Hall of Fame
Lenvil Elliott was an outstanding athlete at Richmond, near Kansas City, before enrolling at the university in 1969. He instantly became a starter at the running back position. As a sophomore he earned honorable mention All-MIAA accolades. He was a second-team choice as a junior and landed on the first team as a senior when he gained 1138 yards rushing, an average of 113.8 yards per game. Mr. Elliott was one of the Bulldog's top track sprinters as a senior, running a leg on the 440-yard relay team and finishing third in the MIAA outdoor triple jump. His speed in the 100-yard dash (about 9.6) attracted professional football scouts and in 1973 he was drafted in the 10th round by Cincinnati. He was used primarily as a backup ball carrier for the Bengals and rushed for 1396 yards on 326 attempts in six years at Cincinnati. In 1979 he was waived by the Bengals and picked up by San Francisco. After suffering knee problems in the fall of 1981 the Forty Niners placed him on the injured reserve list. However, he was activated during the playoffs and played a vital role for his team in the 1982 National Football Conference championship game with Dallas. He started against the Cowboys and gained 48 yards on 10 carries and caught a 24-yard pass. In a 13-play, 89-yard drive late in the game, he rushed the ball five times for 31 yards. The bad knee kept him out of the 1982 Super Bowl victory over his old team Cincinnati. Mr. Elliott retired shortly after the super bowl game. He passed away on Oct. 12, 2008 in a Richmond, Mo. hospital. He is survived by his son Lenvil Elliott II and daughter Melissa Elliott.
