Les Horvath was one of the best players on Paul Brown's 1942 National Championship team, where he played both running back and quarterback.
When Horvath graduated with his undergraduate degree in 1942 and entered dental school, everyone believed the 1942 season would be the last they'd see of him in a Buckeye uniform.
But World War II changed a lot of things.
The Buckeyes struggled the year after Horvath's graduation, finishing with just a 3-6 record, and Brown and many of his players enlisted in the armed forces leaving acting head coach Carroll Widdoes with a depleted roster.
But with a new rule that allowed graduate students with remaining eligibility to play, Widdoes turned to Horvath, asking him to return to the team.
From the OSU Alumni Magazine on May 01, 1943:
At first, Horvath refused, as he wanted to focus on his studies. But Widdoes sweetened the deal.
Widdoes told Horvath that if he agreed to play, he would not have to attend nearly as many practices, and would be flown to all of the games instead of having to ride a bus with the rest of the team in order to give him more time for his studies.
The standout player accepted this deal and got off to a hot start in his very first game.
From the Oct. 1, 1944 edition of The Lantern.
Horvath helped Ohio State go undefeated, win the Big Ten, and finish second nationally. He received a numerous amount of accolades, including Ohio State's first-ever Heisman Trophy, Most Valuable Player in the Big Ten, and was named a unanimous All-American.
And he almost didn't play.
