This episode of "For the Record" is about Jeff Cisco. There are interesting parallels between Cisco and Koby Frye. Jeff Cisco switched to offense for the season 1978 and turned out to be a tackle-breaking, hard-running RB who bounced off people, twisted and turned to make his yardage much like Frye. They are similar in size and build, with strong upper legs, and a low center of gravity.
Rider fans were expecting another great football team in 1978. There was consternation for a couple weeks because the two scrimmages didn’t give much encouragement.
First of all, the main veteran back in the backfield was Gregg “Rocky” Clark who was promptly knocked out for most of the season after breaking his ankle in one of the scrimmages. And, Ronnie Keith along with John Fortman had graduated.
Second, while no. 15 Gorden Blue had some experience from '77, he was more of a blocking back and not normally a game breaker. '77 QB Bob Pruit had also gone the way of graduation being replaced by no. 11 Tom Knous who saw very limited action in '76.
Jeff Cisco was converting over to a RB, but he didn’t see time in the scrimmages because of some deep bruises. The offensive performances did not provide the Rider fans with much inspiring play.
Lastly replacing an injured Clark, Sophomore Scott Shelby was converted from a linebacker to halfback. This didn’t inspire fans used to Rocky and Ronnie.
The first game against Lima Central Catholic was anticipated with a slight lack of confidence -- by the fans, but not the team.
There were a lot of new things for the game. The stadium which was destined to be name Skip Baughman Stadium, had just been completed except for the press box, and there were new lights. The field had been landscaped with the sod which was placed on the field, by hand, by the coaches and players just several weeks earlier. This renovation had come 42 years after 1936’s Coach Bob Reed got a WPA cement stadium built. And for the most part, the team was also considered a rebuilding effort itself.
New to starting in the backfield for '78, Knous, Cisco, Shelby, and Blue behind their rebuilt offensive line crushed a good Lima Central Catholic team, and never looked back. The '78 Riders went on and fielded one of the most powerful Rider teams, up to that time, ever. Winning a WBL Championship, the 1978 team champs won the third of four consecutive WBL titles.
Coaches Denny Long, and Roger Duncan put together another offensive line which included no. 61 Scott Bailey ('78 WBL lineman of the year), no. 60 Cary Clouner ('78 1st team All-WBL, and in '79 WBL lineman of the year as well as All-State of Ohio), and started no. 51 Kevin Liesner and no. 79 Tom Rammel (All-WBL center).
Duncan’s tackle no. 70 Gary Johns, and end no. 44 Mick Anderson were also All-WBL. Added to these two were no. 78 Roger Siler, no. 80 John Hausfeld, and no. 88 Lance Kellermeyer.
Injured Gregg Clark returned to the Riders with two games left in the season. It was at Van Wert he showed what might have been when he broke loose for the then record run for a TD from the line of scrimmage for 97 yards.
The core of Rider offensive linemen helped to power the backfield led by Jeff Cisco to a 10-0 regular season and a Regional Championship. Qualifying for the State of Ohio semifinal game against Brookfield, the Rider battled to a 14-19 loss at the hands of Brookfield.
A featured player for Brookfield was future Ohio State standout and teammate to Cisco, Marcus Marek. Legend has that when Jeff Cisco, who was a year younger than Marek, was reintroduced to Marek during a recruiting visit to OSU, Marek commented, “You’re not Jeff Cisco, he’s six feet two and over 200 lbs!”
Playing against Cisco had made its impression because Jeff Cisco was more like five feet ten inches and about 180 lbs.
For 1978, Jeff Cisco rushed for 1512 yards which stood him in second place behind Ronnie Keith’s 1572 yards in a season at the time.
After having a banner year in '78, the Riders for 1979 held a glow of anticipation for Roughrider fans.
They weren’t to be denied.
Many argue that the 1979 Roughrider team may have been the best ever fielded by St. Marys. It is an argument while having merit cannot be resolved because different eras have different factors that cannot be measured.
Cisco roared into the 1979 season and went into the record book for best rushing in a season mark of 1784 yards which held up until Bo Frye’s 2004 mark 1809 yards. Jeff gained those yards in ten games, and Bo had 15 games when the Riders finished runner-up in the State of Ohio.
The 1979 Riders won the 1st place State of Ohio by United Press International and American Press Polls. Due to the limited amount of teams who played in the playoffs back then, the Riders were denied the opportunity of proving on the field that they were the best.
Knous, Cisco and Shelby were joined in the '79 backfield by no. 42 Jim Koch. Koch, and Shelby’s average gain per carry was about ten yards, and Cisco’s was about twelve yards. The '79 team averaged about ten yards on every play, and score an average of 45.5 point per game. Most of the games were in the book by halftime, and the starter would play one series in the third quarter before the subs would take the field.
Joining '79 all-stater no. 60 Cary Clouner, was no. 66 Kurt Clark. Wearing no. 44 in 1979 was Mike Henning OE. Tackle no. 55 was Mark Cisco, a cousin to Jeff.
For 1979 Jeff Cisco was named 1st team All-WBL and Back of the Year. Cary Clouner and Jeff were All State of Ohio, with both selected to play in the North-South game in Massillon.
Jeff followed in his family’s footsteps by signing to play football and baseball at Ohio State. (Jeff’s father Galen, and brother Chip both played varsity sports at OSU).
Jeff Cisco is the only member of the 3000-yard club to accumulate his yardage in a two-year span rather than a three-year span. His career per game average of 157 yards rushing speaks for itself. One can only wonder if Jeff Cisco had played offense as a sophomore what he would have gained in three years.
Next up on the list of 3000-yard club, Shawn Lamb at 3313.
Jeff Cisco rushed for 3,296 yards in only 21 games.
