We're counting down the days to kickoff with “99 Warriors,” the greatest Ohio State Buckeyes by jersey number, as voted by the staff of Eleven Warriors.
No. 84 Jim Houston
A star in an era where college football players routinely lined up on both sides of the ball, Jim Houston has a resume that still ranks him among Ohio State's all-time player greats.
DE Jim Houston
1957-1959
b. Nov. 3, 1937 (Massillon, Ohio)
- National Champion (1957)
- First-Team All-American (1958, 1959)
- Team MVP (1958, 1959)
- Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame (1979)
- Ohio State All-Century Team (2000)
- College Football Hall of Fame (2005)
After helping the Buckeyes win a national championship in 1957, Houston was a first-team All-American in both 1958 and 1959. He was also named Ohio State's team MVP for both of those years, making him one of just seven Buckeyes to earn that honor twice (Gomer Jones, Ralph Wolfe, Vic Janowicz, Hopalong Cassady, Archie Griffin and Beanie Wells).
In an era where college football teams ran the ball far more than they threw, Houston spent most of his time in Woody Hayes' offense as a run blocker, but also caught 19 career passes for 467 yards and seven touchdowns, including 11 catches for a team-high 214 yards and four touchdowns in 1959.
Also a defensive standout for the Buckeyes, Houston was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the No. 8 overall pick in the 1960 NFL draft and became a four-time Pro Bowler at linebacker, playing 13 total seasons for the team.
Houston was inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1979 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
––
Photo: Ohio State University Archives
