Hall of Fame
Position: Tackle
Years: 1942-1944
Place of Birth: Columbus, OH
Date of Birth: Oct 05, 1921
Place of Death: Columbus, OH
Date of Death: Nov 27, 2007
Jersey Number: 99
Height: 6-2
Weight: 199
High School: Columbus, OH (East HS)
A splendid leg-sprint to the hit, a bursting quickness through the block and a pulsating power in clearing the path for the runner - Bill Willis was all of this as a tackle on the Ohio State national championship team of 1942. A sprinter's speed made Willis one of the greatest linemen at running interference, and many an opponent left Ohio Stadium feeling the pains of a Willis pop-block. Bill's 6-2 frame of muscle and brawn belied his fleetness afoot, yet he was a varsity dash man rarely outdistanced. Buckeye fans who enjoyed those championship years remember vividly the sight of Heisman Trophy winner Horvath slipping off the shoulders of the straining Willis and running to glory. In 1942, the Buckeyes won nine of 10 games, upset only by a surprising Wisconsin team, 17-7. After a mediocre 3-6 season in 1943, Willis and the Bucks rebounded for a perfect nine-game season and another Big Ten crown. Few Ohio State followers knew that Bill Willis was as nimble at his studies as he was along the Buckeye line, as he carried a high class ranking in Business Administration. In 1945, Willis was head coach at Kentucky State. In 1946, he joined the Cleveland Browns. He played eight seasons and was all-pro four times. In 1963, he was named director of the Ohio Youth Commission. He took charge of the state's juvenile institutions. His work was so outstanding a school, the William Willis High School, was named for him. He was active in many service groups, including Protestant Big Brothers.
