Iolas Huffman
Huffman with his OSU Sports Hall Of Fame plaque
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| Date of birth | February 4, 1898 |
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| Place of birth | Chandlersville, Ohio |
| Date of death | November 12, 1989 (aged 91) |
| Place of death | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Tackle, guard |
| College | Ohio State |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1923 | Cleveland Indians |
| 1924 | Buffalo Bisons |
| Honors | First-team All-American, 1920 and 1921 |
| Career stats | |
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Iolas Melitus Huffman (February 4, 1898 – November 12, 1989) was an American football and baseball player. He was a first-team All-American football player for Ohio State in 1920 and 1921 and was the captain of the 1920 Buckeyes football team that won the Western Conference championship. He also played professional football in the early years of the National Football League for the Cleveland Indians (1923) and Buffalo Bisons (1924).
Huffman was a native of Chandlersville, Ohio. He enrolled in the medical college at the Ohio State University and played college football and baseball.
Though he had never played football before enrolling at Ohio State, Huffman played four years of varsity football for the Buckeyes. Freshman were eligible to play football in 1918 due to the exigency of World War I. As a result, Huffman reportedly played for Ohio State's football team in "every quarter of every game save one" in the four years from 1918–1921. At the conclusion of his career at Ohio State, he was "hailed as probably the greatest tackle in Buckeye history."
As captain of the 1920 football team, Huffman led the Buckeyes to a Western Conference championship. In the 1920 game against Michigan, Huffman blocked a punt by All-American Frank Steketee, which the Buckeyes recovered in Michigan's endzone for a touchdown, the key play in Ohio State's 14–7 win. Huffman was selected as a first-team All-American by syndicated sports writer Lawrence Perry in 1920 and 1921. In 1921, Huffman was selected as a first-team All-American tackle by Football World, based on the collected opinions of 267 coaches. After Ohio State lost to California, 28–0, in the 1921 Rose Bowl, Huffman told reporters, "We were defeated, but at the same time we are not downhearted. I admit that we seemed to lack our usual pep but I do not believe that California is twenty-eight points better than Ohio. It was a great game, and I hope that we will have another opportunity to meet California and reverse the tables."
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