Michigan State football: 15 greatest running backs in Spartans history
By John Buhler
Lorenzo White is in a class all by himself when it comes to being an elite running back in Michigan State football history. White played four years in East Lansing from 1984 to 1987, setting records along the way in his College Football Hall of Fame career.
As a freshman in 1984, White ran for 616 yards and four touchdowns on 142 carries. Having no use for a sophomore slump, White put together an unbelievable second-year with the Spartans. He rushed for 2,066 yards on 419 carries for 7 touchdowns. White would be named Big Ten Player of the Year, a consensus All-American and would finish fourth in Heisman Trophy voting.
After such a grueling workload, White saw his touches drop considerably as a junior in 1986. He only had 164 carries for 633 yards and six rushing touchdowns. His yards per rushing attempt plummeted an entire yard from 4.9 to 3.9 from his sophomore to junior season. However, White would once again return to prominence in his senior season in 1987.
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White rushed for 1,572 yards on 357 carries for 16 touchdowns. He once again was named Big Ten Player of the Year and was a consensus All-American for the second time in three years. White also finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting for the second time as well.
After a transcendent college career at Michigan State, White would be a first-round pick by the then-Houston Oilers in the 1988 NFL Draft. He played eight of his nine professional seasons in Houston, making a Pro Bowl appearance in 1992 and retiring after the 1995 NFL season as a member of the Cleveland Browns.
White finally earned his spot in the College Football Hall of Fame as a member of the 2019 class. In four years with the Spartans, White rushed for 4,887 yards on 1,082 carries for 43 touchdowns. He is the record holder for all three major school rushing statistics, as well as the Michigan State leader in plays from scrimmage, yards from scrimmage, total touchdowns and so much more.
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To put it bluntly, White is the greatest offensive player in Michigan State history and on the shortlist of the best players to ever wear the green and white.