Written By: Nathan Skinner
Canes Rising Contributor
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| Ottis Anderson |
What were you doing in the 70's? For a majority of Canes Rising readers, the only thing they can remember about the turbulent decade was watching "That 70's Show" back in 2002. If you are one of the few old souls that can remember the decade that brought us Watergate, bell bottoms, and "Disco Duck", you also remember a powerful back named Ottis Anderson. Most football fans associate Ottis with Super Bowl XXV, where he won the MVP award, after battering the favored Bills, but before that glory, he was the first 1,000 yard rusher at The U.
Ottis is a local guy, born and raised in West Palm Beach, an underrated part of the "State of Miami". O.J. came to Miami in 1975, and proceeded to break all the major records set by another Miami great, Chuck Foreman. Anderson, despite playing on teams that weren't world class, managed to break the 1k barrier as a senior, ending up with 1,266 yards and 8 touchdowns. O.J. was a unique specimen, a rare blend of power and speed. In an era in which running backs were expected to carry the load, Ottis was a workhorse.
Ottis has been forgotten by most Miami fans, not because of a lack of talent on his part, but because of timing. We forget that college football began way before 1983, and that Miami was home to a ton of outstanding athletes before the "Miracle in Miami".
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