Texas High School Football Hall of Fame Inductees: Byron Hanspard

Byron Hanspard

DeSoto High School

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Inducted in 2006

Hanspard was a Parade Magazine and USA Today All-American at DeSoto, rushing for 3,996 career yards and leading the Eagles to a 19-2-3 record. In 1993 he rushed for 2,084 yards, scored 34 touchdowns and was named to the all-state team. He was also selected as the state’s 5A Offensive MVP. Hanspard’s highlights continued at Texas Tech from 1994-96, when he set Red Raider rushing records for career yards (4,219), yards in a season (2,084) and yards in a game (287 vs. Baylor). He became only the sixth player in NCAA history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. In the 1995 Copper Bowl he had 260 yards on 24 carries and scored four touchdowns in Tech’s 55-41 shootout win over Air Force. After earning all-America honors and winning the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back as a junior, he jumped to the NFL and spent three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons (1997-1999).