Billy Hillenbrand—One of the First-Dual Threat Running Backs

 By John Turney 

Bill Hillenbrand of the Baltimore Colts carrying the ball versus the Buffalo Bills

Billy Hillenbrand only played three seasons of pro football but he left his mark on the game, one that few know about. 

He was a University of Indiana legend, once being voted the top gridder in that school's history. As a junior, in 1942, he led the NCAA in punt return yards and punt return average and was a consensus All-America selection. The previous season he got some All-American notice as well.

Hillenbrand served in the Army from 1943-45, during which time he was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants but never played for them. 

When he returned from WWII the Giants offered $7,500 a year but the Chicago Rockets of the upstart All-American Football Conference met his asking price of $10,000 and more to Hillenbrand's liking, offered a three-year contract, so he signed and was off to the Windy City.

In 1946 the Rockets had a crowded backfield with Bob Hoernschemeyer, Elroy Hirsch (who both went on to become NFL stars) and other similar types of players competing for the ball and Hillenbrand carried the ball just fifty times all season which was fifth on the team.

So being stocked at halfback, the Rockets traded Hillenbrand to the Baltimore Colts for a fullback - Bill Daley and a player to be named later.

Charm City turned out to be charmed for Hillenbrand. They played a T-formation rather than the single-wing like the Rockets and could throw the ball, especially in his second year with the Colts when Y.A. Tittle arrived to play quarterback.

In the "T", any of the three backs could motion from the backfield to the flank and run routes outside and it allowed for more wide-open offenses. It was a Clark Shaughnessy, the "Father of the T-formation", signature and it suited the former Hoosier well.

In 1947, Hillenbrand was one of two backs to rush for over 200 yards and catch passes for over 700 yards in the same season - the first time that had ever happened in pro football and both were in the AAFC.

The following season, two more players in the AAFC achieved that but Hillenbrand stepped it up a notch and was the first professional player ever to rush for 500 yards and catch passes for 900 yards in the same season with totals of 510 rushing yards and 970 receiving yards. 

To this day only seven other players in NFL history have matched that feat - Marshall Faulk, who did it twice, Lenny Moore, Roger Craig, Lionel James, Charlie Garner, Austin Ekeler and Christian McCaffrey. Note that Hillenbrand played fourteen games, Moore twelve, and all the others played sixteen games.

Hillenbrand hung 'em up after 1948 and became a successful businessman. He will never be known as an all-time great football player, except in Bloomington, but when one can be in a club that includes names like Faulk, Moore, Craig, McCaffrey and others you've achieved something special and it is worth remembering.