(April 28, 1947 – February 10, 2015) There have been many outstanding football players from Medford but none quite had the flash that carried Bill “Earthquake” Enyart to the top at Oregon State. A standout prep athlete at Medford High School, before the school split North and South, the “Black Tornado” compiled a 26-3-1 record during his three varsity seasons. He was only a sophomore when Medford won the Class 4A state championship in 1962.

Enyart enrolled at Oregon State where he earned his first team All-Conference and Academic All-American honors as a fullback in 1967 and 1968. He earned All-American and All-Coast honors in 1968 while setting a single season rushing record of 1,304 yards rushing, 17 touchdowns, and 102 points. Bill earned three varsity letters as the Beavers went 21-8-1 from 1966-1968; 7-3 in 1966; 7-2-1 in ’67; and 7-3 in ’68. Against Utah at Salt Lake City, the 6’3″ 236 pound fullback carried the ball an amazing 50 times for 299 yards and 3 touchdowns, a mark that stood for 31 years. Both of his records, for carries and yards, remain high in the record books. He went on to rush for a single season school record (at the time) of 1,309 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Following Enyart’s senior year, he was selected for five post-season All-Star games: East-West Shrine Game, Senior Bowl, Coaches All-America Bowl, College All-Star Game, and Hula Bowl, where he was named the outstanding back.
Bill ranks fourth in career rushing at OSU (2,155 yards), fifth in scoring (150 points), and second in rushing touchdowns (25). In 1991, he was inducted into the OSU Hall of Fame. Selected by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 1969 draft, he played two seasons. He was then traded to Oakland where he played one game before his professional career was ended with an injury. Enyart, who works as a Medicaid care provider in Bend, Oregon, says, “The best thing about football is the friends you make along the way.”