Dubbing Floyd Little an ACC legend might be a bit of an awkward fit — the Orange have yet to play a single football game in the conference, after all — but odds are good that no one will mind giving one more trophy and standing ovation to No. 44.
Little, along with 13 others, was named to the 2013 Class of Legends by the ACC this afternoon. The group will be honored at the ACC Championship Game at a dinner on Dec. 6 and on the field in Charlotte on Dec. 7.
Even in a long line of great Syracuse running backs — from Jim Brown to Ernie Davis to Larry Csonka — Little stood out. He’s still the only three-time All-American to ever play for the Orange, sits sixth on Syracuse’s all-time rushing list and holds the school record for most career touchdowns (46) and punt return touchdowns (6).
He picked up where he left off after turning pro, going to the Denver Broncos with the sixth overall pick in the 1967 draft. He became the first back in franchise history to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark and was a five-time Pro Bowler — all on a last-place team. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010, and Denver retired his number 44 jersey soon after.
But Little’s heart was always in Syracuse. He passed up a cushy retirement to come back to work for the Orange, becoming a special assistant to Athletic Director Daryl Gross, a position he still holds to this day. And despite the historical incongruence, it’s perhaps fitting that Syracuse moves into a new conference and a new era by giving a nod to its past.
