Ohio State Football: All Time Greats, The Post Woody Era.

Keith Byers was one of the greatest Ohio State running backs never to win the Heisman Trophy. If not for a magical season by quarterback Doug Flutie in Byers’ junior season, and an injury that sidelined him most of his senior season, his number almost certainly would have been on display at Ohio Stadium along with the other Buckeye greats.  

In 1984 Byers ran for 1,764 yards and 22 touchdowns, was a first team All-American and  second in the Heisman Trophy voting. He was also voted the Big Ten Most Valuable Player. During that special season, Byers proved he didn’t need to wear two shoes to outrun the opposition.

In the Illinois game Ohio State fell behind 24-0 before Keith Byers took over the game. He ran for five touchdowns and the Buckeyes pulled out a 45-38 victory.  Byers fourth TD run was for 67 yards and he lost one of his shoes at about the 40 yard line, but still outran the Illini defenders to the end zone.

Byers was the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy going into the 1985 season, but a broken bone in his foot caused him to miss the first five games that year. He only carried the ball 55 times the entire season.

Even though Keith Byers missed most of his senior season, he is still in the top five in many rushing categories in the Ohio State record book. Most notably, his 46 touchdown runs in his career are second only to Pete Johnson’s 55, and only Eddie George and Ezekiel Elliott have ran for more yards in a season.

Byers had a successful 13 year career in the NFL, but Buckeye fans who watched him play will always remember him as one of the greatest running backs to ever play for Ohio State.

Next: Chris Spielman 1984-1987