Hall of Fame 2022: Billy Ray Anders
10/4/2022 4:03:42 PM | Football
This fall, the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame inducted 15 new members, including football alum Billy Ray Anders.
Remarkably, Anders never played football until he tried out for the Ohio State team in 1965. Not only did he make the team, but he was a three-year starter and a three-year letterman (1965-66-67) for Ohio State football teams coached by Woody Hayes. Although Hayes’ teams didn’t throw the football much, Anders was the most productive receiver Hayes ever had, catching a school-record 55 passes in 1966 and also setting the school career record with 108 receptions and 1,318 yards for his three-year career. His single-season record stood for 19 years, or until Cris Carter broke the record with 58 in 1985, while his career receptions and yardage records stood until 1983 when John Frank broke both with 121 for 1,418 yards.
Anders was a First Team All-Big Ten Conference performer and an Ohio State team captain in 1967. He started every game between 1965-67, 27 in all.
