Travis Prentice
Encyclopedia
Travis Jason Prentice is a former American football
running back
. Prentice holds the NCAA
Division I-A records for career rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns, and points scored while playing running back
for the Miami RedHawks
.
, where he was first team All-District and second team All-State his senior year while running for 1,510 yards and 17 touchdowns.
his freshman year. The next year, Prentice had a very productive season even though he never broke into the starting line-up. In his first game he ran for 102 yards and two touchdowns; for the season he ran for 601 yards on 123 carries and 12 touchdowns.
In his sophomore year, Prentice earned a spot in Randy Walker's starting line-up and rushed for 1549 yards and 25 touchdowns. He was named first team All-Mid-American Conference
and was one of eight semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award
.
In Prentice's junior year he ran for an impressive 1787 yards and 19 touchdowns while leading the RedHawks to a 10-1 season. Once again he was one of eight semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award
. He was edged by Marshall
's Chad Pennington
in the MAC's Vern Smith Award for player of the year.
His senior year was under a new head coach, Terry Hoeppner
, who installed a more open passing attack rather than relying on the running game. Still, Travis ran for 1659 yards and 17 touchdowns. In the process he broke several Division I-A scoring records and was named third team All-American by the Associated Press
.
Touchdown Travis ended his career at Miami with 5,596 yards on 1,138 carries and numerous school, conference and NCAA records. Many people consider his 862 consecutive touches without a fumble his most impressive personal stat.
Prentice exploded for 376 rushing yards in a 32-23 win against Akron
. This set the Mid-American Conference
record for most yards in a single game. At the time it was the 6th highest rushing total in Division I-A history. Interestingly enough, on his final carry of the game he broke Ricky Williams
' one-year-old career records for points scored and total touchdowns with a 72-yard touchdown run.
At North Carolina (1998)
Prentice helped lead the RedHawks to a 13-10 upset of the #12 ranked North Carolina Tar Heels
, rushing for 162 yards and a touchdown. Most of his yards came in the second half, including several carries on the last drive that led to a last-second game-winning field goal by John Scott. It was the first time in ten years that one player rushed for more than 150 yards on UNC.
At Virginia Tech (1997)
Prentice helped Miami to a 24-17 win over then-undefeated and twelfth-ranked Virginia Tech
. His numbers were not great (82 yards on 21 carries), but he ran for a touchdown on a game-changing fake field goal that was named CNN
's “play of the day.”
in the 2000 NFL Draft
. He spent four years in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings
and the Arizona Cardinals
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
. Prentice holds the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I-A records for career rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns, and points scored while playing running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the Miami RedHawks
Miami RedHawks football
The Miami University RedHawks, known as the Miami Redskins before 1996, are a NCAA Division I FBS college football program that competes in the Mid-American Conference...
.
High school career
Prentice attended duPont Manual High School in Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, where he was first team All-District and second team All-State his senior year while running for 1,510 yards and 17 touchdowns.
College career
Prentice was redshirtedRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
his freshman year. The next year, Prentice had a very productive season even though he never broke into the starting line-up. In his first game he ran for 102 yards and two touchdowns; for the season he ran for 601 yards on 123 carries and 12 touchdowns.
In his sophomore year, Prentice earned a spot in Randy Walker's starting line-up and rushed for 1549 yards and 25 touchdowns. He was named first team All-Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
and was one of eight semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
.
In Prentice's junior year he ran for an impressive 1787 yards and 19 touchdowns while leading the RedHawks to a 10-1 season. Once again he was one of eight semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
. He was edged by Marshall
Marshall Thundering Herd football
The Marshall Thundering Herd football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Marshall University. The team represents the university as a member of the Conference USA Eastern division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 Bowl Subdivision...
's Chad Pennington
Chad Pennington
James Chadwick "Chad" Pennington is an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for ten years. He is currently a football analyst with FOX Sports though he plans to return to playing after recovering from an injury...
in the MAC's Vern Smith Award for player of the year.
His senior year was under a new head coach, Terry Hoeppner
Terry Hoeppner
Terry Hoeppner was an American college football coach who served as head coach of the Miami RedHawks from 1999 to 2004 and the Indiana Hoosiers from 2005 to 2006...
, who installed a more open passing attack rather than relying on the running game. Still, Travis ran for 1659 yards and 17 touchdowns. In the process he broke several Division I-A scoring records and was named third team All-American by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
.
Touchdown Travis ended his career at Miami with 5,596 yards on 1,138 carries and numerous school, conference and NCAA records. Many people consider his 862 consecutive touches without a fumble his most impressive personal stat.
Notable games
vs. Akron (1999)Prentice exploded for 376 rushing yards in a 32-23 win against Akron
Akron Zips football
The University of Akron Zips are a college football program representing the University of Akron that competes in NCAA Division I FBS Mid-American Conference football...
. This set the Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
record for most yards in a single game. At the time it was the 6th highest rushing total in Division I-A history. Interestingly enough, on his final carry of the game he broke Ricky Williams
Ricky Williams
Errick Lynne "Ricky" Williams, Jr. is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints fifth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft...
' one-year-old career records for points scored and total touchdowns with a 72-yard touchdown run.
At North Carolina (1998)
Prentice helped lead the RedHawks to a 13-10 upset of the #12 ranked North Carolina Tar Heels
North Carolina Tar Heels football
The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...
, rushing for 162 yards and a touchdown. Most of his yards came in the second half, including several carries on the last drive that led to a last-second game-winning field goal by John Scott. It was the first time in ten years that one player rushed for more than 150 yards on UNC.
At Virginia Tech (1997)
Prentice helped Miami to a 24-17 win over then-undefeated and twelfth-ranked Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...
. His numbers were not great (82 yards on 21 carries), but he ran for a touchdown on a game-changing fake field goal that was named CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's “play of the day.”
NCAA records (at the end of his career)
- Career rushing TDs (73)
- Career total TDs (78)
- Career points (468)
- Career points (non-kickers) (468)
- Games with TDs (35)
- Game with two or more TDs (25)
- Consecutive carries without a fumble, season (365)
- Consecutive carries without a fumble, career (862)
Professional career
Prentice was the first pick in the third round by the Cleveland BrownsCleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 2000 NFL Draft
2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
. He spent four years in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns, 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...
and the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.