One paradox of the English language is - its thousands of words only go so far, to explain what we mean.
Is greatest a word everybody uses and a word everybody defines...differently?
To me - before applying the label of greatest, to a college football player - it seems necessary to consider the following:
1. on how many championship teams, he played; 2. his role in winning those championships;
3. his statistical contributions; 4. his impact on college football and 5. his impact beyond college football.
How do you define the term greatest, when it comes to college football players?
Please try to keep the players' names to yourselves, if you reply to this post.
It may easier to answer "Who's the greatest college footnall player?", with a name.
But, what does "greatest" mean?
The guy I'm thinking of put up great stats for his time, he made college football incredibly popular, and his eventual playing in the NFL essentially secured its place as a sports league. He was great on the field, and meant even more for the sport because of the crowds he drew, Red Grange.
Maybe - to Buckeye fans - Red Grange personifies "the enemy of my enemy, is my friend.":
http://www.fanbase.com/99510-1924-10-18