We are 46 days away from college football kickoff. We are almost half way through July. We are also cruising through the countdown. Today, we have Bill Enyart, Bob Ferguson, and Roosevelt Leaks. Be sure to check back tomorrow as we start the 40s and our players for #45 in our countdown to kickoff. Enjoy!
46 Days Away From College Football Kickoff
Bill Enyart was known as “Earthquake”, and opponents had good reason to be nervous when they learned the fullback’s nickname. Coach Dee Andros gave Enyart that name because of his powerful, relentless running. He was almost never tackled for a loss and was a sure bet to pick up short yardage, especially near the goal line. Enyart’s toughness stood out in a game against Utah, where he carried the ball 50 times for 299 yards after Andros had to start a new quarterback.
Part of Enyart’s grit came from starting his college career at Oregon State as a linebacker in 1966. He switched to fullback in 1967, the year the Beavers became known as the “Giant Killers” and finished the season ranked No. 7 in the Associated Press Poll. That season, the “Giant Killers” beat No. 2 Purdue, upset No. 1 USC, and tied No. 2 UCLA. Enyart ran for 135 yards on 24 carries in the win over top-ranked USC. He became the second Beaver to enter the College Football Hall of Fame and is among the top ten Beavers in history, with 492 career carries for 2,155 yards and 25 touchdowns.
As a junior and senior, Enyart helped Oregon State finish in the top 15. Enyart was a first-team All-American as a senior, a two-time Academic All-American, and a two-time All-Pac-8 Conference player. He graduated with honors in economics from Oregon State in 1969. The Buffalo Bills picked Enyart first in the second round of the 1969 NFL Draft, and he played three seasons with the Bills and Oakland Raiders.
Enyart, is also a member of both the Oregon State University Sports Hall of Fame and the State of Oregon Sports Hall of Fame.
Another Great #46, Bob Ferguson, Ohio State
Bob Ferguson played fullback at Ohio State. He finished second to Ernie Davis of Syracuse for the 1961 Heisman Trophy. Ferguson played under Coach Woody Hayes at Ohio State University from 1959 to 1961. He scored 26 touchdowns and was named an All-American in his final two seasons.
During the 1961 season, Ferguson gained 938 yards, averaged 4.6 yards per carry, and scored four touchdowns against Michigan. The Buckeyes beat the Wolverines 50-20, finishing the season with an 8-0-1 record. The National Football Writers Association named them national champions.
Ferguson’s NFL career was a disappointment to say the least. He spent two years on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ reserve and played one season with the Minnesota Vikings.
After his football career, Ferguson worked as a youth counselor in Columbus.
One More Fantastic #46, Roosevelt Leaks, Texas
Roosevelt Leaks was the first African American player from the Texas Longhorns to earn All-America honors. In just three seasons, he rushed for 2,923 yards and scored 26 touchdowns. Leaks was a consensus All-America pick in 1973 and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting. He was on track for three straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons, but a serious knee injury in his senior year stopped that run.
After recovering, Leaks played nine seasons in the NFL with the Baltimore Colts from 1975 to 1979 and the Buffalo Bills from 1980 to 1983.
In 2003, he was honored as the first recipient of the Living Legends Award from the Ministry of Challenge.
Editor’s Note: The countdown to college football kickoff has been a series on the Last Word on College Football social media platforms for the past 9 years. They consisted of a photo and a small blurb for each player, with the jersey corresponding to the number of days until kickoff. The rank of the players is sourced from articles by Bleacher Report, Fox Sports, and The Athletic. There are also some favorite players of the Last Word on College Football writers. Their bios are sourced from multiple online sources, including but not limited to the College Football Hall of Fame, their Heisman profiles, and school websites.
Main Photo: Oregon State Athletics
