Running Backs from NE Ohio
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On one of the threads the question of Beanie Wells being perhaps the NFL rookie of the year came up and it brought about a discussion of what other running backs may have come from the Northeast Ohio area. Here are a list of some that I can think of:
Larry Csonka, Stow
Marion Motley, Canton McKinley
Cliff Battles, Akron Kenmore
the above are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Others:
Don Nottingham, Ravenna (tough runner, gained 2496 yards with Colts and Dolphins)
Robert Smith, Euclid (over 6800 NFL yards gained)
Larry Poole, Akron Garfield (3 years with the Browns)
Charles Gladman, Akron Garfield (gained 29 yards in NFL career!)
Lawrence Ricks, Barberton (also gained 29 yards in his NFL career!)
Raymont Harris, Lorain (over 2500 yards with 4 NFL teams)
Antonio Pittman, Akron Buchtel (in 3rd year with Rams, gained about 500 career yards)
Ricky Powers, Akron Buchtel (played 1 year with Browns, gained 51 yards)
Billy Taylor, Barberton (played in Canadian League, 8th in all time U. of Michigan rushing)
Tyrell Sutton, Akron Hoban rookie, apparently picked up from Packers by Carolina
Chris "Beanie" Wells, Akron Garfield, rookie, 1st round pick of Arizona Cardinals.
Vic Janowicz, Elyria, Heisman Trophy winner, gained only 400 yards in the NFL though
Jamar Martin, Canton McKinley. Played fullback in NFL for several years, gained few rush yards
Can you think of anyone else? And why is it that the Akron area has all the quality RBs? And a couple from Lorain Co. Aside from Robert Smith are there any notables from Cuyahoga County? Am I missing someone? (I know that there are quality athletes from other positions from the other, but this deals with just runners)
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well when I was in high school(cleveland suburb in cuyahoga county), there were many great players, players who could carry a team to a win, players who were getting scholarship offers from lots of D1 universities/colleges, but they were all either too dumb/lazy (one or both) to stay eligible or even graduate(they were normally from the ghettoier areas). One guy who was on a team was an amazing running back but didn't even graduate high school, scouts thought he'd be in the NFL one day.
so I imagine a lot of great athletes are just never discovered by the world because of this reason.
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well when I was in high school(cleveland suburb in cuyahoga county), there were many great players, players who could carry a team to a win, players who were getting scholarship offers from lots of D1 universities/colleges, but they were all either too dumb/lazy (one or both) to stay eligible or even graduate(they were normally from the ghettoier areas). One guy who was on a team was an amazing running back but didn't even graduate high school, scouts thought he'd be in the NFL one day.
so I imagine a lot of great athletes are just never discovered by the world because of this reason.
well when I was in high school(cleveland suburb in cuyahoga county), there were many great players, players who could carry a team to a win, players who were getting scholarship offers from lots of D1 universities/colleges, but they were all either too dumb/lazy (one or both) to stay eligible or even graduate(they were normally from the ghettoier areas). One guy who was on a team was an amazing running back but didn't even graduate high school, scouts thought he'd be in the NFL one day.
so I imagine a lot of great athletes are just never discovered by the world because of this reason.
I primarily wanted to deal with RBs who made the pros, but your point is well made. Look at a guy like Maurice Clarett from Warren. Obviously All American caliber RB in college, outside influences got to him. Billy Taylor was similar. His mother died right after he led Michigan in the Rose Bowl I believe, then he had a murder/suicide happen in his family and it screwed him up and he turned to drugs. (He played in the late 60s). He later rehabbed and became a minister, but a budding potential NFL career went up in smoke.
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Larry Zelina, Benedictine grad 1967, Ohio State 1971, drafted by Browns 8th round half back. I think he died 2005, just keeled over at work in Columbus. I was in his homeroom class freshman year at Benedictine. That's makes me a year younger than ballpeen, haven't started farting sawdust yet but it can't be too far off. Where does the time go?
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Larry Zelina, Benedictine grad 1967, Ohio State 1971, drafted by Browns 8th round half back. I think he died 2005, just keeled over at work in Columbus. I was in his homeroom class freshman year at Benedictine. That's makes me a year younger than ballpeen, haven't started farting sawdust yet but it can't be too far off. Where does the time go?
Larry Zelina, Benedictine grad 1967, Ohio State 1971, drafted by Browns 8th round half back. I think he died 2005, just keeled over at work in Columbus. I was in his homeroom class freshman year at Benedictine. That's makes me a year younger than ballpeen, haven't started farting sawdust yet but it can't be too far off. Where does the time go?
Pro-football-reference.com shows no entry of Zelina ever playing in the NFL, and they literally have everyone going back to the 1920s. They had Gladman's and Rick's big 29 yard careers each. Apparently Zelina didn't make it.
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I have uncovered a few other NFL running backs from NE Ohio:
####Hall of Famer Clark Hinkle was from Toronto, Ohio. This is down on the River, north of Steubenville. He played his HOF career with the Packers.
Mike Adamle. From Kent Roosevelt. (His dad was long time official Browns team physician). Went to Northwestern, played 6 years with 3 NFL teams. You may all remember him better for his announcing. He was a regular college football announcer, but perhaps even more well known as the announcer for the original American Gladiators.
Eric Ball. From Cleveland, don't know which High School. Went to UCLA played 6 years mostly with the Bengals.
Greg Boykin. From Ravenna. Also went to Northwestern. Played 2 years with the Saints and 49ers.
Tony Fisher. From Euclid and Notre Dame. Played 5 years with Packers and Rams.
There may be more.
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would like to see the whole state not just northeast. It blows my mind how athletic this state really is. Some of the best highschool football and wrestling int the country. Right here in our own backyards.
Like Granny always said- "If you can't be good...Be good at It." -
would like to see the whole state not just northeast. It blows my mind how athletic this state really is. Some of the best highschool football and wrestling int the country. Right here in our own backyards.
would like to see the whole state not just northeast. It blows my mind how athletic this state really is. Some of the best highschool football and wrestling int the country. Right here in our own backyards.
As good as football is here in Ohio, we definitely have some of the best wrestlers around. I think in 2007, five of the National Champions in wrestling came from north east Ohio.
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Harry Wilson played for Steubenville Big Red with my dad in the early 60's. I think he played for Nebraska, then moved on to the Eagles in the NFL. I think an injury cut his career short, but I know he played in the NFL...according to my old man.
Harry Wilson played for Steubenville Big Red with my dad in the early 60's. I think he played for Nebraska, then moved on to the Eagles in the NFL. I think an injury cut his career short, but I know he played in the NFL...according to my old man.
OK, it shows that Harry Wilson of Steubenville played in 6 games in 3 years in his career with Philly (it was in '67, '69, and 70). He gained all of 7 career rushing yards, plus another 150 in kick return yardage. Talk about a cup of coffee.
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would like to see the whole state not just northeast. It blows my mind how athletic this state really is. Some of the best highschool football and wrestling int the country. Right here in our own backyards.
would like to see the whole state not just northeast. It blows my mind how athletic this state really is. Some of the best highschool football and wrestling int the country. Right here in our own backyards.
I guess that would be fine, but I chose NE Ohio as that is the Browns primary market area. There were certainly a lot of RBs and QBs from other parts of the state. Feel free to list any from your home area.
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Ryan Terry, also from Steubenville (Big Red), played for the Cardinals after Iowa State.
Ryan Terry is listed as being born in Ft. Bragg N.C. We take your word he went to Steubenville. He is not really listed as a runner. He played 2 years with the Cards. He gained -0- yards rushing, had 1 career catch for 1 yard, but was a Kickoff returner. He had 41 kickoff returns in his career for 892 yards. He also recovered 1 fumble so he was apparently specifically a special teams player.
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That's an impressivel list.
I can only think of Charlie Frye.
Well, he HAD to RUN all the damn time...
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Ray Williams went to my high school (benedictine) when I was there, he was a sure fit for the NFL, if he didn't get into trouble (a.k.a. murder charge) at the end of his senior year of high school, he currently would be Steve Slaton.
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would like to see the whole state not just northeast. It blows my mind how athletic this state really is. Some of the best highschool football and wrestling int the country. Right here in our own backyards.
As good as football is here in Ohio, we definitely have some of the best wrestlers around. I think in 2007, five of the National Champions in wrestling came from north east Ohio.
we definitely have some of the best wrestlers around. I think in 2007, five of the National Champions in wrestling came from north east Ohio.
Without question. Both PA and OH can safely argue they have the best wrestlers in the country. Out here in Vegas we see some of this influence the last 15-20 years as members of these two states moved here and have shared the wisdom, so to speak. While nowhere near a CA, OH or PA, Las Vegas does have some good wrestlers because of the OH/PA coaching influence.
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On one of the threads the question of Beanie Wells being perhaps the NFL rookie of the year came up and it brought about a discussion of what other running backs may have come from the Northeast Ohio area. Here are a list of some that I can think of:
Larry Csonka, Stow
Marion Motley, Canton McKinley
Cliff Battles, Akron Kenmore
the above are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Others:
Don Nottingham, Ravenna (tough runner, gained 2496 yards with Colts and Dolphins)
Robert Smith, Euclid (over 6800 NFL yards gained)
Larry Poole, Akron Garfield (3 years with the Browns)
Charles Gladman, Akron Garfield (gained 29 yards in NFL career!)
Lawrence Ricks, Barberton (also gained 29 yards in his NFL career!)
Raymont Harris, Lorain (over 2500 yards with 4 NFL teams)
Antonio Pittman, Akron Buchtel (in 3rd year with Rams, gained about 500 career yards)
Ricky Powers, Akron Buchtel (played 1 year with Browns, gained 51 yards)
Billy Taylor, Barberton (played in Canadian League, 8th in all time U. of Michigan rushing)
Tyrell Sutton, Akron Hoban rookie, apparently picked up from Packers by Carolina
Chris "Beanie" Wells, Akron Garfield, rookie, 1st round pick of Arizona Cardinals.
Vic Janowicz, Elyria, Heisman Trophy winner, gained only 400 yards in the NFL though
Jamar Martin, Canton McKinley. Played fullback in NFL for several years, gained few rush yards
Can you think of anyone else? And why is it that the Akron area has all the quality RBs? And a couple from Lorain Co. Aside from Robert Smith are there any notables from Cuyahoga County? Am I missing someone? (I know that there are quality athletes from other positions from the other, but this deals with just runners)
Robert Smith, Euclid (over 6800 NFL yards gained)
Good list.
I remember seeing Robert Smith in high school. It was almost comical how good he was. I saw him run for like 150 yards against St Ed's. They were not a slouch team at the time, I think they were top 25 in the state. My friend was linebacker for St. Ed's and I he got beat more then a red headed step child. I still make fun of him for it.
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Ray Williams went to my high school (benedictine) when I was there, he was a sure fit for the NFL, if he didn't get into trouble (a.k.a. murder charge) at the end of his senior year of high school, he currently would be Steve Slaton.
Ray Williams went to my high school (benedictine) when I was there, he was a sure fit for the NFL, if he didn't get into trouble (a.k.a. murder charge) at the end of his senior year of high school, he currently would be Steve Slaton.
I remember him. He was there just before I moved to Vegas. Shame, shame, shame. That kid was shockingly good. And returned kicks and punts.
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