Running Backs have shaped Syracuse Football. It’s given the team and the university a national identity. Let’s take a look at the Top 5 in Syracuse’s history.
Syracuse Football has always been known for their running backs. The legend of No. 44 will never be forgotten, as some of Syracuse’ best rushers of all-time have donned it.
The history of No. 44 is well documented. From future Pro Football Hall of Famers, to Pro Bowlers, to even football legends. When you think of Syracuse lore, the most prominent position is running back.
One of those running backs is even considered among the best to ever run the football: Jim Brown. Is he the best running back in school history though?
Inside The Loud House digs deep and ranks the top 5 players they think ran the ball best while playing for Syracuse Football. Share your thoughts on social media. Did you love the list? Hate the list? Without further adieu, lets get this list started.
5. Joe Morris
In order to get a true appreciation for what Joe Morris accomplished at Syracuse you have to look at the numbers. Morris played in 44 games, had 1,372 rushing yards in one season, and 4,299 career yards rushing, according to Sports-Reference.com. What’s even more amazing about those numbers, is that they are all records that the legendary Joe Morris still holds at Syracuse.
Morris’ inhuman 1980 season was recognized appropriately when receiving ECAC Player of the Year honors. Morris was selected in the second round of the 1982 NFL Draft, and went on to play for both the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com. Morris was selected to the Pro Bowl twice, and was even named to Syracuse’s All-Century team in 1999.
In addition, Morris was just 5’7 and 190 pounds when he played. So how was he able to do all that? It doesn’t make any sense! With the New York Giants, Morris rushed for an incredible 5,296 yards, 48 touchdowns, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com. He also was able to capture a championship with them: winning Super Bowl XXI. Morris rushed for his final 289 yards and two touchdowns with the Browns, before leaving football.
In 2005, No. 44, was retired. For obvious reasons, this number needed to be retired. The two players on this list that don it are in the conversation for some of the best running backs the game of football has ever seen.
With all of these outstanding achievements, and the lowest ranking on this list, it is clear that Syracuse football success has been because of their strong history of rushers that dominated, one of whom was Joe Morris, who’s incredible career with the Orange will never be forgotten.
4. Larry Csonka
Larry Csonka did it all during his tenure with Syracuse. Capturing ECAC Player of the Year honors in 1967, and was an All-American recipient in 1966 and 1967, Csonka was an absolute stud in college. Although he ranks just fourth on the all-time rushing list in school history with 2,934, according to Sports-Reference.com. Csonka to date has the second most rushing yards on average per game in Syracuse’s deep history of rushers.
Csonka’s illustrious career, and the spectacular individual seasons within it were recognized through being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989. Ten years later, Csonka was inducted into Syracuse’s All-Century team in 1999.
Larry Csonka’s college success translated nicely to the NFL. After being selected by the Miami Dolphins in 1968, the Syracuse product played an integral role in winning back-to-back championships with the ‘Fins, including their perfect 1972 campaign. It’s easy to see why Csonka is considered by many as one of the NFL’s best rushers of all-time.
The Syracuse product is the Dolphin’s all-time rushing leader (6,737 yards), and has the most rushing touchdowns in the team’s history (53), according to Pro-Football-Reference.com. Csonka was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987. Csonka was recognized by the league for his awesome career when his his number, 39, was raised to the rafters in 2002 by the Dolphins.
It has been noted by many, that Csonka has starred in many fishing shows, and has even hosted some since his retirement, and to this day, lives happily in Alaska.
3. Floyd Little
Tied for the most touchdowns in Syracuse history, Floyd Little was a monster for the Orange. Little rushed for over 2,700 yards, and sits as the 6th highest rusher in school history, according to Sports-Reference.com. Little was awarded for his memorable 1966 campaign through winning ECAC Player of the Year honors.
He was a staple of success for the Orange, and was one of three players on this list that wore No. 44. Little lived up to his potential at the NFL level, tallying five Pro Bowl appearances with the Denver Broncos, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com. Little was also named to Syracuse’s All-Century team in 1999, was inducted into the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and 2010.
At 5’10 and 195 pounds, Little’s impact in the NFL may outweigh his memorable college career. In 1971, Floyd Little became the smallest player since the end of World War Two to lead the entire NFL in rushing. Little left such a large impact on the Broncos that his No. 44 was retired. As a matter of fact, his number was the first in the team’s history to be retired.
Floyd Little even impacted Denver and their fans well after retirement. In 2006, he released a book called “Floyd Little’s Tales from the Broncos Sidelines”. The legacy of No. 44 led the three successful Orange running backs to be remembered even today, regardless of their success at the NFL level. What many to this day don’t even realize is that Little played in both the AFL and NFL, and dominated.
2. Ernie Davis
Ernie Davis led the Orange to an undefeated 10-0 record in 1959, and capped off the incredible season with a 23-14 win over Texas in the Cotton Bowl. The No. 1 Orange took down the Longhorns, and Davis obviously took home the Most Valuable Player award. Davis rushed for over 820 yards, and scored over 15 touchdowns in 1961, according to Sports-Reference.com. He also did something that no other black athlete had done before, win the Heisman Trophy.
Davis continued writing history when he became the first black player to be picked first overall in the NFL draft. Sadly, Davis died of a toxic version of leukemia at the age of 23, shortly after being drafted by the Cleveland Browns. His legacy still lives on to this day both at Syracuse, and around the world.
The Carrier Dome football field was renamed “Ernie Davis Legends Field” in 2009. Davis also has a hall at the school dedicated to him. This hall has been known for its beauty and luxury in comparison to most of the other dormitories at Syracuse, and for good reason. Davis was one of the most talented athletes college football to this day has ever seen, and clearly carried his team to success during his tenure with the Orange.
In a 2011 interview with ESPN, Floyd Little, who appears earlier on this list called Davis “the most influential person in his life.” Ernie Davis’ outstanding play contributed to Syracuse’s football relevance on a national scale, and the school clearly recognized and rewarded that.
1. Jim Brown
Jim Brown, arguably the greatest running back of all-time, was a scary talent that first displayed his talents at Syracuse. Brown played football, lacrosse, basketball, and ran track and field at Syracuse, and dominated each game. Brown won All-American honors in 1956 after rushing for almost 1000 yards and 13 touchdowns, according to Sports-Reference.com.
Brown’s best was yet to come however, as Jim Brown’s dominance continued at the NFL level, where he consistently made a fool out of opposing defenses during his nine years with the Cleveland Browns, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com. Jim Brown has been inducted to both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Jim Brown retired before turning thirty-years-old, and that alone should be a reminder that all of his dominance came in a tiny window of playing. Before, during, and after his time with the Browns, the freak athlete was on the cover of almost every sport magazine/newspaper in the country. Why? Because Brown’s dominance set a standard for many running backs who came after him, and inspired many of those future stars to push their limits.
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Brown held the record of most career yards rushing, most yards rushing in one season, and career touchdowns. Brown’s retirement caught everyone off guard. While many of his previous records may have been broken, Brown’s average of over 100 yards per game over the course of his entire career still stands as the most the league has ever seen.