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Ladell Betts
46
Ladell Betts

Hometown:
Blue Springs, MO
High School:
Blue Springs HS
Height / Weight:
5-11 / 215
Position:
Running Back
Birthdate:
08/27/1979

Hawk-Item - - One of five seniors selected to team Leadership Group for the 2001 season . . . ended career with 41 consecutive games started and started 43 of 46 games in four-year career . . . career totals include 831 rushing attempts for 3,686 yards and 25 TDs . . . ranks second in career rushing attempts and rushing yards, third in rushing touchdowns and 10th in career scoring with 162 points . . . first player ever to lead Iowa in rushing in four different seasons and just the second Hawkeye to gain over 1,000 yards in more than one season . . . rushed for over 100 yards in a game five times in 2001 and has 13 career games over 100 yards . . . season total of 1,060 rushing yards is eighth best for a single season, just behind his 1,090 yards in 2000, and his 66 points in 2001 rank 17th best for a single season . . . ranked sixth in the Big Ten at 88.3 rushing yards per game.

2001 Honors - - Co-Most Valuable Player . . . second team all-Big Ten . . . permanent team captain on offense . . . selected to participate in post-season Hula Bowl . . . 2001 - - started all 12 games at running back . . . game captain vs. Penn State, Indianan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Texas Tech . . . played very little in Alamo Bowl win due to injury . . . season totals include 222 attempts for 1,060 yards and 10 TDs . . . 15 pass receptions for 137 yards and one TD and a nine-yard KO return . . . rushed 15 times for 99 yards vs. Kent State and had one reception for 35 yards . . . 37 yards on just 10 carries vs. Miami and two receptions for nine yards . . . matched career-high with 33 rushing attempts vs. Penn State, gaining 95 yards and rushing for two TDs . . . career-low six rushing yards on 12 carries at Purdue and two pass receptions for four yards . . . 18 carries for 79 yards and one touchdown at Michigan State, along with two pass receptions for 30 yards . . . rushed 22 times for 172 yards and one score in win over Indiana, best total of his career against a Big Ten opponent, also had 14 yards on two receptions . . . rushed 20 times for 40 yards vs. Michigan . . . 121 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries at Wisconsin . . . 22 carries for 86 yards and two scores in win at Northwestern . . . 171 yards and one touchdown on 28 attempts in win over Minnesota . . . 25 rushes for 150 yards at Iowa State, including a 42-yard TD run to tie the game in the third quarter, and three pass receptions for 22 yards . . . had just two rushing attempts for four yards and one pass reception for 10 yards in Alamo Bowl win over Texas Tech due to injury . . . 2000 Honors - - honorable mention all-Big Ten . . . earned Coaches Appreciation Award for offense . . . 2000 - - started all 12 games at running back . . . led team in rushing with 232 carries for 1,090 yards and five TDs . . . also had 17 receptions for 111 yards . . . named Big Ten Conference Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts in season-opening loss to Kansas State . . . rushed for 50 yards and Iowa’s only score vs. KSU and had 30 yards on two pass receptions . . . rushed 20 times for 51 yards vs. Western Michigan . . . 99 yards on 15 carries vs. Iowa State . . . rushed 20 times for 75 yards at Nebraska . . . 17 carries for 118 yards at Indiana . . . 24 attempts for 88 yards and one touchdown in win over Michigan State . . . 23 carries for 115 yards at Illinois . . . 72 yards on 21 carries vs. Ohio State . . . 16 carries for 88 yards vs. Wisconsin, including 51-yard run to set up Iowa’s only score vs. KSU and had 30 yards on two pass receptions . . . rushed 20 times for 51 yards vs. Western Michigan . . . 99 yards on 15 carries vs. Iowa State . . . rushed 20 times for 75 yards at Nebraska . . . 17 carries for 118 yards at Indiana . . . 24 attempts for 88 yards and one touchdown in win over Michigan State . . . 23 carries for 115 yards at Illinois . . . 72 yards on 21 carries vs. Ohio State . . . 16 carries for 88 yards vs. Wisconsin, including 51-yard run to set up Iowa’s only touchdown . . . also had seven yards on one pass reception . . . rushed 18 times for 154 yards and two TDs at Minnesota, scoring two rushing TDs for the third time in his career . . . the 154 yards ranks as the second best single-game total in his career . . . scored on runs of 65 and five yards . . . 1999 Honors - - co-Most Valuable Player and second team all-Big Ten . . . 1999 - - started all 11 games at running back . . . led team in rushing for the second straight season, rushing 189 times for 857 yards and five touchdowns . . . had 20 receptions for 195 yards and one score and ranked second on the team in scoring with 36 points . . . 15 carries for 73 yards vs. Nebraska . . . 64 yards on 17 carries at Iowa State . . . rushed 33 times for 174 yards in win over Northern Illinois, both career highs . . . 16 carries for 103 yards at Northwestern, including a 74-yard scamper to give Iowa a 21-16 advantage in the fourth quarter . . . rushed for 67 yards and had three receptions for 45 yards vs. Indiana, while scoring two touchdowns in a game for the second time in his career . . . 16 rushes for 140 yards vs. Illinois, including a 47-yard TD run . . . 73 yards on 16 carries at Wisconsin . . . 19 attempts for 77 yards vs. Minnesota, along with two receptions for 15 yards and a touchdown . . . 1998 Honors - - honorable mention all-Big Ten . . . earned coaches Hustle Award on offense . . . offensive MVP vs. Iowa State, Illinois, Northwestern and Indiana . . . offensive hustle award vs. Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Minnesota . . . established Iowa records for rushing yards by a freshman in a single game (151 vs. Indiana) and for a season (679 yards on 188 carries) . . . tied Iowa freshman mark (along with Kahlil Hill) with five TDs . . . became first Iowa freshman to rush for over 100 yards more than once in a season, surpassing the century mark vs. Northwestern and Indiana . . . receiving stats of 20 catches for 259 yards ranks fifth best ever for an Iowa freshman . . . 1998 - - played in all 11 games, with eight starts . . . led team in rushing, tied for scoring lead with 30 points, was second in total offense (63.8 yards per game) and all-purpose yards (85.3) and was third in receiving with 20 catches for 259 yards . . . nine rushes for 64 yards and two TDs, plus a 34-yard reception vs. Central Michigan . . . longest pass reception of the season (36 yards) came vs. Iowa State . . .17 carries for 56 yards and two receptions for 48 yards at Arizona . . . 13 carries for 56 yards and one TD at Illinois . . . 60 yards on 16 carries vs. Michigan . . . 208 all-purpose yards in win over Northwestern, including 30 rushing attempts for 112 yards and one TD and nine catches for 96 yards . . . 151 yards on 31 rushing attempts at Indiana . . . 14 rushes for 50 yards vs. Wisconsin . . . 18 attempts for 44 yards vs. Ohio State . . . completed only pass attempt of the season for 23 yards against the Buckeyes . . . 1997 - - redshirted . . . offensive scout team MVP vs. Purdue and Arizona State.

High school honors - - USA Today Missouri Player of the Year after earning first team all-state and all-metro honors . . . named Parade and SuperPrep All-American and selected to Blue Chip Dream Team . . . named to Prep Football Report All-American team and PrepStar All-Big 12 Region team . . . named third best recruit in the Midlands region and 57th best recruit in the nation by Prep Football Report . . . ranked sixth best tailback prospect in the nation by SuperPrep and was named SuperPrep's Midlands Offensive Player of the Year . . . earned all?Midland honors and was Midland Player of the Year . . . earned Thomas Simone Award, which goes to the best high school player in the Kansas City area . . . Career - - carried 238 times for 2,183 yards and 32 TDs as a senior, helping team post a 10-1 record . . . averaged 9.2 yards per carry while playing majority of season with broken right hand . . . also averaged 40.3 yards on 11 kickoff returns . . . gained 1,813 yards and 34 TDs as a junior . . . competes as a sprinter for prep track team.

Personal - - Born 8/27/79 . . . open major . . . parents are Kim and Steve Smith . . . high school coach was Tim Crone.

Career Stats
Rushing Att. Yds. Avg. TD Lng
Freshman1886793.6540
Sophomore1898574.5574
Junior 2321,0904.81042
Senior2221,0604.81042
Career 831 3,686 4.4 25 74
Receiving No. Yds. Avg. TD Lng
Freshman2025912.9036
Sophomore201959.8122
Junior171116.5031
Senior151379.1135
Career 72 702 9.8 2 36
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