Rick Bayless (football)
Encyclopedia
Richard Allen Bayless was a college football
player for the University of Iowa
from 1984-1987. He was an honorable mention All-American at running back in his junior season in 1986. He later played one game in the NFL
with the Minnesota Vikings
.
. He was a football team captain and set school records in track in the high jump, 100 meters, and the 60-yard dash. Bayless decided to walk on to the University of Iowa
football team and redshirted in 1983.
championship team.
In his junior season in 1986, Rick Bayless became Iowa’s starting running back when Kevin Harmon was lost to injury. Bayless became the third player in Iowa history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season and the fourth Hawkeye to lead the team in rushing and receiving in the same year. He was second in the Big Ten in rushing and led Iowa to a victory over San Diego State in the 1986 Holiday Bowl
. Bayless was named all-Big Ten and honorable mention All-American in 1986. He was also named Iowa’s one and only team MVP in 1986; it is the last occasion in which the annual award was not shared by multiple players.
As a senior in 1988, Rick Bayless lost his starting position before the first game after an injury in practice. He never regained his starting spot in his final season, playing in only seven of Iowa’s 13 games. He left school as the tenth-leading rusher in school history. Bayless then played one game for the Minnesota Vikings
in 1989 before retiring from football.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
player for the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
from 1984-1987. He was an honorable mention All-American at running back in his junior season in 1986. He later played one game in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
with the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
.
Background
Rick Bayless earned two letters in football and three letters in track at Forest Lake High School in Forest Lake, MinnesotaForest Lake, Minnesota
Forest Lake is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 18,375 at the 2010 census. It is located on Minnesota's 94th largest lake .Interstate 35 and U.S...
. He was a football team captain and set school records in track in the high jump, 100 meters, and the 60-yard dash. Bayless decided to walk on to the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
football team and redshirted in 1983.
Playing career
As a freshman in 1984, Bayless played in nine games, rushing for 140 yards on the season. The following year, he was the fourth-leading rusher for Iowa’s 1985 Big TenBig Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
championship team.
In his junior season in 1986, Rick Bayless became Iowa’s starting running back when Kevin Harmon was lost to injury. Bayless became the third player in Iowa history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season and the fourth Hawkeye to lead the team in rushing and receiving in the same year. He was second in the Big Ten in rushing and led Iowa to a victory over San Diego State in the 1986 Holiday Bowl
Holiday Bowl
The Holiday Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A college football bowl game that has been played annually at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California, since 1978. Beginning with the 2010 playing the bowl will officially be known as the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl after...
. Bayless was named all-Big Ten and honorable mention All-American in 1986. He was also named Iowa’s one and only team MVP in 1986; it is the last occasion in which the annual award was not shared by multiple players.
As a senior in 1988, Rick Bayless lost his starting position before the first game after an injury in practice. He never regained his starting spot in his final season, playing in only seven of Iowa’s 13 games. He left school as the tenth-leading rusher in school history. Bayless then played one game for the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
in 1989 before retiring from football.