Top Five Running Backs in Louisville Football History

We rank the top five rushers in the history of the Cardinals' football program.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville football program has seen plenty of talented players don the Cardinals uniform over the years, ranging from multi-time All-Conference selections to All-Americans and a Heisman Trophy winner.

This offseason, Louisville Report is taking on the task of ranking the top five players in the history of the program at each position on the field. Next in this series, we take at look at the running back spot.

No. 5: Nathan Poole

Years at UofL: 1975-78
UofL Career Stats: 536 rushes for 2,958 rushing yards (5.52 average) and 23 touchdowns, 16 receptions for 122 yards (7.63 average) and one touchdown.

Summary: When everything was said and done, Poole finished his career as the second-leading rusher in school history (now third). He's also the fourth Cardinal - and most recent - to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season twice. He barely broke that mark as a junior in 1977 when he ran for 1,004 yards, then followed that up with a fantastic senior campaign in 1978. That season, he rushed for 1,394 yards and 15 touchdowns, both of which were top ten nationally.

No. 4: Walter Peacock

Years at UofL: 1972-75
UofL Career Stats: 811 rushes for 3,204 rushing yards (3.95 average) and 17 touchdowns, 36 receptions for 193 yards (5.36 average) and three touchdowns.

Summary: Peacock is the most prolific rusher in Cardinals history. He has 156 more career rushing attempts than Lamar Jackson at No. 2, is the school's all-time leading rusher by a running back, and was the top overall until Jackson came around. Add in his production as a return man, and he's Louisville's leader in all-purpose yards as well at 5,128. He was the 1973 Missouri Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year as a sophomore, rushing for a then-school record 1,294 yards and eight touchdowns, then running for 1,013 yards as a senior. 

No. 3: Howard Stevens

Years at UofL: 1971-72
UofL Career Stats: 509 rushes for 2,723 rushing yards (5.35 average) and 25 touchdowns, 51 receptions for 389 yards (7.63 average) and four touchdowns.

Summary: Stevens played only two seasons at Louisville after starting his career at D2 Randolph-Macon College, but they were two of the best seasons by a running back in school history. In 1971, he rushed for 12 touchdowns and 1,429 yards, the latter of which stood as the school record until Javian Hawkins broke it in 2019. The next year in 1972, he earned Second-Team Associated Press All-American honors, rushing for 1,294 yards and 13 touchdowns while catching 29 passes for 221 yards and three scores. He currently sits at sixth in school history in rushing yards, and ninth in rushing touchdowns

No. 2: Michael Bush

Years at UofL: 2003-06
UofL Career Stats: 435 rushes for 2,503 rushing yards (5.75 average) and 39 touchdowns, 50 receptions for 651 yards (13.02 average) and two touchdowns.

Summary: The highest-rated recruit to ever sign with Louisville, Bush lived up to the hype and then some, finishing third in school history in rushing touchdowns (second by a running back) and eighth in rushing yards (sixth by a running back). The Louisville Male High product and converted quarterback spent his first two seasons as a quality backup, then exploded in 2005 when he was finally elevated to the starter. He rushed for 1,143 yards and 23 touchdowns that season, the latter of which was second nationally only to USC's LenDale White. Had he not suffered a season-ending leg injury in the opener of his senior year in 2006, he could have finished as the No. 1 back in school history, and Louisville might have a national championship.

No. 1: Lenny Lyles

Years at UofL: 1954-57
UofL Career Stats: 396 rushes for 2,786 rushing yards (7.04 average) and 41 touchdowns, receiving stats unknown.

Summary: Lyles is a Cardinals legend in every sense. The Louisville Central High product was the first African American to compete at any athletic program at UofL, and wound up becoming one of the best players in program history. Known as the "fastest man in football" during his time in college, he still has the most rushing touchdowns at the position in program history - with only Lamar Jackson and Malik Cunningham ahead of him for the overall record - ranks fifth in overall rushing yards (third by a running back), and his yards per carry mark still remains the top overall. As a senior in 1957, he rushed for 1,207 yards and 19 touchdowns, earning Little All-America honors. The yardage mark led all of college football that year, while the touchdown mark was the single-season school record for 41 years.

Other Louisville Position Top Fives:

• Quarterback
• Wide Receiver
• Tight End
• Offensive Line
• Interior Defensive Line (coming soon)
• Defensive End (coming soon)
• Linebacker (coming soon)
• Cornerback (coming soon)
• Safety (coming soon)

(Photo of Michael Bush: Garry Jones - Associated Press)

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