Early Years
Elia is one of the few Ohio State players in the modern era to start on both the offensive and defensive teams. He grew up in Cliffside Park, New Jersey and graduated from Cliffside Park High School in 1971, where he had played as both a running back and linebacker. He was recruited to Ohio State by head coach Woody Hayes as a fullback. Before the third game of the 1972 season, Elia was claimed by the Ohio State defensive coordinator, and made into a linebacker.
Early in the 1973 season starting fullback Champ Henson was injured, and freshman backup Pete Johnson was judged unready to take over. Hayes moved Elia back to the offense as fullback. That season Elia led the Buckeyes in scoring (14 touchdowns for 84 points). In 1974 he returned to linebacker and was the team's leading tackler (144 - 74 solo, 70 assisted).
Read more about this topic: Bruce Elia
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