WI LEGENDS DAYNE

DAYNE

RON

Ron Dayne put the University of Wisconsin football team on his back for the better part of four years. He rewarded coach Barry Alvarez’s trust in him with the most prolific college career by a running back of all time and the program’s second Heisman Trophy. Dayne’s name is synonymous not just with UW football, but with the attitude that Alvarez instilled in the program that still exists today.

Craig Schreiner, State Journal archives

TROPHY CASE

Rose Bowl MVP

1999

Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year

1999

Doak Walker Award

1999

Heisman Trophy

1999

Opponents knew the Badgers were going to give the ball to Dayne, they just couldn’t stop it. He rushed for the most yards in NCAA history (7,125) in his career and led the Badgers to back-to-back Rose Bowls in 1999 and 2000. He has more games of 200 or more yards than any other college tailback and he’s a member of both the Rose Bowl and College Football halls of fame.

UW athletic director Chris McIntosh, who was Badgers teammates with Dayne in the late 1990s, talks about Dayne’s impact on the Badgers football program.

Opponents knew the Badgers were going to give the ball to Dayne, they just couldn’t stop it. He rushed for the most yards in NCAA history (7,125) in his career and led the Badgers to back-to-back Rose Bowls in 1999 and 2000. He’s a member of both the Rose Bowl and College Football halls of fame.

Scott Seid, State Journal archives

Jim Polzin, Wisconsin State Journal

Scott Seid, State Journal archives

Dayne is a frequent visitor of the Badgers sidelines to this day and made his home in Madison after his professional football career ended. He arrives at UW with little fanfare and many believing he was too big (5 foot 10, 260 pounds) to be a running back. He ended his career as one of the best rushers in college football history.

Michelle Stocker, Cap Times archives

TROPHY CASE

DAYNE BIO

AFTER UW

DAYNE BIO

Born: July 12, 1989, in Palo Alto, California Hometown: Sun Valley, Idaho High school: Choate Rosemary Hall (Wallingford, Connecticut), 2003-07 Family: Parents Jim and Cynthia; brothers James Jr., Remington and William

AFTER UW

TOP 5 MOMENTS WITH THE BADGERS

VS. MINNESOTA

Nov. 9, 1996

Dayne ran for 297 yards and three TDs in a win over Minnesota.

VS. UCLA

Jan. 1, 1999

Dayne rushed for 246 yards and scored four times in a Rose Bowl win over UCLA.

VS. IOWA

Nov. 13, 1999

Dayne broke the NCAA career rushing yards record.

Oct. 2, 1999

Dayne’s four rushing touchdowns helped the Badgers blow out No. 12 Ohio State.

VS. OHIO STATE

HEISMAN TROPHY

Dec. 11, 1999

Dayne won the Heisman Trophy.

7,125

BY THE NUMBERS

Games with 200 or more yards rushing. Dayne again is a victim of the 2002 cut-off. He should hold the NCAA record for 200-yard games. UW’s Jonathan Taylor holds the recognized record (12 from 2017-19).

Dayne accounted for 40.2% of the Badgers’ total offense during his four-year career. He had 7,429 of UW’s 18,485 total offensive yards from 1996-1999.

DAYNE’S UW RECORDS

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Curtis Compton, Associated Press

Former UW football coach Barry Alvarez talks about Dayne breaking the NCAA career rushing record during the running back’s senior season.

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Jim Polzin, Wisconsin State Journal

THE LEGENDS

FOOTBALL, 1996 to 1999

Born: Berlin, New Jersey Hometown: Berlin, New Jersey High school: Overbrook High School in Pine Hill, New Jersey Family: Parents Ron Sr. and Brenda Dayne, guardians Rob and Debbie Reid, children Jada, JayAllen, Javian and Zion

• First round pick: Dayne was the 11th overall selection in the 2000 NFL draft, going to the New York Giants. He kicked off a stretch of three drafts in a row in which the Badgers had at least one first-round pick. • Super Bowl: Dayne’s rookie season with the Giants ended with an appearance in Super Bowl XXXV. The Baltimore Ravens won 34-7 and Dayne didn’t record a carry against the Ravens’ vaunted defense. • NFL career: He played seven seasons in the NFL, finishing with 3,722 yards rushing and 28 touchdowns. He played four seasons with the Giants, two with the Texans and one with the Broncos. • CFB HOF: Dayne became the eighth UW player to be enshrined into the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

Women’s hockey, 2007 to 2012

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Dayne’s career rushing yards are the true NCAA rushing record, but he sits second behind San Diego State’s Donnel Pumphrey (6,405) in the NCAA record book because postseason statistics aren’t included in NCAA records until the 2002 season. Dayne had 6,397 yards without his four bowl performances.

40.2%

Career Rose Bowl MVP awards

2,109

Most rushing yards as a freshman

151.6

Career rushing average per game

1,220

Career rushing attempts

Rushing attempts in a game

7,125

Career rushing yards

Rose Bowl MVP

2000

VS. MINNESOTA

Nov. 9, 1996

Dayne ran for 297 yards and three TDs in a win over Minnesota.

Career Rose Bowl MVP awards

2,109

Most rushing yards as a freshman

151.6

Career rushing average per game

1,220

Career rushing attempts

Rushing attempts in a game

7,125

Career rushing yards

7,125

Dayne accounted for 40.2% of the Badgers’ total offense during his four-year career. He had 7,429 of UW’s 18,485 total offensive yards from 1996-1999.

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Jim Polzin, Wisconsin State Journal

UW athletic director Chris McIntosh, who was Badgers teammates with Dayne in the late 1990s, shares one of his favorite memories of Dayne from their days playing together.

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Jim Polzin, Wisconsin State Journal

UW athletic director Chris McIntosh, who was Badgers teammates with Dayne in the late 1990s, shares one of his favorite memories of Dayne from their days playing together.

Rose Bowl MVP

1999

Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year

1999

Doak Walker Award

1999

Heisman Trophy

1999

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