He missed the last 6 games of the 1971 season due to a knee injury, and was granted a medical redshirt by the NCAA.
He was the runner up to running back John Cappelletti of Penn State in the voting for the 1973 Heisman trophy.
[1] The 6-3, 258 pound tackle started as a sophomore in 1970 when freshman weren't eligible, and helped them go to the Rose Bowl.
But the 1974 Rose Bowl game would be unbeaten Ohio State's year to steamroll USC 42–21 as Hicks led the way to 323 rushing yards.
In April 1978, the Giants traded Hicks to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for offensive lineman Jim Clack and wide receiver Ernie Pough.