Randy Charles Gradishar (born March 3, 1952) is a former college and professional American football linebacker who played in the 1970s and 1980s. Randy Gradishar is currently the Director of Corporate Communications for the Phil Long Dealerships in Colorado. Phil Long is the largest privately owned car dealer group in Colorado.
Gradishar is a 1970 graduate of Champion High School, Champion, Ohio. During his high school career, Randy lettered all three years in both football and basketball. As a high school football player, Randy received honors including All-League, All-County, and the Star Helmet Award.
In basketball he was the leading rebounder for three years and the second leading scorer for two years, receiving All-League and All-County honors. Randy holds the high school records for most blocked shots (44), single game rebounds (26), and most career rebounds (817).
In 2004 Randy was inducted into the Champion High School Hall of Fame for Athletics. He was presented by his former high school coach, Al Carrino.
Gradishar, who graduated with a degree in Distributive Education, was a three-year starter with the Ohio State University Buckeyes from 1971 to 1973. Former Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes called Gradishar "the best linebacker I ever coached". He made 134 tackles in his senior year, 60 of them solo, to lead the team.
"Randy Gradishar is the finest linebacker I ever coached" Woody Hayes
In Gradishar's three years with the Buckeyes, all as a starter, the team had a 25–6–1 record, with two Big Ten Conference championships. Gradishar's final collegiate game was a 42–21 victory over the University of Southern California in the 1974 Rose Bowl, to complete a 10–0–1 season. In his senior season the Ohio State defense allowed only 64 points and posted four shutouts.
Against Washington State in 1973 Gradishar made 22 tackles, then the second most in a game in Ohio State history, and still stands as 9th best. His 320 career tackles were the most in school history when Gradishar left Ohio State and now stands as 11th best in team history.
Gradishar was a consensus First-team All-America selection in 1972 and a unanimous First-team selection in 1973. Also in 1973 Gradishar finished sixth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy.
Randy was also academic All-American in 1973. According to scouts Gradishar was a linebacker who went out every day with his hard hat and lunch pail and got the job done. When naming Gradishar All-American Time stated he was the "best Big Ten linebacker in three years" Gradishar is a punishing tackler capable of penetrating any block, and, say the scouts, "he has that great pro quality—the ability to cover somebody else's mistake." Before entering the National Football League Gradishar played in the Hula Bowl and the Coaches' All-American game in 1974.
While attending the Ohio State University, Randy joined the Delta Upsilon Fraternity.
Gradishar was inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame in 1983. In 1987 he was induced into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. Gradishar was elected to the GTE Academic Hall of Fame in 1992. Ohio State's director of athletics, Ed Weaver, said, "No more outstanding young man has participated in our athletic program." Gradishar was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998. In 1999 Gradishar received the Dick Butkus Silver Anniversary Award recognizing his achievements 25 years after his graduation from Ohio State. He was selected to the Ohio State Football All-Century Team in 2000.
The Ohio State end-of-season award for most outstanding linebacker is known as the Randy Gradishar Award. Recently named as the 8th best Ohio State player of all-time. Also made list of the Top 100 college football players of all-time. In 2000 was named to ABC Sports's All-Century team as an inside linebacker.
Taken from Wikipedia