Sad news around Buckeye Nation on Friday morning as it was learned that former Heisman Trophy winner and Ohio State great running back Howard ‘Hopalong’ Cassady has passed away at the age of 85.

The Columbus (Ohio) native would go on to play for the hometown Buckeyes from 1952 through 1955 and during that career would score 37 touchdowns in 36 games. He would end up being named a two-time consensus All-American and would win the 1955 Heisman Trophy.

We’ve lost not only a legendary Buckeye, but also a wonderful person in Hop Cassady,” Director of Athletics Gene Smith said in a university released statement. “He was an all-time great Buckeye in every way. We will have the Cassady family in our thoughts and in our prayers.”

Cassady would also play baseball for Ohio State and his combination of speed and power was on display on the diamond as well as the gridiron as he led the team in home runs in 1955 and stolen bases in 1956.

He would go on to play nine seasons in the NFL, spending most of his career with the Detroit Lions as well as spending time with the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles. He would score 27 career touchdowns in the league.

Cassady would find his way back to baseball after his football career ended, working in the New York Yankees organization for more than four decades and even serving a stint back in Columbus as the first-base coach for the Columbus Clippers who were the Yankees’ triple-A affiliate at the time.

The former Buckeye great was enshrined in the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1977 and would join the College Football Hall of Fame just two years later in 1979. His No. 40 jersey is one of a handful of retired numbers by the Buckeyes and sits prominently at the edge of C-Deck in the north end of Ohio Stadium with the six other retired numbers.

The former great will be honored during Ohio State’s upcoming game against Miami (Ohio).