SU produced 2 of the top 4 power backs in pro football history

[Orangeyes]

#1 Jim Brown from 40:00-44:36

Fran Tarkenton, "There is only one #1 & there is no #2"

Johnny Sample, "Jim Brown is the greatest running back who has ever breathed."

Ray Didinger Hall of Fame Sportswriter, "I think that Jim Brown is the greatest football player that's ever played, regardless of era, regardless of position."

Deacon Jones, "The power, I mean he had power, you don't see nobody knock him down. Look at the film." You don't see nobody knock him backward. You see him go in the stacks and he come out. You see him do all the things and you're still wondering, how the heck did he do that?"

#4 Larry Csonka from 24:16-28:24

Funny story on how Csonka leveled a would-be tackler & was flagged for unnecessary roughness.

 

[bevosu]

Jim Nance probably deserves a mention. May not have had a long career, and he was in the little brother league his peak years, but he put the hurt on a lot of defensive players.

Big Bo.

 

[tipphill]

Jim Nance probably deserves a mention. May not have had a long career, and he was in the little brother league his peak years, but he put the hurt on a lot of defensive players.

Big Bo.

absolutely

 

[PeteCalvin]

If the world could have only seen a Brown-Davis backfield...

 

[garnermike]

That footage of Brown's NFL runs is still amazing to watch. Speed, quickness of foot, power, agility, vision and guts.

 

[texascpa]

As much credit we give Brown, Davis and Little, I don't think Czonka gets nearly enough play on our site. Not sure why, but I will even admit, from time to time, I have to remind myself that he played at SU.

Per Wiki:

Csonka was recruited by Clemson, Iowa, Vanderbilt, and Syracuse. He chose Syracuse, where he played fullback from 1965–67 and was named an All-American. He established many of the school's rushing records, including some previously held by Ernie Davis, Jim Nance, Floyd Little, and Jim Brown.
In his three seasons at Syracuse, Csonka rushed for a school record 2,934 yards, rushed for 100 yards in 14 different games, and averaged 4.9 yards per carry. From 1965 to 1967, he ranked 19th, ninth and fifth in the nation in rushing. He was the Most Valuable Player in the East–West Shrine Game, the Hula Bowl, and the College All-Star Game. In 1989, he was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.