Who is the Texas Longhorns' leading rusher of all time? Closer look at NCAA record books

The Texas Longhorns are one of the most storied programs in college football history. With four national titles and a Texas-sized personality, the Longhorns are a truly blue-blooded program.

Legends like Vince Young, Colt McCoy, Cedric Benson, Jordan Shipley, Derrick Johnson, and others have played at Austin. The school is living through a sort of resurgence at the moment, with the brand being at the highest it has been in decades. Especially now that they're joining the SEC.

Today we are taking a look at the career of another Longhorn legend we didn't previously mention. Ricky Williams, the all-time lead rusher for Texas. Williams is the all-time (6279 yards), single-season (2124 yards), and single-game (350 yards) rushing yards leader at Texas.

When did Ricky Williams play at Texas?

Williams played at Texas between 1995 and 1998. His last season was the most important of his college career with him earning the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, and the Walter Camp Award. He was also named the AP's College Football Player of the Year and the Sporting News Football Player of the Year in 1998.

He also set the single-season rushing yards record at Texas, with 2134 yards and 29 rushing touchdowns. He also had 307 receiving yards with one touchdown that season. In Week 5 of 1998, he also set the single-game record with 350 rushing yards in a 54-33 victory over Iowa State. It would be an understatement to say that he was key to Texas's Cotton Bowl-winning season.

What did Ricky Williams do after playing at Texas?

In the 1999 NFL Draft Willams was the fifth overall pick by the New Orleans Saints. In that first season, he had 884 yards and only two touchdowns. His next two seasons with the Saints were over 1000 yards, but it was in his next team that he achieved his greatest highlights in the NFL.

From 2002 until 2010, Williams played with the Miami Dolphins. 2002 would be his best year ever in the NFL with him running for 1853 yards with 16 rushing touchdowns. He earned a selection for the Pro Bowl and was named a First Team All-Pro member. That season he led the NFL in rushing yards.

2003 brought another season above 1000 yards, this time with 1372 yards to be exact. However, this was the end of the upward trajectory of Ricky Williams. In December 2003 he tested positive for Marijuana usage and decided to retire ahead of the 2004 season. Despite two attempts to kickstart it again, including a suspension by the NFL in 2006, his career was never the same again.