Cline in the 14th round of the 1948 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 326 | 1,489 | 4.6 | 16 | NA | NA | NA |
Vic Janowicz (1949-51)
Janowicz won the Heisman Trophy and was named the Big Ten's MVP as a junior in 1950. He was also a unanimous All-American and two-time All-Big Ten honoree. Like Horvath, Janowicz hurt opponents with his legs and his arm. He was also a safety on defense and a placekicker and punter for the Buckeyes.
Janowicz is a member of the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the Ohio State All-Century team. The Washington Redskins selected Janowicz in the seventh round of the 1952 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 250 | 802 | 3.2 | 6 | 9 | 167 | 1 |
Howard “Hopalong” Cassady (1952-55)
In 1955, Cassady won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and was the Big Ten's MVP. He was also a two-time unanimous All-American and two-time All-Big Ten honoree. Cassady was inducted into the Ohio State Varisty O Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame and was named to Ohio State's All-Century team.
Cassady averaged over 106 rushing yards per game in 1955 and led the Buckeyes in rushing during the 1954 and 1955 seasons. He was selected by the Detroit Lions with the third overall pick of the 1956 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 414 | 2,374 | 5.7 | 30 | 42 | 608 | 4 |
Don Clark (1956-58)
The two-time All-Big Ten honoree led the team in rushing in 1956 and 1957. Clark was selected by the Bears with the seventh overall pick of the 1959 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 385 | 2,116 | 5.5 | 21 | 13 | 173 | 1 |
Bob White (1957-59)
White was a consensus All-American and All-Big Ten honoree in 1958. He was inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame in 1987. The Cleveland Browns selected White in the eighth round of the 1960 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 428 | 1,816 | 4.2 | 13 | 1 | 30 | 0 |
Bob Ferguson (1959-61)
The Maxwell Award winner is also a two-time unanimous All-American and two-time All-Big Ten honoree. Ferguson was inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. He was also named to the Ohio State All-Century team.
Ferguson led the team in rushing for three straight seasons and averaged over 104 yards rushing yards per game in 1961. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the fifth overall pick of the 1962 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 423 | 2,162 | 5.1 | 26 | 5 | 45 | 0 |
Paul Warfield (1961-63)
Warfield was an All-Big Ten honoree as a junior and senior and was inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame. The do-everything player was selected by the Browns with the 11th pick of the 1964 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 196 | 1,047 | 5.3 | 8 | 39 | 525 | 6 |
Jim Otis (1967-69)
Otis was Ohio State's leading rusher for three consecutive seasons and earned All-Big Ten honors in 1969. In 1969, he became the first Buckeye to crack 1,000 rushing yards in a season during the modern era.
Otis also left Columbus as the program's leader in career rushing touchdowns with 34. The New Orleans Saints selected Otis in the ninth round of the 1970 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 585 | 2,542 | 4.3 | 34 | 22 | 166 | 1 |
John Brockington (1968-70)
An All-American and All-Big Ten honoree in 1970, Brockington is a member of the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame and the Ohio State All-Century team. The Green Bay Packers selected Brockington with the ninth overall pick of the 1971 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 378 | 1,663 | 4.4 | 24 | 25 | 197 | 0 |
Archie Griffin (1972-75)
College football's only two-time Heisman Trophy winner was also a two-time Walter Camp Award winner and was named the Big Ten's MVP twice. Griffin was a three-time All-American (unanimous twice) and three-time All-Big Ten honoree. He was inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame and was named the offensive captain and MVP of the Ohio State All-Century team.
Ohio State's all-time career rushing leader was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the 1976 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 924 | 5,589 | 6.0 | 26 | 30 | 350 | 1 |
Pete Johnson (1973-76)
Ohio State's all-time leader in rushing touchdowns was an All-Big Ten honoree in 1975. Johnson was inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame and was also named to Ohio State's All-Century team.
Johnson is Ohio State's career leader in rushing touchdowns (56) and was selected by the Bengals in the second round of the 1977 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 548 | 2,308 | 4.2 | 56 | 8 | 78 | 2 |
Ron Springs (1976-78)
Springs was an All-Big Ten honoree in 1977 and finished his time with the Buckeyes ranked sixth in career rushing yards. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fifth round of the 1979 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 396 | 2,140 | 5.4 | 11 | 29 | 168 | 0 |
Calvin Murray (1977-80)
An All-Big Ten honoree in 1980, Murray only trailed Archie Griffin on Ohio State's all-time career rushing list at the end of the 1980 season. He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 1981 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 438 | 2,576 | 5.9 | 15 | 46 | 523 | 2 |
Tim Spencer (1979-82)
A two-time All-Big Ten honoree, Spencer is currently ranked fifth on Ohio State's all-time career rushing list. In 1982, he became the second Buckeye to rush for over 1,500 yards in a single season. Spencer is a member of Ohio State's Varsity O Hall of Fame. The San Diego Chargers selected Spencer in the 11th round of the 1983 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 644 | 3,553 | 5.5 | 36 | 40 | 370 | 1 |
Keith Byars (1982-85)
As a junior, Byars was voted as the Big Ten's MVP, the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Year and was a unanimous All-American. The two-time All-Big Ten honoree led the team in rushing as a sophomore and junior. He missed five games of his senior season due to a broken foot.
Byars is a member of the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame and was named to the Ohio State All-Century team. The Eagles selected Byars with the 10th overall pick of the 1986 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 619 | 3,200 | 5.2 | 46 | 72 | 882 | 3 |
Robert Smith (1990, 1992)
Smith rushed for 1,126 yards for a then-program freshman record and became the first player at Ohio State to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year (started in 1986). Smith did not play in 1991 but rushed for 812 yards when he returned for his final season in 1992.
The Minnesota Vikings selected Smith in the first round of the 1993 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 324 | 1,951 | 6.0 | 18 | 19 | 196 | 0 |
Eddie George (1992-95)
In 1995, George won the Heisman Trophy, Doak Walker Award, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award and was also named the Big Ten's MVP and Offensive Player of the Year. He was also a unanimous All-American and All-Big Ten honoree. George led the team in rushing in consecutive seasons and ranked second on the all-time rushing list following his final game with the Buckeyes. His 314 rushing yards against Illinois in 1995 stood as the school record for 25 years.
George was inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame. The Houston Oilers selected George with the 14th overall pick of the 1996 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 683 | 3,768 | 5.5 | 44 | 63 | 534 | 1 |
Michael Wiley (1996-99)
An All-Big Ten selection in 1998, Wiley led the team in rushing in back-to-back seasons and was ranked seventh on Ohio State's all-time rushing list when he left Columbus in 1999.
The Cowboys selected Wiley in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 509 | 2,951 | 5.8 | 27 | 56 | 630 | 5 |
Maurice Clarett (2002)
In his lone season in Columbus, Clarett was instrumental in helping Ohio State win its first outright national championship in 34 years. He led the team in rushing, set the school's freshman rushing record for a season and was the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year.
The Denver Broncos selected Clarett in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 222 | 1,237 | 5.6 | 16 | 12 | 104 | 2 |
Antonio Pittman (2004-06)
Pittman led the Buckeyes in rushing in consecutive seasons and was an All-Big Ten honoree in 2006. When Pittman left early for the NFL, he was ranked eighth on Ohio State's all-time rushing list career rushing list.
The Saints selected Pittman in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 557 | 2,945 | 5.3 | 22 | 37 | 314 | 0 |
Beanie Wells (2006-08)
The All-Big Ten honoree was the team leader in rushing for the 2007 and 2008 seasons. Wells is currently ranked sixth in school history for career rushing yards and was ranked fourth following his final season.
Wells was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 585 | 3,382 | 5.8 | 30 | 15 | 84 | 0 |
Carlos Hyde (2010-13)
The Big Ten's Running Back of the Year left Columbus ranked sixth on the program's all-time career rushing list. Hyde was an All-Big Ten honoree in 2013. The San Francisco 49ers selected Hyde in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 523 | 3,198 | 6.1 | 37 | 34 | 271 | 4 |
Ezekiel Elliott (2013-15)
The 2015 Big Ten MVP, Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and Big Ten Running Back of the Year was also an All-Big Ten honoree. Elliott led the team in rushing during his final two seasons with the Buckeyes and was ranked second on the all-time rushing list when he left Columbus.
Elliot was selected by the Cowboys with the fourth overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 592 | 3,961 | 6.7 | 43 | 58 | 449 | 1 |
J.K. Dobbins (2017-19)
Dobbins was the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award winner, an All-American and an All-Big Ten honoree during his final season with the Buckeyes.
Dobbins is the only player in Ohio State history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season and is second on the all-time career rushing list. The Baltimore Ravens selected Dobbins in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 725 | 4,459 | 6.2 | 38 | 71 | 645 | 5 |
TreVeyon Henderson (2021-Present)
Henderson set the Ohio State freshman rushing record by rushing for 1,248 yards in 2021 and set the freshman single-game rushing record of 270 yards against Tulsa.
| Rushes | Yards | Avg. | TDs | Receptions | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 290 | 1,819 | 6.3 | 21 | 31 | 340 | 5 |
