National Football Foundation

Position: Running Back
Years: 1982-1985
Place of Birth: Dayton, OH
Date of Birth: October 14, 1963
Jersey Number: 41
Height: 6-2
Weight: 236
High School: Roth HS (Dayton, OH) / Trotwood Madison HS (Trotwood, OH)

Ohio State's go-to offensive weapon during his time in Columbus, Keith Byars received unanimous First Team All-America honors in 1984 following one of the greatest individual seasons in history. He becomes the 26th player in school history to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
 
The 1984 Heisman Trophy runner-up, Byars led the nation that season in rushing yards (1,764), all-purpose yards (2,441) and scoring (144). The 1984 Big Ten MVP claimed first team all-conference honors for the second consecutive year while guiding the Buckeyes to the Big Ten title and a trip to the Rose Bowl. Byars' all-purpose yards from his prolific 1984 campaign remain a single-season school record and rank fourth all-time in the Big Ten. His standout game that year came in a comeback win over Illinois in which he rushed for 274 yards and five touchdowns, which is tied for an Ohio State single-game record. On his fourth touchdown of the game, he famously lost his left shoe at the Illini 40 but never broke stride. Byars' 354 all-purpose yards against Purdue in 1984 also remain a single-game school record.
 
A 1985 team captain, Byars guided the Buckeyes to four top 15 finishes, including a No. 9 ranking in 1983. He led Ohio State to three wins in four bowl games, highlighted by a win over Pittsburgh in the 1984 Fiesta Bowl in which he returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and added another score rushing. Despite missing most of his final season with an injury, Byars remains second in Ohio State history with 50 total touchdowns and ranks in the top 10 in career all-purpose yards (4,369) and career rushing yards (3,200). He surpassed 100 yards rushing in 17 games and twice led the Big Ten in rushing while playing for College Football Hall of Fame coach Earle Bruce and alongside Hall of Fame linebacker Chris Spielman. Byars was inducted into the Ohio State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000.
 
Selected 10th overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1986 NFL Draft, Byars played 13 seasons with the Eagles (1986-92), Miami Dolphins (1993-96), New England Patriots (1996-97) and New York Jets (1998). He earned Pro Bowl honors in 1993 and helped the Patriots to an appearance in Super Bowl XXXI following the 1996 season.
 
Byars can currently be heard on ESPN 1410 WING-AM in Dayton, Ohio, hosting "The Keith Byars Show" on Mondays and calling high school football games on Fridays. He was also previously a studio analyst for "This Week in Football" on the YES Network.