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| No. 35 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | (1948-04-29)April 29, 1948 (age 76) Celina, Ohio, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 223 lb (101 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Celina | ||||||||
| College: | Ohio State | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1970: 9th round, 218th pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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James Lloyd Otis (born April 29, 1948) is an American former professionalfootball player who was arunning back in theNational Football League (NFL) for nine seasons during the 1970s. Otis playedcollege football forOhio State University, and was recognized as anAll-American. He played professionally for theNew Orleans Saints,Kansas City Chiefs andSt. Louis Cardinals of the NFL.
Otis was born inCelina, Ohio. He attendedCelina High School, and played for the Celina Bulldogshigh school football team.
Otis attended the Ohio State University, where he was afullback for theOhio State Buckeyes football team from 1967 to 1969. He led the team in rushing every year of his college career. As a senior in 1969, he was as a consensus first-teamAll-American, and was seventh in the vote for theHeisman Trophy.
Otis was inducted into theOhio State Varsity O Hall of Fame in 1996. In the Ohio State record book, he remains second only toArchie Griffin among Ohio Staterunning backs in career rushing yards per game. In 2000, Otis was selected to theOhio State Football All-Century Team.
Otis was drafted by theNew Orleans Saints in 1970. The following year, he was traded to theKansas City Chiefs. However, Otis played the last six years of his nine-year NFL career with theSt. Louis Cardinals (NFL). Otis's most successful year as a professional was in 1975, when he rushed for an NFC-leading 1,076 yards and was selected to thePro Bowl. Otis beat Minnesota's Chuck Foreman by 6 yards, thus preventing Foreman (who led the NFC in touchdowns and receptions that year) from achieving a rare Triple Crown.
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1970 | NOR | 13 | 6 | 71 | 211 | 3.0 | 15 | 0 | 20 | 124 | 6.2 | 22 | 0 |
| 1971 | KAN | 13 | 0 | 49 | 184 | 3.8 | 14 | 0 | 13 | 81 | 6.2 | 26 | 2 |
| 1972 | KAN | 10 | 0 | 29 | 92 | 3.2 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 76 | 6.3 | 13 | 0 |
| 1973 | STL | 10 | 2 | 55 | 234 | 4.3 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 19 | 9.5 | 14 | 0 |
| 1974 | STL | 14 | 12 | 158 | 664 | 4.2 | 23 | 1 | 19 | 109 | 5.7 | 13 | 0 |
| 1975 | STL | 14 | 14 | 269 | 1,076 | 4.0 | 30 | 5 | 12 | 69 | 5.8 | 12 | 1 |
| 1976 | STL | 14 | 11 | 233 | 891 | 3.8 | 23 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 8 | 0 |
| 1977 | STL | 13 | 7 | 99 | 334 | 3.4 | 25 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 9.0 | 9 | 0 |
| 1978 | STL | 15 | 9 | 197 | 664 | 3.4 | 17 | 8 | 8 | 38 | 4.8 | 12 | 0 |
| 116 | 61 | 1,160 | 4,350 | 3.8 | 30 | 19 | 90 | 549 | 6.1 | 26 | 3 | ||
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1971 | KAN | 1 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 4.3 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974 | STL | 1 | 1 | 8 | 35 | 4.4 | 12 | 0 | 1 | -1 | -1.0 | -1 | 0 |
| 1975 | STL | 1 | 1 | 12 | 38 | 3.2 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 52 | 13.0 | 21 | 0 |
| 3 | 2 | 23 | 86 | 3.7 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 51 | 10.2 | 21 | 0 | ||
Otis's father, Dr. James John Otis, had been the roommate and best friend ofOhio Statehead coachWoody Hayes when both men were members of theSigma Chifraternity ofDenison University in the 1930s. To avoid anyappearance of impropriety, Hayes broke off all social contact with the elder Otis during the son's college career. Dr. Otis lived and operated a medical practice inCelina, Ohio.
Otis's son, James John Otis II, was a starhigh schoolquarterback in theSt. Louis area. He was invited toOhio State in 2001 as apreferred walk-on andlettered in 2003 forspecial teams play. Jim Otis's other son,Jeff Otis, has been under contract with five NFL teams and is currently a free agent.
