HEISMAN JOURNAL JANUARY 2021 / VOLUME 95 / NUMBER 1
Honoring Jim Plunkett 1970 Eddie George 1995 Cam Newton 2010 and 2020 Heisman Winner DeVonta Smith
EVERY INTRODUCTION NEEDS A GOOD ICEBREAKER.
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HEISMAN 2020 Table of Contents
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16
3
Heisman Trophy Trust Board of Directors
5
President’s Message
8
Heisman 50th Anniversary Honoree
12
Heisman 25th Anniversary Honoree
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Heisman 10th Anniversary Honoree
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Heisman High School Scholarship
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Heisman Humanitarian Updates
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Heisman Charities
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2020 Sectional & State Representatives
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A Brief History of the Heisman Trophy
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2019 Heisman Weekend Highlights
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2020 Heisman Contenders
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2020 Heisman Trophy Winner
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2020 Heisman Voting Results
52 © Heisman Trophy Trust/Kent Gidley
H EIS M A N T RO P H Y T R U ST TRUSTEES
HEISMAN STAFF
HEISMAN SUPPORT TEAM
HEISMAN OFFICE
Michael J. Comerford, President James E. Corcoran William J. Dockery Anne F. Donahue N. Richard Kalikow Vasili Krishnamurti Brian D. Obergfell Carol A. Pisano Sanford Wurmfeld
Robert B. Whalen Heisman Executive Director
Paul Goldberg Heisman.com Editor-In-Chief
Timothy Henning Associate Director
Donna Koppinger Mary Jane Moran Events Coordinators
111 Broadway, Suite 103A New York, NY 10006 P (212) 425-7000 | F (212) 269-4547 www.Heisman.com
Honorable John E. Sprizzo 1934–2008
Rudy J. Riska Executive Director Emeritus
The Heisman Journal is published annually
Bob Garguilo VIP Guest Liaison
Printed by GHP Media
Rich O’Sullivan Travel Consultant
All art prepared by Tim Henning, Natalie Wedeking and Tim Laun
Design and production by Natalie Wedeking and Tim Laun Cover image of Smith © Heisman Trophy Trust/Kent Gidley Subscription price $40.00 per year
The Heisman Trust thanks Nike for their support.
Heisman Trophy Trust M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T The Heisman Memorial Trophy annually recognizes the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard work. The Heisman Trophy Trust ensures the continuation and honor of this award. The Trust, furthermore, has a charitable mission to support amateur athletics, and to provide greater opportunities to the youth of our country. Our goal, through these charitable endeavors, is for the Heisman Trophy to symbolize the fostering of a sense of community responsibility and service to our youth, especially those disadvantaged or with special needs. All assets of the Trust, beyond the expense of maintaining the annual presentation of the Heisman Memorial Trophy, are reserved for such charitable causes. The Trustees, who all serve pro bono, are guided by a devotion to college football, and are committed to community service and the valued tradition which the Trophy represents.
HEISMAN TROPHY TRUST - BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Michael J. Comerford President
James E. Corcoran
William J. Dockery
Anne F. Donahue
N. Richard Kalikow
Vasili Krishnamurti
Brian D. Obergfell
Carol A. Pisano
Sanford Wurmfeld
Honorable John E. Sprizzo 1934-2008
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HEISMAN
2020 Dear Friends of the Heisman, 2020 was a year unlike any other as the COVID-19 pandemic altered countless aspects of daily life. Only a few months ago, there was serious question whether College Football would be played this year. Thanks to the hard work of the conference and school administrators, coaches, healthcare professionals and athletes, enough of the issues surrounding personal safety and health were addressed to allow the season to go forward, albeit in a much different manner than that to which we are accustomed. For the past 85 years, the Heisman Memorial Trophy has been presented to the most outstanding college football player in the nation. Although College Football looked and felt a lot different this year, there was no shortage of incredible talent on the gridiron and we look forward to celebrating this year’s Trophy winner. The Heisman Trust traditionally publishes the Heisman Journal in conjunction with our annual Dinner Gala. Although we were unable to hold the dinner this year, our priorities remain, and we are excited to once again celebrate the newest Heisman Trophy winner, recognize the fraternity of Heisman winners, particularly those celebrating significant anniversaries, and promote our charitable giving. The Heisman Memorial Trophy epitomizes the pursuit of excellence with integrity, through diligence, perseverance, and hard work. The Trust’s mission is to preserve the integrity of the Trophy and guarantee its continuance. The Trust also has a charitable mission to support amateur athletes and provide greater opportunities to the youth of our country. Our goal through these charitable endeavors is for The Heisman Trophy to symbolize the fostering of a sense of community responsibility and service to our youth, especially those disadvantaged or with special needs. The Trust remains dedicated to that charitable mission. Due to the generous support of our long-time sponsors, Nissan and ESPN, as well as Acceptance Insurance, who joined the Heisman family this year as the presenting sponsor of our Heisman High School Scholarship Program, the Heisman Trust is able to help thousands each year. To date, the Trust has donated over $19 million to more than 250 not-for-profit organizations throughout the United States. This year the Trust has once again provided over $2.5 million to worthy causes. For the last twenty years, the Trust has been in the capable hands of its Trustees, who generously give freely of their time, wisdom, and expertise. I thank Trustees William Dockery, James Corcoran, Anne Donahue, N. Richard Kalikow, Vasili Krishnamurti, Brian Obergfell, Carol Pisano, and Sanford Wurmfeld. Recognition is due as well to our staff members Rob Whalen, Executive Director, and Tim Henning, Associate Director, who ably manage the day-to-day operations of the Trust. We know that this past year has been significantly different for everyone. We look forward to the day when we can safely welcome back our family of Heisman winners, sponsors, and friends to New York for the annual Heisman festivities. If all goes as planned, we will be moving next year’s Trophy Presentation to a new exciting venue, Jazz at Lincoln Center. In the meantime, on behalf of the entire Heisman Trust, I offer you our continued best wishes for good health throughout the New Year and beyond.
Sincerely, Michael J. Comerford President, Heisman Trophy Trust
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50 Anniversary Honoree th
JIM PLUNKETT Image © Stanford University
50TH ANNIVERSARY HONOREE
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Jim Plunkett’s historic Heisman Trophy, we also celebrate a life and a career of overcoming challenges and adversity—multiple times over. He is a Pac-8, Rose Bowl and Super Bowl champion, defying the odds every step of the way. In 1970, he was the first Latino player to win the Heisman Trophy and is the only Latino selected first in the NFL draft, taken by the New England Patriots in 1971. He was also the first Latino to start a Super Bowl with the Oakland Raiders in 1980, and 60 minutes of football later, he was the first Latino to be named Super Bowl MVP. Even his upbringing brought unique challenges —he was raised by parents who were both legally blind. But Jim Plunkett’s story, like that of his parents, is one of perseverance. Jim was born to William and Carmella Plunkett (his mother was Mexican, his father was also of Mexican descent) in San Jose, California. His mother lost her sight when she was 20. His father was born legally blind but, with thick enough glasses, could get around, even serving as the cook of the family. Plunkett’s football career began at James Lick High in San Jose, where he played both quarterback and defensive end, leading the squad to an undefeated season as a 1966 prep senior. Deciding to stay close to home, Plunkett signed with Stanford, where his freshman season was derailed by surgery to remove a tumor in his neck. First deemed malignant, the tumor was ultimately benign. Bullet dodged. After redshirting, and resisting the coaching staff’s suggestion to move to the defensive line, Plunkett began to prove himself. As a sophomore, he passed for 2,156 yards and 14 TDs and followed that with a 2,673-yard, 20-TD junior season, earning enough recognition to finish eighth in the 1969 Heisman vote. He was still somewhat of a Heisman longshot as a 1970 senior, with Joe Theismann at Notre Dame and Archie Manning at Mississippi leading the award’s discussion. The nation took notice when Plunkett, directing
a pro-set offense, helped Stanford kick off its first 11-game regular season with a 34-28 upset over No. 11 Arkansas, passing for 262 yards and two TDs. He followed it up with a season-high 302 yards and one scoring pass against San Jose State and 250 yards and three TDs in a road win at Oregon. Plunkett was humbled a week later in a 26-14 loss to unranked Purdue, in which he threw five interceptions, but that didn’t take away from the shine of their upcoming match-up against No. 15 USC, a contest the entire nation was anticipating. A year earlier, the Trojans knocked off Stanford on a last-second field goal. The Stanford faithful were eager for the 1970 contest, which was played before a sellout crowd of 86,000. The game earned the billing “bigger than the Rose Bowl” as Stanford tried to beat USC for the first time since 1959. Plunkett did not disappoint. He rebounded from the Purdue game by throwing for 275 yards and a score, leading Stanford to a convincing 24-14 win over the Trojans. The victory kickstarted a five-game win streak that saw Stanford also knock off Washington State, UCLA, Oregon State and Washington in which Plunkett averaged almost 250 passing yards a game with 10 TDs. The stretch helped sway Heisman voters, certainly enough to withstand Stanford’s two late-season losses to No. 16 Air Force and Cal. Stanford had still won the Pac-8 and the balloting reflected Plunkett’s body of work. When the votes came in, Plunkett was a clear winner with 2,229 points, well ahead of Theismann’s 1,410 and Manning’s 849 totals. Plunkett capped his brilliant Heisman season by orchestrating a 27-17 victory over No. 1 Ohio State in the 1971 Rose Bowl, spoiling the Buckeyes’ undefeated season and hopes for a national crown. His career Stanford totals of 530-of-962 passing for 7,544 yards and 52 TDs were all school records, leading to his pick by New England in the ensuing NFL draft. Pro success was initially elusive, however, for Plunkett. A fine rookie season was followed by struggles and injuries, and he was traded to San Francisco in 1976. But his time in a 49er jersey wasn’t the cure and he was released in 1978. Almost retired at 30, the Oakland Raiders took a chance on Plunkett as a back-up in 1978. He didn’t play a down that season and not much more in 1979. Still a reserve in 1980,
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50TH ANNIVERSARY HONOREE
he got his chance when starter Dan Pastorini broke his leg four games into the season. Plunkett took the reins and led the Raiders to the playoffs as a wildcard team, passing for 2,299 yards and 18 touchdowns, and earning NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors. He orchestrated postseason wins over Houston, Cleveland and San Diego to reach the Super Bowl and then led the underdog Raiders—with 261 yards passing and three TDs—to a 27-10 win over the Philadelphia Eagles, earning MVP honors, as Oakland became the first wildcard team to win it all. Three years later, Plunkett earned his second Super Bowl ring as he joined forces with fellow Heisman winner Marcus Allen (’81, USC) in a Los Angeles Raiders 38-9 triumph over Washington. Injuries limited him to just 17 starts between 1984 and 1986 and he missed the entire 1987 season with a shoulder injury ahead of his retirement before the 1988 season. Still, Plunkett remains, with Roger Staubach (’63, Navy), one of only two Heisman-winning QBs to start and win a Super Bowl. Plunkett has spent decades working for the Raiders in the broadcast booth since his playing days, something he does to this day. He has also served as a spokesman at many events hosted by the Raiders and remains a de facto ambassador for the team. Jim Plunkett has been challenged by post-career injuries for some time. In 2018 he joined NFL greats Ronnie Lott and Steve Young as an advisor to TeachAids, an organization that brings awareness and education to young athletes about concussions and other challenges. He remains an icon at both Stanford and the Raider organization and as unique of a Heisman winner as there is.
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EDDIE GEORGE
25TH ANNIVERSARY HONOREE
If you had to fashion Heisman bingo cards featuring the accomplishments of our storied winners, where would you start? You could populate it with boxes for record-breaking performances, national title winners, college All-Americans, 3,000- and 4000-yard passing seasons, 1,500- and 2000-yard rushing seasons, Pro Bowl selections and Super Bowl appearances. Some boxes would include military service, others with careers in academics, some in the financial sector, many in sports broadcasting, others in Hall of Fames and in numerous other areas. And one card would have Broadway star. BINGO! Eddie George, celebrating the 25th anniversary of his 1995 Heisman Trophy, is our only member who could win with that box checked off, not to mention so many of the others mentioned above. With his leading role in various incarnations of Chicago, his nine-year NFL career, starting his own wealth financial services firm, not to mention his time spent in sports broadcasting and public speaking, as well as teaching a class at his alma mater— the Ohio State running back has been a sort of Renaissance man since standing on the Heisman stage on December 9, 1995. George was born and raised in Philadelphia, became a hero in Ohio while starring for the Buckeyes, and is cherished as Nashville’s own following his successful career with the Tennessee Titans. Currently the managing director for Edward George Wealth Management, Eddie George’s many-faceted professional career is as impressive as his rise to Heisman fame. George was raised by his mother, Donna, in Philadelphia. He attended Abington (Pa.) High as a sophomore before transferring to Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy as a junior, where he played three seasons, including a fifth high school year that saw him rush for 1,372 yards in 1991. Though he initially wanted to attend Penn State, the Nittany Lion staff pegged the 6-foot-3, 230-pounder as a linebacker—and hard to blame them. But George wanted to play running back and
signed to play in Columbus, Ohio, where he became a Buckeye contributor right away, combining for 399 rushing yards on 89 carries and eight touchdowns as a freshman and sophomore. He broke out as a junior, starting 11 of Ohio State’s 13 games, averaging 5.2 yards on 276 carries en route to a 1,442-yard, 12-touchdown season to go with 16 receptions as the Buckeyes finished 9–4. Not until he was a senior in 1995, however, did Eddie George truly become a national name on the college football landscape. He opened the season with a 99-yard, two-TD performance against Boston College. George then set an Ohio State record with 12 consecutive games of at least 100 yards. That streak started with a 212-yard, two-TD effort in a win over Washington, continued with 122 yards at Pitt (the only game in which he didn’t score a touchdown) and included a 207-yard, three-TD showing in a win over No. 11 Notre Dame. He rushed for 105 yards and caught five passes in a 28-25 win over No. 13 Penn State the following week and totaled 141 yards and three TDs at Wisconsin. George was gaining steam. He ran for 104 yards and caught five passes in a shutout win over Purdue and then scored four rushing TDs among his 110 rushing yards in a big win over Iowa. He had a huge game at Minnesota, pounding out 178 yards and three TDs against the Gophers to go with season bests of eight catches for 86 receiving yards. That set the stage for his school-record 314 rushing yards (a mark broken this season) on 36 carries in a win over Illinois. He ran for two more scores and caught his first touchdown pass of the season. Eddie gained 130 yards and two TDs in a win over Indiana to help send the Buckeyes into their game at No. 17 Michigan at 11–0. Though he ran for 104 yards and a score to go with five catches for 50 yards against the Wolverines, it wasn’t enough as the Buckeyes fell for the first time, 31-23. George’s incredible body of work, however, was more than enough to sway Heisman voters. He finished the regular season with 1,826 yards on 303 carries, averaging 6.02 yards per attempt with 23 rushing TDs to go with 44 receptions for another 389 yards and one score. He won the Heisman against a strong field, finishing with 1460 points, 264 ahead of Nebraska’s Tommie Frazier while 1996 Heisman
by Paul Goldberg 2020 HEISMAN JOURNAL
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25TH ANNIVERSARY HONOREE
winner Danny Wuerffel (Florida) finished third. George ran for 101 yards in his final game as a Buckeye, finishing the 1995 season with a school-record 1,927 yards rushing while his 47 receptions were a school record for a running back. He completed his career as the second leading rusher in Ohio State history (3,768 yards). George was taken with the 14th pick by the Houston Oilers in the 1996 NFL draft and ran for 1,368 yards during a Rookie-of-the-Year opening act before joining the franchise in its move to Tennessee. He thrived as a Titan, gaining over 1,000 yards in his first four years in Tennessee, highlighted by a monster 1999 season that saw him post career highs with 1,509 rushing yards on 403 carries, 14 rushing TDs and 50 receptions. Tennessee made it to the Super Bowl, coming within a yard of beating the St. Louis Rams. George had two more 1,000-yard seasons with the Titans, played one year for Dallas and retired in 2004 with 10,441 rushing yards, 268 receptions for another 2,227 yards and a combined 78 touchdowns. He started 130 consecutive games, at one point the second-longest streak in NFL history. And then George’s professional life really took off. He returned to school, earning an MBA from Northwestern University in 2009 to help kickstart his business career, complementing his undergraduate degree in landscape architecture. He also had a burgeoning career as a sports broadcaster. But the acting bug he had caught long before (he had been taking acting lessons for years) came to the forefront. He founded the Nashville Shakespeare Festival and Actors by George in 2012 and portrayed Julius Caesar and Othello in the Nashville Shakespeare Festival. That was followed by guest spots on series such as NCIS: Los Angeles and Shooter as well as in movies Best Man Holiday and The Game Plan. In January of 2016, he became a Broadway star, taking on the character of Billy Flynn in the eponymous musical Chicago, a role he continued at various times through 2019. Meanwhile, George also runs Nashville-based EDGE Landscape Architecture, in addition to his wealth management group. He recently became a Music City Baseball board member, helping Nashville in its hopes of bringing a Major League Baseball team to the city. Add to that the time he spent at Ohio State co-teaching a wealth management class titled Leveraging Athletics for Business and Personal Success. He is a Renaissance man, indeed.
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CAM NEWTON
10TH ANNIVERSARY HONOREE
Greatness is defined as superior in quality or character. Outstanding is defined as superior to others of its kind or distinguished. Great athletes often share the same qualities—bigger, stronger, faster. But outstanding athletes transcend the playing field with the ability to lead a team, rally a team, and push their teammates, coaches, and themselves past the limits set by the players and coaches before them. Cameron Newton not only distinguished himself as the most outstanding college football player of 2010, but pushed the limits and recorded one of the greatest statistical seasons ever by a quarterback in the SEC and college football. In the process, he also pushed and led the Auburn Tigers to an undefeated season, capped off by winning a thrilling national championship (BCS) over Oregon. Newton defined himself among a very talented field of players throughout the nation, as well as among a few figures in college football lore, including past Heisman winners, and even the namesake John Heisman himself. As a freshman at Florida, Cam Newton was a backup to Tim Tebow (’07, Florida) who became the first player ever to rush and pass for 20 touchdowns in the same season, en route to winning the Heisman trophy. Three years later, Newton not only became the 2nd player to rush and pass for 20 but did so en route to an undefeated season and the national championship for Auburn University. Twenty-five years ago, Bo Jackson (’85, Auburn) ran for nearly 1800 yards and 17 touchdowns for Auburn in his senior season to take the trophy. And Newton as a quarterback had over 1400 yards on the ground and the aforementioned 20 touchdowns. Both offered career games against rival Alabama, but Newton brought his team back from being down 24 and kept the Tigers win streak alive. Nearly 40 years ago, Pat Sullivan, Auburn’s first Heisman winner (’71), threw for what was at the time and is still considered outstanding—over 2000 yards for 20 touchdowns. On top of his 1400 rushing yards, Newton also passed for over 2500 yards for 28 touchdowns. Over 100 years ago, John Heisman coached at Auburn University. In the years following, he was instrumental in designing plays and legalizing the forward pass, in a time when the game was run-and-kick exclusively. It was a different sport in the 1890s but Cameron Newton would have been an outstanding player then,
by Brian Dombrowski 2020 HEISMAN JOURNAL
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just as he is now. Since that incredible 2010 season, Cam Newton has continued to set records and have success in the NFL. Selected as the first pick of the 2011 NFL draft by the Carolina Panthers, Newton went on to become the first rookie quarterback to throw for over 4,000 yards in a single season and was named NFL’s Rookie of the Year. Newton continued to improve and lead the Panthers each season, though his 2015 season may have been his best. In leading the Panthers to a 15–1 record and a Super Bowl appearance, Newton was not only named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year but also the league MVP. In being named league MVP, he joined Paul Hornung (’56, Notre Dame), OJ Simpson (’68, USC), Earl Campbell (’77, Texas), Marcus Allen (’81, USC), and Barry Sanders (’88, OK State) as the only Heisman winners to also be named NFL MVP (Lamar Jackson (’16, Louisville) has since also been named MVP in 2019). Just as Bo Jackson, Pat Sullivan, and the other members of the Heisman fraternity before and after Cam Newton showcased, the great players rise up amidst adversity and earn the outstanding definition. Newton did not have to emerge from the shadows or echoes of distinguished players from the past. He played, passed, rushed and got knocked down. Newton rose up to earn the right to stand among them as one of the greats to play the game at all levels. As the 76th Heisman Memorial Trophy winner Cam Newton was, and continues to be, simply outstanding.
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JACKSON ATWOOD
MARIA BARELA
MAYA BRYSON
JUSTICE FLORA
JACLYN GRISDALE
MATTHEW JENNINGS
KATHRYN LYONS
BRIGID MCCABE
AUSTIN MONTINI
CAROLINE ORCUTT
OWEN TREECE
GRAHM TUOHY-GAYDOS
Central Valley High School Veradale, WA
Charles Herbert Flowers High School Springdale, MD
Hampton Park Christian School Greenville, SC
Fort Walton Beach High School Fort Walton Beach, FL
Eldorado High School Albuquerque, NM
Poland Seminary High School Poland, OH
Notre Dame School New York, NY
Van Wert High School Van Wert, OH
Wilson High School Long Beach, CA
Haddam-Killingworth High School Higganum, CT
Oak Hall School Gainsville, FL
Green Mountain High School Lakewood, CO
2020 MEET OUR OUTSTANDING 2020 NATIONAL FINALISTS From its inception in 1994, the Heisman High School Scholarship program has leveraged the reputation of the Heisman Memorial Trophy as a symbol of great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard work. The program extends the Heisman prestige to the nation’s most esteemed high school seniors, by celebrating and rewarding outstanding male and female scholar-athletes who understand that the most important victories happen not only on the field, but also in their schools and communities. This year the Heisman Trophy Trust was proud to partner with Acceptance Insurance, a leading provider of personal automobile insurance and other related products. As part of the partnership, Acceptance Insurance will serve as the presenting sponsor of the Heisman High School Scholarship program. The global pandemic altered many aspects of the high school experience for the class of 2021. But one thing it cannot change is the spirit of a true winner. In these unprecedented times, schools and communities have relied on the courage and determination of student leaders, perhaps more than ever. And across the nation, this year’s graduating class has risen to the occasion, finding new ways to set the example while supporting and inspiring their peers and neighbors. Our senior scholar-athletes have been forced to make many sacrifices during the crisis, but being recognized and rewarded for their remarkable accomplishments to date will not be one of the them. This year, The Heisman Trophy Trust along with Acceptance Insurance proudly continued the 26-year tradition of recognizing the most distinguished community-
minded high school scholar athletes across the country through the Heisman High School Scholarship. In conjunction with our new partnership, Acceptance Insurance simultaneously unveiled the Acceptance Pledge, a movement outlining and promoting a way for people to find common ground, listen and understand each other. By inviting students to share their stories of leadership and impact, the Heisman High School Scholarship program aims to inspire all students to harness their potential, push their limits, and use their talents to improve their communities and the world around them as they advance their own futures. From thousands of students, we narrowed down the list to find the best of the best—twelve finalists who have achieved remarkable personal accomplishments while understanding that the most important victories happen not only on the field, but in their schools and communities. These community-minded all-stars lead on the field and off, giving 110% every day to make a game-changing difference. This year the Heisman High School Scholarship winners are Caroline Orcutt from Fort Walton Beach High School in Fort Walton Beach, Florida and Grahm Tuohy-Gaydos from Green Mountain High School in Lakewood, Colorado. The Heisman Trophy Trust is proud to celebrate Caroline and Grahm for their impressive accomplishments, leadership, community service and, in particular, their perseverance throughout the pandemic.
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SIMPLY
“I strive to weave a lasting positive impact in the tapestry of life.” 22 2020 HEISMAN JOURNAL
2020 NATIONAL WINNER
Caroline Orcutt
Fort Walton Beach High School Fort Walton Beach, Florida
UNSTOPPABLE
Just before the pandemic cut the season short for many high school teams, Caroline Orcutt won the youth event at the 2020 USA Pentathlon National Selection competition. It was not her first time competing and winning at the Olympic level. She represented the United States as a member of the Pentathlon National Team at the 2019 Youth World Championships, and she won an individual bronze medal at the 2018 Youth Pan American Championships. She has also been a member of the Florida Olympic Development Program state soccer team. With 15 varsity letters earned across multiple sports, Caroline is a born competitor. While losing a season to COVID-19 has been demoralizing for many athletes at all levels, Caroline simply found a way to continue enjoying her love of sports. She volunteered as a swim coach, an experience she says allows her to share the value of hard work and perseverance with other athletes.
Limitations, injuries, and setbacks are givens. Getting back up, and digging back in, are the keys to excellence.
Caroline didn’t let COVID-19 stand in the way of her commitment to community service, either. She has 1,074 service hours to her name. But she is most proud of the Viking Welcome program she founded at her current high school. “Growing up in a military family, I’m intimately familiar with being the new student adrift in a sea of nameless faces,” she says of her experience attending nearly a dozen different schools as her family has moved across the globe to accommodate her father’s service to our nation. Caroline created the program to welcome new families with a variety of student-led events. When the pandemic threatened to shut down her work, she took the program online, partnering with other volunteers to bridge the isolation of COVID-19 by reaching out individually to over 150 new students and families through Zoom orientation events, email, phone calls, welcome folders, and a video school tour. “Easing their transition brings me more joy than any accolade.” School and sports have resumed for many student-athletes. But Caroline now faces a personal challenge that could sideline her once again: she suffered a grade three sprain during a soccer game that could impact her training and ability to compete in her senior seasons of swimming of cross country. “Although devastating, this experience has taught me the value of character in the face of adversity,” she says. And whether or not she can be on the track or in the pool, as a team captain, she is committed to staying involved by motivating and supporting her fellow athletes however she can. Caroline says, “The only concept that remains certain is the uncertainty in life.” But she will continue doing all she can, in any way she can, to ensure her own success and that of those around her. “We are not promised tomorrow, but we can live for today.”
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2020 NATIONAL WINNER
Grahm Tuohy-Gaydos Green Mountain High School Lakewood, Colorado
LEVELING THE
Ensuring sports are accessible to everyone is central to this All-American’s legacy.
Grahm Tuohy-Gaydos has competed and succeeded at the highest levels in both academics and sports. In addition to being valedictorian of his class, Grahm is a snowshoe racing national champion, All-American, course record holder, and a member of the U.S. national team. He is a past member of the U.S. Development Team for Triathlon and has been ranked the best under-19-year-old triathlete in the nation not once, but three times. He is a conference and state champion in various sports. And while he is without a doubt an elite competitor, he is passionately committed to ensuring that sports are accessible to anyone and everyone who wants to give them a try. In the fall of 2019, Grahm was selected as Chairman of the Youth Diversity and Inclusivity National Conference sponsored by the Colorado High School Activities Association. He led a 23-person committee made up of students from the across his state to promote sports as a positive, unbiased institution offering a supportive atmosphere for all. Recognized as the first summit of its kind in the country, it was to be held in September 2020 with 350 student athletes in attendance. When COVID-19 made that impossible, it “allowed us to rethink and adapt our plan to convert it into an online forum,” says Grahm. “We are now able to expand it nationally in scope and promote our message of inclusivity across the country.”
While Grahm says the summit has “forever changed my perceptions and beliefs and molded me to better understand the barriers society has created,” inclusion has always been a priority. After a terrible experience as a sophomore competing on a team where the senior leaders allowed cliques, hazing, and general disrespect, he resolved to change the game when he became a leader himself. He brought together the upperclassman to “set goals, organize events, recruit new athletes, and build a team-first mindset where everyone cheered and we all won together.” When the pandemic hit, he didn’t let that quell the new environment he had helped create. Instead, he launched a positivity campaign with his teammates to keep the school community united and show gratitude for the teachers. It was such a successful program that other local schools adopted it. “The upheaval caused by COVID-19 has allowed me the opportunity to evaluate my priorities and understand what it means to be an athlete and teammate that can contribute in a positive way and effect change in those around me,” Grahm says. Through his passion, efforts, and ongoing commitment, Grahm is championing that change every day.
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PLAYING FIELD
“Running is more than just racing. It is part of who I am.”
Honoring Game Changers on and off the field
Acceptance Insurance extends a heartfelt congratulations to the 2020 scholar-athletes who showed their excellence in the classroom, on the field, and in their communities.
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Š2021 First Acceptance Corp. All Rights Reserved.
HEISMAN
2020
The Heisman Humanitarian Award was established in 2006 to honor outstanding professionals in the sporting world who make tremendous contributions to their communities and uphold the values and principles of the Heisman Trophy Trust.
HEISMAN HUMANITARIANS
Humanitarian
KRISTI YAMAGUCHI Kristi Yamaguchi is known for hard work and dedication throughout her figure skating career. In 1986, she won her first U.S. Championship title with doubles partner Rudy Galindo, another World Juniors Championship two years later, and back-to-back seniors titles in 1989 and 1990. Yamaguchi then focused on singles skating and won the World Championship in 1991 and 1992 and a gold medal in the 1992 Winter Olympics. She was inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1998, the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1999, and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2005.
TM
2019
In 1996, Kristi founded the Always Dream Foundation to support underprivileged and disabled children through summer camps, after-school programs, holiday parties and financial support for back-to-school supplies. As a mother of two daughters and a children’s book author herself, Yamaguchi understands the crucial role that books play in children’s literacy development, so she shifted the focus of her foundation to improving early childhood literacy. Always Dream provides high-quality books through digital tablets or physical copies to foster children’s love for reading and increase family engagement. To date, the Always Dream Foundation has served over 10,000 students and partnered with 26 schools in California, Arizona and Hawaii, providing 21st century technology and literacy resources. www.alwaysdream.org
MARK TEIXEIRA Mark Teixeira played 14 seasons with Major League Baseball for the Rangers, Braves, Angels, and Yankees. He was a three-time All-Star and a 2009 World Series Champion. He finished his career with 409 home runs and finished second in the 2009 MVP race. Teixeira has long been serious about giving back to the communities in which he has lived and played. After signing his first Major League Baseball contract, he endowed a scholarship at his high school in honor of a friend who had been killed in a car accident. He also set up a charitable fund that supported six scholarships at three high schools in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Teixeira currently serves as a board member for The Emerald Corridor Foundation, which works to build and restore safe green spaces and waterways in Northwest Atlanta. The organization helps strengthen the community via education, job training, and employment opportunities. And, since his days with the Yankees, Teixeira has been a stalwart supporter of DREAM, a local New York nonprofit that has also been supported by the Heisman Trophy Trust. DREAM is a youth development organization that uses the power of teams to inspire inner-city youth to recognize their potential and realize their dreams through its school, after-school, and summer programs.
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ERNIE ELS Ernie Els is one of the most accomplished golfers in the world, with 72 career victories, including four major championships—two at the U.S. Open and two at The Open Championship. He is also a seven-time winner of the World Match Play Championship, and was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame his first time on the ballot in 2010. Inspired by their son’s 2009 autism diagnosis, Ernie Els and his wife, Liezl created the Els for Autism Foundation which offers innovative, evidence-based programs for families and individuals across the life-span, in six focus areas: Education, Research, Global Support, Recreation Services, Adult Services and Therapy Services. The Els for Autism Foundation serves families around the world, and also offers in-person programs and services at The Els Center of Excellence in Jupiter, Florida.
2017
“When my wife Liezl and I started the Foundation back in 2009, our son Ben had just been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder,” Els explains. “From the beginning, our goal has been to create The Center of Excellence as an example of what can be available to individuals on the spectrum. The Center has all the essential components on one campus, which makes it easier for families. It’s a game changer for the local and international autism community.” www.elsforautism.org
ALAN PAGE A star defensive lineman for Notre Dame, Alan Page played for teams that went a combined 25-4-1 while winning the 1966 national title. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings and led them to four Super Bowls, and in 1971 he became the first defensive player to win the NFL’s MVP award. While playing for the Vikings he earned his law degree at the University of Minnesota. After his retirement from football in 1981, Page joined the state attorney general’s office before becoming the Assistant Attorney General. In 1992 he was elected an associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court—the first African-American to hold a statewide elected office in Minnesota. He was re-elected three times before retiring in 2015.
2016
Founded in 1988 by Alan and his wife Diane, the Page Education Foundation’s programs help to financially support college students’ academic goals while fostering positive mentor relationships and encouraging role models for children. In return for their scholarship, grant recipients provide fifty hours of volunteer mentoring and tutoring to children in grades K–8. In 32 years, $15 million in Page Grants have been awarded to 7,500 students who have studied at over 100 post-secondary schools across Minnesota and another 40 at Notre Dame. To date, Page Scholars have volunteered over 435,000 hours of community service. www.page-ed.org
BOOMER ESIASON Former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason is the most visible national figure in the fight against cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening, genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive systems of 30,000 children and adults in the United States. Throughout his career in professional sports and the media, Esiason has been a committed and active participant in many charitable causes, but he began focusing on cystic fibrosis in 1993 when his son, Gunnar, was diagnosed with the disease.
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In 1994, Esiason launched the Boomer Esiason Foundation, a dynamic partnership of leaders in the medical and business communities joining with a committed core of volunteers to heighten awareness, education and quality of life for those affected by cystic fibrosis, while providing financial support to research aimed at finding a cure. Since its inception, the Boomer Esiason Foundation has raised more than $115 million to support research toward a cure for CF, as well as programs directly benefiting the CF community. The Foundation has touched many lives by providing hospital grants, transplant grants, scholarships, education, and awareness of CF. Because of their and others’ tireless commitment, the median age of CF patients has risen to nearly forty years old. www.esiason.org
H E I SM A N H UM A N I TAR I AN S
JOE TORRE Joe Torre has become one of the faces of baseball over the course of more than a halfcentury in the game. Despite a successful fifteen-year playing career that included several All-Star selections and the 1971 MVP, Torre is best remembered as one of the most successful managers of all-time. Torre won four World Series rings in five years with the New York Yankees in the late ’90s, and the team reached the playoffs in each of his twelve seasons in the Bronx.
2014
In 2002, Torre and his wife Ali founded the Safe at Home Foundation, dedicated to ending the cycle of domestic violence. Inspired by Torre’s own childhood spent living in an abusive home, Safe at Home has launched national awareness campaigns and established in-school initiatives—called Margaret’s Place, in honor of Torre’s mother—that provide children with a safe space and a professional counselor trained in domestic violence intervention. Safe At Home has 15 Margaret’s Place program sites across the country that each year provide services to more than 13,000 young people ages 11 through 18 in schools and community-based settings, many of whom are impacted by trauma and violence in their homes, schools, and communities. www.joetorre.org
DAVID ROBINSON
2013
David Robinson’s charitable efforts are just as admirable as his achievements on the court. Beginning at the Gates Elementary School in San Antonio in 1991, he offered a $2,000 scholarship to every fifth grader who finished high school and attended college. He kept his pledge, and in 1998, even quadrupled his donation, awarding $8,000 to each student who received a diploma. Soon after his initial commitment to the Gates Elementary students, David and his wife Valerie founded the David Robinson Foundation. In 2000, the foundation raised $9 million to create the Carver Academy, an independent pre-K through eighth grade school for the underserved population of East San Antonio. Robinson received the Patriot Award, the highest award given by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, which in 2000, was presented to professional athletes to recognize the important role that sport plays in military morale. Robinson also encourages other celebrities to utilize their respective platforms for the greater good. He cofounded the Admiral Capital Group in 2007, and in 2008 he created The Admiral Center, which helps celebrities find the right cause to support, using their influence to bring attention and action. In 2012, the Robinsons partnered with IDEA charter schools to include Carver Academy in the IDEA charter network. www.admiralcapitalgroup.com
JEFF GORDON Jeff Gordon is a four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and one of the world’s most recognizable drivers. He began racing at the age of five and had won 35 main events by age six. With 86 career wins, he ranks third on the all-time wins list.
2012
Inspired by his crew chief’s son’s battle with leukemia Jeff established the Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation in 1999, to aid in the fight against pediatric cancer. In 2007 he founded the Jeff Gordon Children’s Hospital in Concord, NC, serving children in the community with a high level of primary and specialty pediatric care, regardless of their ability to pay. What started as a small project driven by one special child has grown into an organization that has raised more than $19 million for children’s health organizations. In 2011, Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation extended its efforts, bringing pediatric cancer care to Rwanda, Africa. With the Foundation’s support, organizations are able to improve patients’ quality of life, provide essential treatments, and conduct medical research. The Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation has contributed over $16 million to support children battling cancer. www.jeffgordonchildrensfoundation.org
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MARTY LYONS Marty Lyons was selected by the New York Jets in the first round of the 1979 NFL draft, following a successful career as an All-American defensive tackle at the University of Alabama, where he helped lead the team to a National Championship in 1978. Lyons played eleven memorable seasons with the Jets as a member of the famed “New York Sack Exchange,” one of the top defensive lines in NFL history. While still active as a player, he established The Marty Lyons Foundation to fulfill the special wishes of children diagnosed with a terminal or life-threatening illness. Since 1982, The Marty Lyons Foundation has brought much-needed joy to children and families nationwide, with 10 chapters granting wishes in 13 states. To date they have granted more than 8,000 wishes. www.martylyonsfoundation.org
2011 WARRICK DUNN Warrick Dunn was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12th overall in the 1997 NFL draft. He was named AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1997 and earned three Pro Bowl selections in his career. He played for the Atlanta Falcons from 2002 to 2007 between stints in Tampa Bay. After his NFL career, Dunn took a stake in the Falcons’ ownership group led by Arthur Blank and is a minority owner of the team.
2010
Warrick founded Homes for the Holidays (HFTH) in 1997 to honor his late mother’s dream of homeownership. The program partners with local community organizations to reduce the burden on new, single parent homeowners by fully furnishing their new house, providing downpayment assistance checks, and stocking the pantry with food. Today, Warrick Dunn Charities has expanded from HFTH into three additional programs: Count on Your Future, Sculpt, and Hearts for Community Service Scholarships. Together, the programs are dedicated to strengthening and transforming communities by combating poverty, hunger, and improving the quality of lives for families academically, socially, and economically. www.wdc.org
MIA HAMM Mia Hamm is widely regarded as one of the best female soccer players of all time. In 1987, at age fifteen, Hamm became the youngest woman to play with the U.S. National Team. She won two Olympic gold medals, an Olympic silver medal, two FIFA World Cups, and four NCAA National Championships with the University of North Carolina. She was a founding member of the Women’s United Soccer Association and led the Washington Freedom to the Founder’s Cup. Hamm has won numerous awards on and off the field, including ESPN’s ESPY Awards for Female Athlete of the Year and Soccer Player of the Year.
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Hamm established the Mia Hamm Foundation after her brother Garrett passed away due to complications of aplastic anemia. The foundation focuses on raising funds and awareness for families in need of marrow or cord blood transplants, and also expanding opportunities for young women in sports. Mia is a pioneer in her sport and a role model for athletes and fans who believe in equal opportunity, Title IX legislation, and the love of the game. www.miafoundation.org
H E I SM A N H UM A N I TAR I AN S
PAT LAFONTAINE Hockey legend Pat LaFontaine founded Companions in Courage in 1997. CiC raises funds to build interactive playrooms in hospitals throughout North America. Through innovative communication tools, these playrooms replace the isolation of a hospital with a connection to family, friends, and even celebrities. Companions in Courage believes that no child in the fight for life or health should ever have to go through it alone. The foundation aims to give courage, friendship, compassion, and support to children and families who are overcoming life-threatening illness, by providing a space to play and connect.
2008
CiC has also been selected by Microsoft to administer a program delivering mobile XBox 360 kiosks to patients bedsides throughout North America. Through the generosity of “companions,” innovative communications tools introduce technology to the healing process and improve the hospital experience for all patients by giving them “courage.” The Companions in Courage Foundation partners with some of the best and brightest technology firms to provide resources that benefit pediatric patients and their families. By introducing technology to the healing process, CiC impacts more than 50,000 pediatric patients per year. www.CiC16.org
GEORGE MARTIN George Martin anchored the New York Giants defense as a defensive end from 1975–88. He served as co-captain of the Giants Super Bowl championship team in 1986, and as president of the National Football League Players Association. Following his football career, Martin became a successful business executive.
2007
Martin lost several friends in the attacks of 9/11 and, in the aftermath, learned of the thousands of rescue and recovery workers suffering health-related illnesses resulting from their service at Ground Zero. In response he founded A Journey for 9/11, a nonprofit initiative to raise awareness and funds for their medical treatment. In September 2007 Martin began a charitable cross-country walk from New York City to San Diego, finishing on June 21, 2008. In total, Martin walked 3,003 miles through 13 states and Washington, D.C., wearing out 27 pairs of sneakers and 413 sets of socks, losing 41 pounds, and gaining countless friends and much support for his initiative. He raised the equivalent of several million dollars in funds and medical monitoring and treatment. Hackensack University Medical Center, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health Systems, and Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City matched the financial donations in medical services. Though Martin’s walk is over, his advocacy for the ailing heroes still continues.
JOEY CHEEK Joey Cheek, Olympic gold medalist and active philanthropist, was the first recipient of the Heisman Humanitarian Award. In 2006, after winning the Olympic gold medal in the men’s 500 speed skating, Cheek donated his $25,000 medal bonus to Right to Play—an international humanitarian organization that uses sports to empower children in underprivileged countries. Right To Play programs are implemented in 15 countries throughout the world, using sports to teach children about teamwork, fair play, conflict resolution, self-esteem, communication, commitment, respect, and integrity. Right To Play is committed to improving the lives of children and strengthening their communities by translating the best practices of sport and play into opportunities to promote development, health, and peace.
2006
Cheek also co-founded Team Darfur, with UCLA water polo player Brad Greiner. Team Darfur was an international coalition of athletes committed to raising awareness about the crisis in Darfur, Sudan, which attracted much attention leading up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Cheek is a 2001 graduate of Princeton University, where he studied economics and Chinese.
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HEISMAN
2020
Special Charity Report When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country, the many charities that the Heisman Trust supports had to transition to new operating procedures to continue to serve their constituents safely. We asked several of the non-profit organizations that the Heisman Trust supports, through the Heisman Fund for Youth Development at New York Community Trust, how they have adapted to meet the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. On the following pages are excerpts of their responses:
New Heights Youth | East Harlem, NY
“As the pandemic emerged, New Heights created an Adaptive Program Model to deliver services remotely, including Zoom-based workouts, online tutoring, a virtual summer day camp and workshops that addressed social-emotional learning, nutrition, college prep and social justice. Our team of coaches and program staff ramped up engagement with student-athletes and their families to ensure that we were providing support during very challenging times. Many of our participants come from underserved neighborhoods, which is why New Heights made every effort to offer stability and hope to keep them on track and moving forward toward their athletic and academic goals.” Ted Smith, Executive Director
DREAM | East Harlem, NY
“Since spring, DREAM has provided families with free technology and PPE, weekly fresh produce and meal kits, and direct financial assistance. After delivering a slate of virtual summer programs, DREAM is now offering both in-person and remote instruction and daily afterschool programming that lives up to our standards of excellence for providing the extended-day, extended-year, whole-child educational experience that is at the core of DREAM’s mission.” Richard Berlin, Executive Director
Madison Square Boys & Girls Club The Bronx, Brooklyn & Harlem, NY
“With input from families, Madison launched virtual programs, and since the summer, has been successfully running socially distant in-person activities during the school day and afterschool. We have also introduced a food pantry to help combat the rampant food insecurity among our families.” Tim McChristian, Executive Director
Row New York | East Harlem, Brooklyn & Flushing, NY “By offering an in-person socially distanced rowing program, virtual academic workshops and college advising sessions, one-on-one counseling, and special events, Row New York has continued to ensure that our student-athletes remain strong, connected, and on track to graduate high school and succeed in college.” Rachel Cyton, Executive Director
Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester | Mount Kisco, NY “We never closed our doors. We transitioned into an emergency childcare center for first responders and health care workers while serving our traditional constituencies. We increased our hours and transformed into an onsite remote programming center so kids could have a safe place with 4 meals a day, while remoting into their school virtual classes. We distributed over 190,000 lbs of food to over 3,000 people in 10 weeks. Our kids shared that the exercise programming at the Club was the only thing that has remained normal in their lives, reducing stress and having fun.” Alyzza C. Ozer, Esq., Chief Executive Officer
Boys & Girls Club of Bellport | Long Island, NY “During this unprecedented time, our organization took the charge of providing virtual programming, nutrition, and social distance programming for our youth most in need. Because of supporters like the Heisman Trophy Trust we have kept our doors open during the global pandemic and helped essential workers by providing their children with safe care at our Club. We have provided over three thousand meals to over 400 members who are in our programs. Thank you for your support!” Sybil Wells, Executive Director
Figure Skating in Harlem | Harlem, NY “With the daily challenges our students faced, we knew it was essential to supercharge our efforts and pivot swiftly from in-person sports and education to a meaningful virtual platform, focused intensively on our students’ social, emotional and physical health. FSH became that ultimate safe, consistent refuge from uncertainty where students could stay focused on their brighter futures with expanded college access, one-on-one tutoring and mentoring.” Sharon Cohen, Founder & CEO
Peter Westbrook Foundation | Manhattan, NY “We adapted by providing virtual instruction and upgrading to LearnCube virtual classroom software, which also allowed us to continue, and expand, our program offerings into the 2020–21 school year. The transition to virtual training and teaching has also had the unintended positive benefit of introducing new ways to reach more students with our programming. Our instructional staff are considering how we might continue to use some pieces of our remote learning models even when we return to in-person sessions.” Peter Westrbook, Executive Director
I Challenge Myself The Bronx & Manhattan, NY “I Challenge Myself continues to adapt and change our program model to meet the needs of our students and families. We moved our cycling and fitness programs online. During the summer we hosted a hiking/walking program that provided middle school students with Fitbits to track their steps as they visited different sites in their neighborhood. This fall we piloted our first intergenerational learn-toride bike program.” Ana Reyes, Founder & Executive Director
Rocking the Boat | The Bronx, NY “With the Heisman Trophy Youth Development Fund’s generous support, Rocking the Boat’s completely reimagined Sailing Program succeeded under difficult circumstances. Rocking the Boat proudly maintained its commitment to serving participants with a consistent schedule of remote programming that kept our student body intact and in touch.” Adam Green, Executive Director
Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club | The Bronx, NY “When COVID-19 hit our community, our staff engaged our young people through online platforms and kept them connected to the Club. When neighborhood residents were struggling to put food on the table, we opened four food pantry sites and distributed healthy groceries to 3,800 households. We have now been able to open our doors and welcome our young people back for socially distanced recreation, sports, and games.” Daniel Quintero, Executive Director
Madison Square Boys & Girls Club | The Bronx, Brooklyn & Harlem, NY “With input from families, Madison launched virtual programs, and since the summer, has been successfully running socially distant in-person activities during the school day and afterschool. We have also introduced a food pantry to help combat the rampant food insecurity among our families.” Tim McChristian, Executive Director
South Bronx United | South Bronx, NY “We distributed laptops to students without technology access, hosted bilingual webinars to increase awareness of government and community resources, and worked with a city program to distribute $50,000 to families who were ineligible for other forms of relief. South Bronx United also rolled out remote programs in April, including daily academic tutoring, college prep sessions, team building, and virtual soccer training sessions.” Andrew So, Executive Director
Advisory | Tax | Audit
Grassi congratulates the
Heisman Trophy Trust on their
86th Anniversary
Lisa Rispoli, CPA, AEP, TEP
516.336.2444 | lrispoli@grassicpas.com
David M. Rottkamp, CPA
212.223.5046 | drottkamp@grassicpas.com
Rock the Boat
After-School All-Stars
Special Olympics
The Heisman Trophy Trust has proudly supported the following organizations and their charitable missions 52nd Street Project A Journey for 9/11 Achilles International Adaptive Sports Program of Ohio Alan Ameche Foundation All Stars Helping Kids Allies in Service ALS Therapy Development Institute Always Dream Foundation America Scores New York American Cancer Society - Elizabeth, NJ American Express American Legion Post #138 American Red Cross American Red Cross - South Florida Region American Softball Ara Parseghian Foundation Archie and Bonita Griffin Scholarship Fund Army Ranger Lead The Way Fund Athletes & Entertainers for Kids Athlife Foundation, Inc.-Irvington High School Believe in Kids Foundation Beth Israel Medical Center Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Desert BIG Vision Foundation Billy Sims Foundation Bloomingdale Family Program Bob Woodruff Foundation Boomer Esiason Foundation Boy Scouts of America-Greenwich Council, CT Boy Scout Troop 1084 Boys & Girls Club of Alachua County Boys & Girls Club of America Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell, Inc Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester Boys & Girls Club of Brazos Valley Boys & Girls Club of Newark Boys and Girls Club of Paterson and Pasaic Boys & Girls Club of South Central Kansas Boys and Girls Club of St. Joseph Boys Club of New York Bridge Builders Community Partnership Broadway Cares Brooklyn Boatworks Brooklyn Community Services
Brooklyn Heights Association Brooklyn Jesuit Prep Brooklyn Youth Sports Club C2 Mission Camden Schools Foundation Cardinal Shehan Center Catholic Charities Maine- St. Louis Child Development Center Catholic Charities, Archdioces of NY (CYO) Cavett Kids Foundation Center for the Homeless Center for Therapeutic Riding of the East End Cerebral Palsy of Westchester Cesar & Ilusión Millan Foundation Chess in the Schools Child Abuse Prevention Program Child and Family Services of Newport County Children’s Cancer Center Childrens Hospital of New Jersey City Care City Harvest, Inc. City Meals-On-Wheels City University of New York Columbia University Medical Center Committee for SHARC Common Ground Montgomery Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Inc. Community Funds, Inc Community Preparatory School Community Rowing, Inc Companions in Courage Foundation Concussion Legacy Foundation (formerly Sports Legacy Institute) Cooke Center for Learning & Development Cookies for Kids’ Cancer CoSIDA Creative Arts Alliance Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity Dancing Classrooms NYC Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption David Robinson Foundation Dawkins Family Foundation Desire Street Ministries Diabetes Research Institute Foundation Dickinson ISD Education Foundation Disabled and Limbless Veterans, Inc. Disabled Sports USA Doc Wayne Youth Services
DOMUS Domus Pacis Family Respite Donors Choose Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism DREAM (formerly Harlem RBI) Driven Foundation Dr John E. Upledger Foundation, Inc. Dynamite Youth Center Foundation, Inc. East Harlem Tutorial Program East Hartford Public Schools East Texas Communities Foundation Economic Opportunity Program Elevate New York Els for Autism Emerging Scholars Program Empire Dragon Boat Team - Breast Cancer Survivors Epworth Children’s Home Ernie Els Foundation Escambia County Public Schools Foundation Ethos Education Group Faith & Family Foundation at Wheatland Farms Family Farms of NE Fla. - The Parent Help Center FCS Urban Ministries Fellowship of Christian Athletes, N. Central Fla Figure Skating in Harlem First Descents First Tee of Metro NY Friends of Glastonbury Sports. Inc. Friends of Grace Church School Friends of the Children FSU Foundation, Inc. Future Foundations Family Center G.B. Charities George Rogers Foundation of the Carolinas Give and Learn Give Me A Chance Foundation Grants-Milan Rotary Foundation Inc. Guiding Eyes for the Blind Habitat for Humanity International HALOS Hand in Hand Harlem Lacrosse and Leadership HBC Foundation Inc Heroes’ Movement Hillsborough High School JROTC Program Holtz Charitable Foundation Hope Street Kids Horace Mann
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American Youth Table Tennis
Horizons at the Rumson Country Day School Hospice Brazos Valley Hudson County Child Abuse Prevention Center Hudson River Community Sailing Hunter College Foundation, Inc. IMG Student-Athlete Foundation Independent Group Home Living Program, Inc. International Rescue Committee Island Harvest Israel Community Service Program, Inc. Jameis Winston’s Dream Forever Foundation JFCS of the Suncoast, Inc JSerra Catholic High School Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation Joe Burrow Hunger Relief Fund Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation Johnny Rodgers Youth Foundation Jonathan’s Place Jordan-Jackson Group Homes Journey to New Life, Inc. Jubilee Park & Community Center Judeo Christian Health Clinic Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation KIDS, Inc. Kingston City School District Koinonia Foster Homes & Family Services Last Prisoner Project Leake & Watts Services, Inc. Lighthouse Tabernacle of 7th Day AdventistsHappy Hearts Summer Day Camp Loyola High School LUCY Outreach LUNGevity Foundation Lupus Foundation of America Madison4Kids, Inc. Madison Square Boys & Girls Club Maine Adaptive Sports & Recreation Maine-Niles Association of Special Recreation Manchester Public Schools Manhattan Youth Recreation & Resources March of Dimes, Oklahoma Chapter Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation Mark E Beban Foundation Mark Ingram Foundation Marquis Studios Marty Lyons Foundation Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association Matt Leinart Foundation Maumee City Schools McGuire Memorial Foundation
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Beat the Streets
Melanoma Research Foundation Memorial Sloan Kettering Mercy Center of the Bronx Mia Hamm Foundation Miami Public Schools Mike Rozier Cancer Foundation Millard North High School Minnie’s Food Pantry Minority Athletes Network Etc., Inc Misericordia Home Molloy College Monmouth Medical Center Foundation Monsignor Bonner High School Motiv8 Foundation Inc. Mount Sinai Medical Center Mr Robbins Neighborhood Muscular Dystrophy Association of LA Mustang Booster Club National Football Foundation National MS Society / Pro Player Foundation National Theatre Workshop of the Handicapped NC Governor’s School Foundation Nebraska Greats Foundation New Alternatives for Children, Inc. New Haven Gridiron Club New Heights Youth New York City Mission Society New York Community Trust New York Foundling New York Legal Assistance Group New York-Presbyterian Hospital North Mianus Bulldogs NYU Lutheran Medical Center Ocean Drive Presbyterian Church Ohio State Alumni Association Opportunity Knocks Orange Bowl Committee Foundation Orange Duffel Bag Initiative Our Kids of Miami-Dade/Monroe Inc. P.I.L.O.T. Services Pacific Islands Athletic Alliance Packer Collegiate Institute Page Education Foundation PALS Program Pathways Home Health & Hospice Paul Bear Bryant Scholarship Fund Peter Westbrook Foundation Playgrounds For All Kids, Inc. Point Lookout Little League Power Play NYC
Prep For Prep Prestonwood Christian Academy Inc. Project City Kids PS 130 The Parkside School Quality Life Center of Southwest Florida Inc. Recreation Unlimited Red Hook Initiative Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma Right To Play Robert Packard Center for ALS Research at Johns Hopkins Rogosin Institute Ronald McDonald House of Tulsa, Inc. Roosevelt Union Free School District Row New York Roy Hill Driven Foundation Rusty Staub Foundation Saco Food Pantry, Inc. Sacred Heart Academy Saint Andre Home Saint Anthony’s High School Saint Camillus School Salisbury Family Services Salt Lake Education Foundation Samford University Athletic Foundation Satellite Athletic Association Saving Mothers Say Yes to Education Scholarship Fund of MOAA Schools That Can Sea Haven Sean Dawkins Memorial Fund Seton Foundation for Learning Shelter for the Homeless, Inc. Shepherds Inc. Sister Visitor Foundation Sistercare, Inc. Smilow Cancer Hospital - Yale New Haven Health Snack & Friends Soccer Without Borders Solo Foundation South Bronx United South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Southern Youth Sports Association Special Friends Foundation, Inc. Special Olympics Colorado Special Olympics Connecticut Special Olympics South Carolina Special Olympics Texas
City Squash
I-Tri
Spin Enterprises Sports Legacy Institute St. Aedan’s Church, Connecticut St. Joseph High School St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital St. Laurence Church St. Patrick’s School St. Vincent de Paul Society Standing Tall Charitable Foundation Steve Owens Foundation Stonehill College - Tim Coughlin Fund Strang Cancer Prevention Center Strang Cancer Research Laboratory StreetSquash, Inc. Summer on the Hill Program Summerhill Community Ministries Support for People with Oral and Head Cancers Synergy Alternative High School Tamassee DAR School Taylor Haugen Foundation, Inc. Team Steady Buckets TeamMates Mentoring Program Texas A&M University 12th Man Foundation The Louisville Urban League Inc Thunderbird Clubhouse-Oklahoma
Play Rugby USA
Tim Brown Foundation Tim Tebow Foundation Torretta Foundation Travis Mannion Foundation TriArts Sharon Playhouse Tri-Town Youth Services Troy Smith Foundation Trustees University of Pennsylvania Tuesday’s Children Tyler Bernstein Memorial Foundation UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Hartford (Camp Harkness) United Cerebral Palsy of New York City United States Olympic Museum United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut United Way of Miami-Dade Counties United Way of the Capital Area, CT United Ways of Alabama (Bo Jackson’s Bike for Bama) Unleashed Uplifting Athletes Urban Promise Trenton U.S. Naval Academy Foundation USO
The New York Community Trust was proud to support the following organizations via the Heisman Trophy Fund for Youth Development Achilles International After-School All-Stars America Scores New York American Youth Table Tennis Organization AthLife Foundation Beat The Streets Blazin Youth Academy Boys and Girls Club of the Bellport Area
V Foundation for Cancer Research Vail Veterans Program VFW Post 4321 Visitation Catholic School Vista Center Warrick Dunn Family Foundation Washington HS Quarterback Club Waterside School Weill Cornell Medical Center Wellness in the Schools Wendy Hilliard Foundation Westbury Christian School Western DuPage Special Recreation Foundation Winchester Sports Foundation Winterkids Inc. Wolf Run Village, Inc. Wounded EOD Warrior Foundation Write On Sports WUCD Education Fund Wuerffel Trophy, Inc Xavier High School YIVO Institute for Jewish Research YMCA of Greater NY Yonkers Partners in Education Youth Sailing Foundation of Indian River County
Boys and Girls Club of Metro Queens Boys and Girls Club of Northern Westchester Boys & Girls Club of Newark Bridge Golf Foundation Brooklyn Boatworks Brooklyn Youth Sports Club Chess in the Schools CitySquash DREAM (formerly Harlem RBI) East Harlem Tutorial Program Figure Skating in Harlem First Tee New York Girls on the Run NYC Grenville Baker Boys and Girls Club Harlem Lacrosse and Leadership Hudson River Community Sailing I Challenge Myself Inspirational Triathlon Racing International
KING Kids United Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club Madison Square Boys & Girls Club New Heights Youth New Rochelle Basketball Association Play Rugby USA Rocking the Boat Row New York South Bronx United Special Olympics New York St. Christopher’s Street Squash Team First, Inc. Trident Swim Foundation Urban Dove Vita Sports Partners Write on Sports YCMA of Long Island
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™
Innovator of the Game
JOHN W. HEISMAN As the tradition of the Heisman Memorial Trophy grows with each passing year, the life of the man memorialized by the award fades into the annals of history. No one more thoroughly studied the dynamics of football or witnessed more closely the game’s evolution. No one personally knew more immortals of the gridiron or effected more change in the game’s development, than John W. Heisman. Born in Cleveland, Ohio on October 23, 1869, John William Heisman grew up on the oil fields of northwest Pennsylvania, in the town of Titusville. Heisman’s first football games were a hodgepodge of soccer and rugby. In 1887, at age seventeen, he left Titusville for Brown University where he played a form of club football with his classmates. In the fall of 1889, after two years at Brown, he transferred to The University of Pennsylvania to pursue a law degree. Though outsized at 5-foot-8 and 158 pounds, he played varsity football for three years as guard, center, tackle, and sometimes end. A COACHING CAREER Debilitated after a flash of lightning nearly cost him his eyesight, Heisman took his final exams orally and graduated with his law degree in the spring of 1892. Immediately after college, he got his first coaching job at Oberlin College, leading the team to win all of its seven games in only the second year of the football program. Heisman’s career was launched. Heisman’s career as a coach developed with stints at Auburn, Clemson, University of Pennsylvania, Washington & Jefferson and Rice. His most impressive coaching reign was with Georgia Tech (1904–1919), where his Golden Tornadoes were a scoring powerhouse with an astounding thirty-three straight wins. Coach Heisman left Georgia Tech after the 1919 season to return as head coach at his alma mater, University of Pennsylvania. After three years he bought out his contract and spent one year at Washington & Jefferson before moving west to Texas and Rice Institute. His coaching career ultimately spanned more than three decades, and in 1927 at age sixty-two, John W. Heisman retired from coaching the game he loved and developed. “RETIREMENT” In New York, Heisman found more time to write as well as to serve in advisory positions. His articles appeared in publications such
as American Liberty and Colliers Magazine, and he also served as football editor for the professional publication Sporting Goods Journal. This prodigious outpouring did not go unnoticed. On May 23, 1930, John W. Heisman was named the first Athletic Director of the Downtown Athletic Club of New York City (DAC). Serving in this capacity, Heisman founded and organized the Touchdown Club of New York, and later the National Football Coaches Association. At the insistence of the DAC officers, Heisman devised and set in motion the structure and voting system to determine the best collegiate football player in the country. Though initially opposed to pointing out an individual over a team, he ultimately felt it a consummate team accomplishment to have such recognition. The first Downtown Athletic Club Award was given in 1935 to Chicago’s Jay Berwanger. On October 3, 1936, before the second award was bestowed, John W. Heisman succumbed to pneumonia. The officers of the DAC unanimously voted to rename the DAC Award the Heisman Memorial Trophy that year. A LIFE ACHIEVEMENT During his coaching career, John W. Heisman changed the face of the game that became America’s passion. What he considered his greatest contribution, the forward pass, was legalized in 1906, after three years of writing and pestering Walter Camp and the rules committee. Much of the official rule book of the day adopted Heisman’s suggestions word for word. Men who respected and called John W. Heisman friend included coaches Robert C. Zuppke of Illinois, Fielding Yost of Michigan, Amos A. Stagg of Chicago, Dr. J.W. Wilce of the Ohio State University, D.X. Bible of Texas A&M, legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice, golf’s first Grand Slam winner Robert Jones Jr., and former teammate and Honorable Mayor of Philadelphia Harry A. Mackey. As did his life touch many, the spirit of his character continues to inspire the best in those who would receive his Memorial. From the book, Heisman, the Man Behind the Trophy by John M. Heisman and Mark Schlabach, published by Howard Books a division of Simon & Schuster (2013). It is used by permission of the author, and is not for copy, reproduction or republication except by expressed written consent of the author, John M. Heisman.
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SECTIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
FAR WEST — Robert S. Hammond Laramie Boomerang/WyoSports.net | Laramie, WY SOUTHWEST — Dave Campbell Waco Tribune-Herald | Waco, TX MIDWEST — Bob Hammel Bloomington Herald Times | Bloomington, Indiana SOUTH — Jimmie McDowell (1926–2020) Mississippi Sports Columnist | Jackson, Mississippi NORTHEAST — Don Criqui CBS Sports | New York, NY MID ATLANTIC — Dick Weiss Blue Star Media/NY Daily News | Philadelphia, PA
STATE REPRESENTATIVES ALABAMA Jon Johnson Dothan Eagle
INDIANA Bob Hammel Bloomington News
NEBRASKA Mike Babcock Freelance Writer
RHODE ISLAND Michael Szostak Rhode Island Public Radio
ARIZONA Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
IOWA Randy Peterson Des Moines Register
NEVADA Ed Graney Las Vegas Review-Journal
SOUTH CAROLINA Gene Sapakoff The Post & Courier
ARKANSAS Nate Allen Nate Allen Sports Service
KANSAS Matt Galloway Topeka Capital Journal
NEW HAMPSHIRE Roger Brown Union Leader
SOUTH DAKOTA Stu Whitney Sioux Falls Argus Leader
CALIFORNIA Jim Gillis Gillis Broadcasting
KENTUCKY William F. Reed, Jr. Billy Reed Enterprises LLC
NEW JERSEY Keith Sargeant NJ.com
TENNESSEE Jimmy Hyams WNML Radio Knoxville
COLORADO Randy Holtz Freelance Writer
LOUISIANA Scott Rabalais The Advocate
NEW MEXICO Randy Harrison Albuquerque Journal
TEXAS Robert Cessna The Eagle
CONNECTICUT Sean Barker Hearst Connecticut Media
MAINE Dave Eid WGME TV
NEW YORK CITY Kelly Whiteside USA Today
UTAH Wesley Ruff KTVX - Channel 4
DELAWARE Kevin Tresolini News Journal delawareonline.com
MARYLAND Mike Burke Freelance Writer
NEW YORK STATE Hank Domin Syracuse.com
VERMONT Alex Abrami Burlington Free Press
MASSACHUSETTS Mark Blaudschun TMG College Sports
NORTH CAROLINA Sammy Batten Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer
VIRGINIA David Teel Richmond Times-Dispatch
MICHIGAN Jack Ebling Ebling Media
NORTH DAKOTA Abe Winter The Bismarck Tribune
WASHINGTON Dave Mahler KJR Radio
MINNESOTA Chip Scoggins Minneapolis Star Tribune
OHIO Bruce Hooley PressProsMagazine.com
WEST VIRGINIA Michael Casazza CBS Interactive/247Sports
MISSISSIPPI Parrish Alford Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal
OKLAHOMA John Hoover Sports Illustrated Sooners
WISCONSIN Jim Polzin Wisconsin State Journal
MISSOURI Vahe Gregorian Kansas City Star
OREGON Gary Horowitz KBZY Radio
WYOMING Reece Monaco KFBC Radio
MONTANA Greg Rachac Montana Billings Gazette
PENNSYLVANIA Dave Jones Harrisburg Patriot-News
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Christine Brennan USA Today FLORIDA Mike Bianchi Orlando Sentinel GEORGIA Marc Weiszer Athens Banner-Herald HAWAII Paul Arnett Honolulu Star-Advertiser IDAHO Dave Tester Tester Broadcasting ILLINOIS Bob Asmussen Champaign News-Gazette
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Coach Jim Crowley has running back Warren Mulrey of the Fordham Rams team of 1935 pose with the clay model of the Heisman Trophy at Rose Hall field, going through the various motions of the sidestep.
HEISMAN HISTORY
Nearly a century ago, college football established that it was here to stay. As fanfare increased around the sport and its popularity spread, the Downtown Athletic Club (DAC), renowned for its devotion to sports, decided that it was time to honor outstanding college football players. The DAC appointed a Club Trophy Committee to present the first annual award at the end of the 1935 football season in the Club’s headquarters in southern Manhattan. That first award—initially named the DAC Trophy—was presented on December 9, 1935 to Jay Berwanger, a triple-threat cyclone and legendary “one-man-gang” in the University of Chicago’s backfield. With the creation of the trophy, the DAC recognized the promise and enormous legacy of college football, and had the foresight to institute one of the first, and now most sought-after, awards in American sports. In 1936, following the death of legendary player and coach John W. Heisman, the trophy was renamed in appreciation of his inventiveness and contribution to football strategy. Recognizing the role a school plays in a player’s success, the Heisman Trophy Committee voted to award two trophies each year—one presented to the college football player, and the second awarded to his school. In the decades since it was created, the Heisman Memorial Trophy has become more than an award: its bestowal is a defining moment in the career of a college football player, when he is invited to join the ranks of the elite fraternity of Heisman Trophy winners. To this day, the Trophy remains a national symbol of collegiate football experience, prowess, and competitiveness, awarded annually to an athlete designated as the Outstanding College Football Player in the United States. The Design of The Heisman Trophy Before the now-famous stiff-arm design, the Club Trophy Committee agreed that the traditional cup or bowl seemed too commonplace, lacking in distinction, and not emblematic of the athletic talent that was to be celebrated. It was decided instead that the trophy should be the bronze embodiment of a muscular footballer driving for yardage. To create the trophy, the DAC commissioned Frank Eliscu, a
well-known sculptor and National Academy of Design Prize winner. Eliscu chose Ed Smith, a leading player on the 1934 New York University football team, as his primary model. Eliscu prepared a rough clay study that was sanctioned by the DAC Committee, and sent it uptown for approval by the head football coach at Fordham University, Jim Crowley, one of the legendary Four Horsemen of Notre Dame. The prototype was set up on a field, and Crowley’s players were asked to assume various positions to illustrate and verify the sidestep, the forward drive, and a strong right-arm thrust. Eliscu closely observed these actions and modified his clay prototype. The result was a truly lifelike simulation of a player in action, which was then duplicated in plaster—a preliminary step towards its ultimate production in bronze.
A final inspection of the cast was made after dinner at the McAlpin Hotel on November 16, 1935. The dinner was attended by Coach Elmer Layden (another member of the Four Horsemen) and the Notre Dame football team who had just played in a memorable 6-6 tie game with Army in front of 78,114 fans. Layden and the Fighting Irish squad were impressed by the animated realism of Eliscu’s model— which was especially noted by Wally Fromhart, Don Elser, and Wayne Millner. That evening, the 1935 Notre Dame team put its seal of approval on the new trophy. Heisman Balloting—How It Works While the task of designating the Outstanding College Football Player of the year was daunting, a more crucial decision was choosing the group who would select him. A panel of electors was chosen, consisting of informed, capable, and impartial sports journalists from all across the country. The Heisman Trophy Trust governs the policies and procedures of the balloting process. A multitiered system was established, and still serves as the framework that distributes the group of electors proportionally across the United States. Six Sectional Representatives are responsible for the appointment of the State Representatives. State Representatives select the voters within their particular state, with the number of votes dependent on the population and the number of media outlets within the state. The 2020 Sectional and State
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HEISMAN HISTORY Representatives are listed on the preceding page. Each section has 145 media votes, for a total of 870 media votes across the country. Additionally, every former Heisman winner has a vote and, in 1999, a program was introduced allowing the public to become part of the balloting process by making one fan vote eligible in the overall tabulation. This program continues in part thanks to the Heisman’s partnership with Nissan. The ballot includes space for an elector to nominate three individuals for the Heisman Trophy. A first, second, and third choice must be indicated on each ballot. The first choice on a ballot receives three points in the overall tabulation; the second choice receives two points; and the third choice receives one point. The Heisman Committee created this point system in an effort to eliminate sectional favoritism. The ballots state that “in order that there will be no misunderstanding regarding the eligibility of a candidate, the recipient of the award MUST be a bona fide student of an accredited college or university, including the United States Academies. The recipients must be in compliance with the bylaws defining an NCAA student athlete.” Independent accounting firm Deloitte is responsible for distributing the ballots and voting instructions, and tabulating the results. Since 2002, electors have been able to securely submit their ballots to Deloitte online. Deloitte tallies the votes according to the point system outlined above and the individual with the most overall points receives the Heisman Trophy. The 2020 Heisman ballots were distributed on December 14 and were due back to Deloitte by December 21 at 5:00pm EST. There were 927 votes for 2020. The Ceremony—Past and Present From 1935 through 1976, early each December, the winning college player was brought to New York City, along with his coach and dignitaries from his university. There, in a special convocation of past and current football luminaries, and with press, radio, and TV coverage, the player was crowned as the Heisman Trophy winner. A week or so later the winner was further honored at a large, formal dinner in New York to which all Heisman Awardees were invited. At this gala banquet, replete with renowned personalities in sports, entertainment, and politics, the actual award was presented to the year’s Heisman winner with appropriate remarks from the winner and his coach. Until 1973, this gala dinner was held at the Downtown Athletic Club. By 1973, the event’s popularity outgrew the DAC facilities, and that year the dinner was held for the first time in the Grand Ballroom of the New York Hilton, and in each of the succeeding years until 1986. But even the Grand Ballroom of the New York Hilton was unable to accommodate the many fans that regarded the Heisman Trophy as the most prestigious and coveted individual collegiate athletic
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award in America. A Heisman winner instantly becomes a hero to millions of football devotees. Until 1976, the Heisman Trophy had been a local New York affair that was only modestly publicized. In response to hundreds of letters and strong urging by the DAC members, the Officers and Governors of the Downtown Athletic Club, together with the Trophy Committee, decided that the Heisman Award was indeed an event of great interest to many people outside the Club. They decided the ceremony and citation of the Heisman winner deserved a far wider audience, and in 1977, the President of the DAC and the Heisman Committee decided to present the award as part of an hourlong, primetime television spectacular. The program was designed to enhance the prestige of the Downtown Athletic Club and the Heisman Trophy, while bringing an exciting new sports television special to viewers. The victor was announced at the dinner, along with six other outstanding players meriting other special DAC Awards. In addition to the Heisman Trophy, reflecting the changes in the realities of college football and recognizing the vital importance of linemen and defensive units, six other DAC Awards were presented in 1977. These winners received a distinctive, modern crystal sculpture created for the DAC by Tiffany & Co. The following year, the DAC returned to their traditional format of announcing and presenting the Heisman winner. At that time, Pannell Kerr Forster tallied the balloting for the awards. The DAC was notified of the Heisman results on November 28, and the media was informed of the winner at a press conference that day. The Heisman Dinner and Presentation was held on December 7, 1978. In order to maintain some element of suspense at the formal Heisman Dinner though, the winners of the other six DAC Awards would not be revealed until December 7. They would be the last group honored with such acclamation. In 1979, the Heisman Committee decided to discontinue the six special DAC Awards and only give out the Heisman Memorial Trophy. Since 1980, the Heisman Trophy has traditionally been announced on the second Saturday in December, with the Heisman Presentation Dinner Gala being held the following Monday evening. The award was announced annually through 2000 at the Downtown Athletic Club. Following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the presentation was moved to the New York Marriott Marquis in 2001, and then to the Yale Club of NYC in 2002–03. In 2004, the announcement was held at the New York Hilton and in 2005 it was moved to the Nokia Theatre in the center of the Broadway Theater district in Times Square. The 2020 Heisman Memorial Trophy announcement was broadcast live on ESPN from the ESPN Studios in Bristol, Connecticut.
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6 FRIDAY 1 Ohio State’s Justin Fields is interviewed by the media at the Heisman Weekend Friday Media Roundtables. 2 The 2019 Heisman Finalists (L-R) Justin Fields, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts and Chase Young, with their Finalist Plaques at the Weekend Welcome reception, presented by Nissan. 3 ESPN’s Holly Rowe interviews the Buckeye finalists, Justin Fields and Chase Young. 4 The 2019 Heisman Finalists pose with the Heisman Trophy in Times Square in front of the 2020 sign that would eventually adorn One Times Square, where the legendary New Years Eve Ball would drop. 5 Heisman Winner Doug Flutie (’84, Boston College) and his wife Laurie at the welcome reception. 6 Heisman Trust President Mike Comerford (L) presented a plaque to outgoing President, Bill Dockery (R) in recognition of his many years of service to the Heisman Trust. 7 Nissan North America’s Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Allyson Witherspoon, presented the Heisman Finalists with their plaques. Pictured (L-R) Joe Burrow, Witherspoon and Heisman Trust President, Mike Comerford. 8 The 2019 Heisman Finalists having some fun in Times Square. 9 Heisman Winner Steve Spurrier (’66, Florida) with Trustees Bill Dockery and Sanford Wurmfeld (R). 10 The Heisman Finalists Welcome Reception and Dinner was held at the R Lounge with floor to ceiling windows overlooking Times Square.
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1 SUNDAY 1 Joe Burrow on the set of the hit CBS show, NFL Today. 2 The Marquis Ballroom at the NY Marriott Marquis was filled with guests eager to celebrate the annual Heisman Trophy Dinner Gala. 3 The cocktail reception at the NY Marriott Marquis’ Broadway Lounge overlooking Times Square. 4 Joe Burrow with Louisiana Governor, John Bel Edwards. 5 2019 Heisman Humanitarian Kristi Yamaguchi was presented her award by Heisman Trustee Anne Donahue (R) 6 Heisman Winners Doug Flutie (’84, Boston College) and Mike Rozier (’83, Nebraska) at the Dinner Gala. 7 Joe Burrow and Kristi Yamaguchi pose together with Joe’s Heisman Trophy. 8 ESPN broadcaster and Colorado grad Chris Fowler was on hand to recognize the late Heisman Winner Rashaan Salaam (’94, Colorado) on the 25th anniversary of his Heisman winning season. 9 The Heisman Trophy Winners pose for the annual winners group photograph while striking the Heisman pose. 10 The 85th Annual Heisman Dinner Gala was emceed by ESPN broadcaster Rece Davis, pictured here at the podium and flanked by Heisman winners and other VIP dignitaries on the dais.
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6 4 SATURDAY 1 The 2019 Heisman Finalists on the red carpet prior to the 85th Annual Heisman Ceremony. 2 Alumni winners of the Heisman High School Scholarship Award pose for a group photo. 3 Over twenty Heisman winners were on stage for the Heisman ceremony to welcome the newest member of their exclusive fraternity. 4 2019 Heisman High School Scholarship National Winners Victoria Orcutt and Logan Alvarez pose with Joe Burrow after he was named the 2019 Heisman Trophy Winner. 5 Burrow hoists his trophy in Times Square below a billboard recognizing him as the 2019 Heisman Trophy Winner minutes after the Heisman ceremony. 6 Burrow with LSU Head Football Coach, Ed Orgeron, at the Heisman winner press conference. 7 Burrow was interviewed for ESPN’s SportsCenter by Heisman Winner Tim Tebow (’07, Florida). 8 Holding his newly awarded trophy, Joe Burrow on stage at the Heisman ceremony. 9 Heisman Trustees (L-R) Jim Corcoran and Carol Pisano along with Heisman High School Scholarship Winners Logan Alvarez and Victoria Orcutt. 10 A traditional photograph taken each year of the winner kissing his trophy.
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13 HEISMAN TROPHY RECIPIENTS 1973 TONY DORSETT PITTSBURGH
1982 MARCUS ALLEN
2006 TROY SMITH O H I O S TAT E
1987 V I N N Y T E S TAV E R D E MIAMI
USC
2007 TIM TEBOW FLORIDA
1995 RASHAAN SALAAM COLORADO
2008 SAM BRADFORD OKLAHOMA
1996 DANNY WUERFFEL
2011 CAM NEWTON AUBURN
FLORIDA
1997 RICKY WILLIAMS TEXAS
2013 M A R C U S M A R I O TA OREGON
2000 ERIC CROUCH NEBRASKA
2019 JOE BURROW LSU
2020 CONTENDERS
IAN BOOK Notre Dame Quarterback
TREVOR LAWRENCE Clemson Quarterback
JUSTIN FIELDS Ohio State Quarterback
KYLE PITTS Florida Tight End
BREECE HALL Iowa State Running Back
DEVONTA SMITH Alabama Wide Receiver
NAJEE HARRIS Alabama Running Back
KYLE TRASK Florida Quarterback
MAC JONES Alabama Quarterback
ZACH WILSON BYU Quarterback
2020
Heisman Trophy Winner
DEVONTA SMITH WIDE RECEIVER • ALABAMA
2020 HEISMAN WINNER
2020 was a year unlike any others for many reasons on and off the football field. For the players and teams that played out their season, there was a level of sacrifice and commitment to each other that was unparalleled. Games without fans. Inability to hug mom and dad after a great win or tough loss. Constant tests and monitoring. But once the players took the field, there were no distractions and each game was pure—x’s and o’s, strength, speed. Skill against skill. Offense vs defense. When the game is played in this form, the victors are not always the most talented. Often the winners are those that simply want to win the most. The 86th Heisman Memorial Trophy winner, DeVonta Smith, simply put, has had that outstanding combination of being the most talented with the greatest desire to win. In being named the 2020 Heisman winner, he became just the fourth wide receiver to win the coveted award, joining Johnny Rodgers (’72, Nebraska), Tim Brown (’87, Notre Dame), and Desmond Howard (’91, Michigan). Smith now also joins Mark Ingram (’09) and Derrick Henry (’15) as the third winner out of the University of Alabama. Smith has been candid that winning the Heisman is amazing but his two goals for the season, and year, were to win a national championship and earn his degree. With a bachelor’s degree in education already completed, Smith is focused on the championship, which would be his second. His first championship, a 26-23 Alabama victory over SEC rival Georgia, was the game that DeVonta Smith introduced himself to the college football world. His introduction was a play and a moment that may be among the greatest in the 150 year history of the sport: a ‘walk-off’ touchdown reception in overtime to win the 2017 National Championship for Alabama. It was a moment that every athlete dreams of, no matter the sport. And while that play will forever be remembered, DeVonta knew what nobody else did at the time, that he was just getting started. And there were many more plays and highlights to come. Prior to that championship clinching catch, Smith did play in every game of the 2017 season as a freshman. And in each season since, he has
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© University of Alabama Athletics
© University of Alabama Athletics
© Heisman Trophy Trust/Kent Gidley
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2020 HEISMAN WINNER
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DEVONTA SMITH
continued to study, improve and work to be the best receiver and football player he can be. While accepting the Heisman, Smith shared his mindset: I’ve been doubted a lot just because of my size, really and it just comes down to you put your mind to it, you can do it. No job is too big. DeVonta had such conviction in saying it, one could tell that he had not only heard those words before, but he has lived by them every day, game, and down he plays.
© Heisman Trophy Trust/Kent Gidley
It has all paid off. Smith currently holds the record for most career receiving touchdowns in the SEC with 40 and has broken nearly every receiving record at Alabama, which over the past 12 years has had such incredible wide receivers as Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, Henry Ruggs III, and Calvin Ridley. For the 2020 season, he has simply been dominant. He leads the nation with over 1600 yards which is nearly 500 more than the next highest receiver. Smith also leads the nation in receptions with 105 as well as touchdowns with 20. He has also rushed for a touchdown and had an incredible punt return for a touchdown against Arkansas. Smith may one day look back on all that he has done and accomplished, but he is now only looking ahead. Focused on achieving his goal of helping the University of Alabama win another national championship. This one may mean more than the first as it will be the culmination of talent and desire and he can finish the 2020 season as college graduate, National Champion and Heisman winner.
© Heisman Trophy Trust/Kent Gidley
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1935 Berwanger
86 Years of the Heisman
1937 Frank
1935
Jay Berwanger
Chicago Running Back
In twenty-three games for the Maroons, Chicago’s “one-man gang” gained more than a mile from scrimmage—a net yardage of 1,839, or an average of 4.19 for 439 attempts. Jay completed 50 of 146 passes for 921 yards, scored 22 touchdowns, and booted 20 extra points for a total of 152 points. He averaged 46.3 yards on 34 kickoffs and 38 yards on 233 punts. After graduation, Jay went into sales for a sponge rubber manufacturer in Chicago. Enlisting in the Navy Air in 1942, he spent most of the war teaching instrument flying. In September 1945, he started his own manufacturing business and split his time between Oak Brook, Illinois, and Manzanillo, Mexico. He passed away on June 26, 2002. Jay Berwanger was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1954.
1936 Kelley
Balloting
1939 Kinnick
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Jay Berwanger, Chicago Monk Meyer, Army William Shakespeare, Notre Dame Pepper Constable, Princeton
1936
Larry Kelley Yale End
1938 O’Brien
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Against the Bulldogs’ traditional rivals, Harvard and Princeton, Larry scored at least once in every game. The first end to win the Heisman, his sensational pass-catching accounted for 15 Yale touchdowns, and he was a defensive giant. In his sophomore year, the rangy 6-foot-1 end brought Princeton’s long string of victories to a close when he caught a pass on the tips of his fingers and defeated the Tigers, 7-0. After Yale, Larry went into education, teaching and coaching until World War II. After the war, he tried his hand at the “cold, tough, business world,” and did well. The
HEISMAN
2020 field of secondary education however beckoned again and he joined the faculty of the Peddie School in New Jersey as a teacher, coach, and administrator. He passed away on June 27, 2000. Larry Kelley was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1969.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Larry Kelley, Yale Sam Francis, Nebraska Ray Buivid, Marquette Sammy Baugh, Texas Christian Clinton Frank, Yale
1937
Clinton Frank Yale Quarterback
Clint was the Bulldogs’ No. 1 hero for three years, along with Larry Kelley, and was “the best back Yale ever had,” according to veteran coach Earl “Greasy” Neale. Twice All-American and Yale’s captain, he gained a mile and a quarter on the gridiron for the team in rushing and passing. As a ball carrier, his power and 10-second, 100-yard-dash speed combined to make him a constant threat. After college, armed with a degree in economics, Clint tackled the expanding field of advertising, joining Blackett-Sample-Hummert in Chicago. He then served for five years in the Air Force under General Doolittle, fighting in bomber groups in Italy, Africa, and England. In 1949 he formed his own advertising agency, which was sold in 1976 to Interpublic in New York. Clint became Chairman of Bridlewood Corporation, a private holding corporation in Chicago, and was Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Brain Research Foundation of Chicago, and Trustee of the Schepens Eye Research Institute of Boston. He was the National Football Hall of Fame’s 1988 Gold Medal Recipient. He passed away in July of 1992. Clinton Frank was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1955.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Clinton Frank, Yale Byron White, Colorado Marshall Goldberg, Pittsburgh Alex Wojciechowicz, Fordham Joe Kilgrow, Alabama
1938
Davey O’Brien TCU Quarterback
the gridiron greats, he holds the all-time college record—at 400—for most rushing and passing plays in one season. A good runner and punter, he was an outstanding selector of plays and was the first Heisman winner to emerge from the Southwest Conference. After a brilliant 15-7 Sugar Bowl victory over Carnegie Tech, in which he kicked a field goal and threw a touchdown pass, the Philadelphia Eagles recruited him with a $12,000 bonus and a two-year contract. In his first season, Davey passed for 1,324 yards, breaking Sammy Baugh’s record. In his second season, he completed a still unchallenged record of 33 out of 60 passes against the Redskins. Davey retired to become an FBI agent and following that stint in the early ’50s, changed course to become a business executive. He passed away on November 18, 1977. Davey O’Brien was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1955.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Davey O’Brien, Texas Christian Marshall Goldberg, Pittsburgh Sid Luckman, Columbia Bob MacLeod, Dartmouth Vic Bottari, California
1939
Nile Kinnick
Iowa Running Back
Nile, the Hawkeyes’ greatest player, gained 1,674 yards in his football career. In his senior year, he completed 31 passes for 638 yards, 11 for touchdowns. His 106 rushes netted 374 yards, and his 71 punts over three years were good for 2,834 yards—an average of 39.9 yards per kick. His return of kickoffs and punts totaled 604 yards, and he made 11 of his 17 drop kick attempts. In his acceptance speech at the Heisman dinner, Nile reflected the prevailing isolationist mood of the country, saying that he thanked God he had been born in America, “where they have football fields instead of in Europe, where they have battlefields.” And he added that he knew, “the football players of this country had rather battle for such medals as the Heisman Trophy rather than for such medals as the Croix de Guerre and the Iron Cross.” During World War II, Nile was a pilot attached to an aircraft carrier in the Caribbean. In June 1943, he crashlanded his fighter in the sea and was killed in action. Nile Kinnick was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1951.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Nile Kinnick, Iowa Tom Harmon, Michigan Paul Christman, Missouri George Cafego, Tennessee John Kimbrough, Texas A&M
This 5-foot-5, 140-pounder sparked Texas Christian to an undefeated season his senior year. Davey threw 194 passes, completed 110 for 1,733 yards, and 19 touchdowns. One of
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1940
Tom Harmon
Michigan Running Back
In his three seasons, “Old Ninety-Eight” scored 33 touchdowns, kicked 2 field goals, kicked 33 points after touchdowns for 237 points, and threw 16 touchdown passes. He gained 3,438 yards rushing and passing, and played almost every minute of his three-year career. A solid 193 pounds, Tom was a power runner noted for his cut-backs through tackle—often seen on the field with his jersey ripped by tacklers unable to hold on to him. He was probably the finest ball carrier in the country in his time. After a four-year stint as a pilot during World War II (for which he earned a Silver Star and the Purple Heart), he married actress Elyse Knox and played for the Los Angeles Rams in 1947–48. Tom’s subsequent career in broadcasting proved as successful, if not more, than his time spent on the field. In 1949, after two posts as Sports Director of WJR in Detroit and commentator on KIEV in Glendale, he became Sports Director of the Columbia Pacific Network, managing daily radio and television shows. Tom reported live on major sporting events from the Olympics to the Rose Bowl for CBS, ABC, and NBC, to name just a fraction of his 10,000 broadcasts. Until Tom’s passing in March 1990, he was broadcasting the Los Angeles Raiders football games. Tom Harmon was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1954.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Tom Harmon, Michigan John Kimbrough, Texas A&M George Franck, Minnesota Frankie Albert, Stanford Paul Christman, Missouri
1941
Bruce Smith
Minnesota Running Back
Bruce received his Heisman two days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The marquis triple-threat tailback of his era, Smith epitomized the single-wing offense and could seemingly do it all. Although over 200 pounds, he was one of the Big Ten Conference’s fastest men. In 1941, he led the Gophers to their second consecutive undefeated season and national championship. After graduation, the All-American halfback earned MVP honors in the College All-Star game against the Chicago Bears. The next year, before going off to fight in WWII, Smith went to Hollywood and starred in the movie Smith of
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Minnesota, about a small-town family whose son becomes an All-American halfback. Smith went on to become a Navy fighter pilot, and also played service football for the Great Lake Navy team. Returning home in 1945, he signed with the Green Bay Packers and later the Los Angeles Rams. He played for four years in the NFL but injuries prevented him from performing up to his collegiate standards. In 1947, he nearly died when he ruptured a kidney during a Chicago Bears game. He retired at the young age of 29, moving back to his hometown to raise a family. Sadly, Smith was diagnosed with cancer in the spring of 1967 and died of the disease later that year. Bruce Smith was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1972 and, in 1977, became the first Minnesota player to have his number (54) retired.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Bruce Smith, Minnesota Angelo Bertelli, Notre Dame Frankie Albert, Stanford Frank Sinkwich, Georgia Bill Dudley, Virginia
1942
Frank Sinkwich
Georgia Running Back
Frank was in a Marine uniform when he accepted his Heisman Trophy. He passed for 2,331 yards during his college career, and still holds the Orange Bowl total offense record—382 yards rushing and passing. His 13 passes for 243 yards and 3 touchdowns, and 139 rushing yards including a 43-yard TD run, totaling 382 yards, is still regarded as the greatest performance in any Orange Bowl Classic. Frank played several seasons in professional football, and coached at the University of Tampa in Florida for the 1950–51 seasons. He then entered the wholesale beer distribution business in Asheville, North Carolina, Athens and Gainesville, Georgia, and was elected President of the Georgia Beer Wholesalers in 1977. Frank was a member of the University of Georgia President’s Club, Outstanding Alumni, and a member of the Athens Country Club and Chamber of Commerce. He passed away on October 22, 1990. Frank Sinkwich was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1954.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Frank Sinkwich, Georgia Paul Governali, Columbia Clint Castleberry, Georgia Mike Holovak, Boston College Bill Hillenbrand, Indiana
1941 Smith
1943
Angelo Bertelli
Notre Dame Quarterback
Angelo made the T-Formation click for the Fighting Irish until his entry into the Marine Corps in 1943. He completed 169 of 324 passes in twenty-six games, accounting for 2,582 yards; 29 of those completions were for touchdowns. In his senior year, his team averaged more than 40 points a game. His legerdemain with the football, and capacity for the big play, gripped the attention of football fans and sportswriters alike. Grantland Rice called Angelo a great passer and a T-Formation magician. Frank Leahy, in his book The T-Formation, called Angelo “The man around whom we built all our hopes and dreams when we shifted into the T in 1942. He more than lived up to our highest expectations as he led Notre Dame to their many successful years with the T.” Angelo saw action as a Marine officer in Iwo Jima and Guam. He and his wife, Jill, have four children and five grandchildren. He passed away on June 26, 1999. Angelo Bertelli was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1972.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
1940 Harmon
Angelo Bertelli, Notre Dame Bob Odell, Pennsylvania Otto Graham, Northwestern Creighton Miller, Notre Dame Eddie Prokop, Georgia Tech
1944
Leslie Horvath
Ohio State Quarterback
Les hit his peak in his senior year, gaining 924 yards on 162 carries for 5.7 yards per carry. He scored 12 touchdowns in 1944, and completed 14 of 32 passes for 344 yards—6 of the 14 pass completions were for touchdowns. He set a new Big Ten rushing record and played in all of his team’s nine games. One of the more versatile backs seen on any football team, he kicked, passed, blocked, tackled, and carried OSU through a perfect season, all of which won him the title of the “Playing Coach.” Les was no slouch in the classroom either, graduating in June 1945 with a degree in dentistry. Les entered the Navy in June 1945 as a double threat: dental officer in the morning and assistant football coach to Paul Brown in the afternoon. He continued coaching when he was transferred to Hawaii, and won the service championship. After a three-year fling with the pros (Rams and Browns), Dr. Horvath established a practice in Los Angeles. His hobby was golf and from 1970–72, he very successfully coached Bantam Football, winning the League Title for Glendale. He passed away in November of 1995. Leslie Horvath was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1969.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
1942 Sinkwich
Leslie Horvath, Ohio State Glenn Davis, Army Felix Blanchard, Army Don Whitmire, Navy Buddy Young, Illinois 1944 Horvath
1943 Bertelli
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1945 Blanchard
1945
Felix ‘Doc’ Blanchard Army Fullback
1946 Davis 1947 Lujack
An All-American for three years, the 6-foot, 205-pound “Mr. Inside” scored 38 touchdowns and gained 1,908 yards on three powerhouse West Point teams that were unbeatable during the World War II years. The pulverizing fullback ran the 100 yards in 10 seconds flat. In his very first game against North Carolina, Felix averaged 58 yards on kickoffs, punted once for 40 yards, and carried the ball 4 times for a 4.5 yard average, although he only played for 17 minutes. Felix was the first junior to win the Heisman Trophy. After graduation from USMA, he spent his entire working career with the Army Air Force, retiring with the rank of Colonel. After retirement, “Doc” enjoyed relaxing and life in Texas where he could fish and hunt to his heart’s content. He passed away in 2009. Felix Blanchard was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1959.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Felix Blanchard, Army Glenn Davis, Army Bob Fenimore, Oklahoma A&M Herman Wedemeyer, St. Mary’s Harry Gilmer, Alabama
1946
Glenn Davis
1948 Walker
Glenn was the “Mr. Outside” of the famed Davis-Blanchard duo. He scored 59 touchdowns in his career and gained an amazing 4,129 yards from rushing and passing for the Black Knights. He holds the major college record for most yards gained per play in one season, and ranks as one of the most versatile players in college football history. He averaged 58 minutes a game against a tough schedule. No major collegian ever approached his remarkable career average of almost one touchdown every 9 plays. Serving in the Army in Korea until 1950, Glenn resigned his commission to join the Los Angeles Rams and played on two championship teams. Injuries cut his career short, however, and he turned to public relations and promotions for the Los Angeles Times special events department, with the primary goal of raising money for youth activities. On July 12, 1996, Glenn married Yvonne Ameche, Alan Ameche’s widow. He passed away March 9, 2005. Glenn Davis was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1961.
Balloting
1949 Hart
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Army Running Back
1 2 3 4 5
Glenn Davis, Army Charles Trippi, Georgia John Lujack, Notre Dame Felix Blanchard, Army Herman Wedemeyer, St. Mary’s
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1947
John Lujack
Notre Dame Quarterback
John is considered one of the greatest T-Formation collegiate quarterbacks of all time. Filling in for Angelo Bertelli, who was in the Marines in 1943, he quarterbacked a 26-0 victory over the previously unbeaten Army Cadets. John gained 2,080 yards in three years, and achieved a marvelous passing record of 144 completions out of 282 throws. His accurate arm accounted for many of Notre Dame’s 24 victories in the Golden Dome. In his three seasons at Notre Dame (1943, and after military service, 1946–1947) the Fighting Irish were National Champions. In 1947, he received the Athlete of the Year award. After graduation, John played four years with the Chicago Bears and was named All-Pro on defense in 1948 and All-Pro on offense in 1950. In 1949 he established a new NFL passing record of 468 yards and 6 touchdowns in one game against the Chicago Cardinals. From 1952–53 he served as Notre Dame’s backfield coach under Frank Leahy, coaching John Lattner, the 1953 Heisman winner. In 1954, John became a Chevrolet dealer. He currently resides in Davenport, Iowa, in the summers and Indian Wells, California, during the winters, enjoying his hobby of golf. John Lujack was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1960.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
John Lujack, Notre Dame Bob Chappius, Michigan Doak Walker, Southern Methodist Charles Conerly, Pennsylvania Harry Gilmer, Alabama
1948
Doak Walker
SMU Running Back
The greatest player to come out of the Southwest Conference, Doak was the second junior to win a Heisman Trophy. For three years he was an All-American at Southern Methodist, where, in 35 games, he scored 303 points on 40 touchdowns, 60 extra points after touchdowns, and one field goal. Doak gained over 3,500 yards running and passing, and established several other Southwest Conference records that still stand. He led the Mustangs to the Cotton Bowl in 1948 and 1949. Doak was
signed by the Detroit Lions, where he played for six seasons, leading the league in rushing in his best year. After retiring from football, he formed his own firm, Walker Chemical Co., which he subsequently sold, and following, served as Vice President of Fischbach & Moore Electric Group. Doak was married to former Olympic skier Gladys “Skeeter” Werner. He passed away in September of 1998. Doak Walker was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1959 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Doak Walker, Southern Methodist Charlie Justice, North Carolina Chuck Bednarik, Pennsylvania Jackie Jensen, California Stanley Heath, Nevada
1949
Leon Hart
Notre Dame End
Leon was the second end to win the Heisman Trophy. He co-captained Notre Dame’s 1949 National Championship team, and was considered by some experts to be the all-time All-American at his position. Leon played both offense and defense. He was a savage blocker and tackler, running the end-around play from fullback with devastating effect. He was voted on All-American teams three of his four years, during which Notre Dame never lost a game. He received every major football award in 1949, including Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press. Leon received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. He was Bonus Choice of the Detroit Lions in 1950, and in 1951 was voted All-Pro on offense and defense. During Leon’s eight seasons with Detroit they won four divisional titles and three world championships. He and his beloved late wife, Lois, are survived by five sons, one daughter, and fourteen grandchildren. He passed away September 24, 2002. Leon Hart was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1973.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Leon Hart, Notre Dame Charlie Justice, North Carolina Doak Walker, Southern Methodist Arnold Galiffa, Army Bob Williams, Notre Dame
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J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics – Greg Head Football Coach – Kirby
McGarity Smart
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1950
Victor Janowicz
Ohio State Running Back
Invaluable as a defensive player, Vic was the key factor in the Buckeyes’ success in 1950, and the third junior to win the Heisman Trophy. The late Woody Hayes, the venerable Ohio State coach, had this to say about Vic: “He was not only a great runner, but also passed, was a place kicker and punter, played safety in defense and was an outstanding blocker. Vic epitomized the triple-threat football player.” After a stint in the service, Vic signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a catcher for 1953 and 1954. He returned to football in 1954 with the Redskins and played defensive back. In 1955, he led the NFL in scoring until the final day of the season when Doak Walker beat him out. In 1956, a near fatal automobile accident ended his football career. Subsequently, Vic was appointed an administrative assistant to Jim Petro, the Auditor of the State of Ohio. In 1991, the Columbus Downtown Quarterback Club honored him as “the greatest OSU athlete in the past fifty years.” He was also a member of the OSU, Elyris, and the Polish-American Hall of Fame. Vic passed away in February of 1996. Victor Janowicz was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1976.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Victor Janowicz, Ohio State Kyle Rote, Southern Methodist Red Bagnell, Pennsylvania Babe Parilli, Kentucky Bobby Reynolds, Nebraska
1951
Richard Kazmaier
Princeton Running Back
Dick’s team was the best in the East in 1951, and was ranked sixth nationally. The Tigers completed that season with a 22-game winning streak and back-to-back undefeated teams. Dick was the nation’s total offense leader in 1951, and the most accurate passer in the country. He was also voted the Athlete of the Year in 1951 by the Associated Press. The last single wing triple-threat tailback to win the Heisman, Dick is also the Trophy’s last Ivy League winner. Dick was Chairman of Kazmaier Associates, Inc., a family investment company. He served as a Trustee of Princeton University, and as Chairman of
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the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports under President Ronald Reagan. The National Football Foundation honored Dick by presenting him with the Distinguished American Award for 1993. Richard passed away on August 1, 2013. Kazmaier is survived by his wife of sixty years, Patricia, as well as five of his six daughters and many grandchildren. Richard Kazmaier was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1966.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Richard Kazmaier, Princeton Hank Lauricella, Tennessee Babe Parilli, Kentucky Bill McColl, Stanford John Bright, Drake
1952
Billy Vessels
Oklahoma Running Back
A great star on a star-studded Sooner team, Billy scored 18 touchdowns, gained over 1,000 yards rushing, and caught 8 passes for 200 yards. In his senior year, he threw 18 passes and completed 7 for 209 yards and 3 touchdowns. A fierce competitor, he is best remembered for his running savagery against Notre Dame, scoring 3 touchdowns and surging 195 yards rushing on 17 carries, for an average of 11.5 yards per carry. In 1953, Billy turned pro for the Edmonton Eskimos and won the Schenley Award as the top player in Canada, before serving as an officer in the US Army. He spent one year (1956) with the Baltimore Colts and then moved to Florida in 1957 to become assistant to the president of Mackle Company, a major real estate developer. Billy was active in fund-raising, alumni association work, and served on President John F. Kennedy’s Physical Fitness Program. He passed away on November 17, 2001 and is survived by his wife and three children. Billy Vessels was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1974.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Billy Vessels, Oklahoma Jack Scarbath, Maryland Paul Giel, Minnesota Donn Moomaw, UCLA John Lattner, Notre Dame
1951 Kazmaier
1953
John Lattner
Notre Dame Running Back
John scored 20 touchdowns and 120 points for the Fighting Irish. He gained 1,726 yards from scrimmage and caught 39 passes for 479 yards. He advanced the ball 3,095 yards by running, catching passes, returning punts and kickoffs, and intercepting passes. During his time at Notre Dame, the team lost only three times in three years. The 195-pound, smack-over halfback turned in fine performances in showcase games against the top caliber teams of Oklahoma, Purdue, Southern Cal, and Iowa. John went from Notre Dame to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and then served for two years in the Air Force from 1955–57. Following his military service, he took up coaching at St. Joseph High School and later Denver University. In 1962, he opened a steak house in Chicago, which bore his name, as well as a second restaurant there called Marina City. His Heisman Trophy was always proudly on display at Lattner’s Steak House. John was Vice President of sales for PAL Graphics, Inc. and was active in fundraising for many charities. He also served on the Physical Fitness Committee of the State of Illinois. He passed away on February 13, 2016. John Lattner was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1979.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
1950 Janowicz 1952 Vessels
John Lattner, Notre Dame Paul Giel, Minnesota Paul Cameron, UCLA Bernie Faloney, Maryland Bob Garrett, Stanford
1954
Alan Ameche
Wisconsin Fullback This stampeding fullback who played in thirty-seven games over four years scored 25 touchdowns, gained 3,345 scrimmage yards, and was mainly responsible for the Badgers’ 26 victories between 1951–54. His ability to play 55 or more minutes per game earned him the nickname “The Iron Horse.” Upon graduation, Alan held all rushing records for single game and season performances at Wisconsin, scoring more points and touchdowns than any player in the school’s history; he was Wisconsin’s greatest grid star. Alan played as a fullback with the Baltimore Colts for six seasons (1955–60). He then founded Gino’s, Inc., a chain of successful restaurants, and served as its Corporate Secretary and a member of the Board. Alan was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters from St. Joseph’s College, was Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, a Trustee of Malvern Prep, and was Corporations Chairman for the United Negro College Fund. He passed away on August 8, 1988. Alan Ameche was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1975.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
1953 Lattner
1954 Ameche
Alan Ameche, Wisconsin Kurt Burris, Oklahoma Howard Cassady, Ohio State Ralph Gugliemi, Notre Dame Paul Larson, California
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Remembering
PAUL HORNUNG College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Paul Vernon Hornung Passes Away at Age 84 Paul Vernon Hornung, one of the all-time great college and pro football players from the 1950s and 60s, passed away on November 13, 2020 in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, at age 84 after a long battle with dementia. Hornung is survived by his wife of 41 years, Angela Hornung. Legendary Green Bay Packer Football Coach Vince Lombardi once called Hornung, “The most versatile man ever to play the game.” Nicknamed “The Golden Boy” due to his blond hair and handsome features, Hornung won the 1956 Heisman Trophy at Notre Dame as a quarterback, then was a star halfback and placekicker for the Green Bay Packers team that ruled the NFL in the 1960s. Hornung is a member of the college and pro football halls of fame and the namesake of the Paul Hornung Award, presented annually to the most versatile player in major college football. A two-time All-American at quarterback for Notre Dame, Hornung played every position in the backfield during his three-year varsity career with the Fighting Irish. A sequence of plays in a win over Iowa his junior year provided a glimpse of Hornung’s versatility and willingness to play any position on the football field to help his team succeed. With the Irish trailing 14-7 late in the game, he returned a kickoff into scoring position, threw a long touchdown pass, kicked the extra point, kicked off and made the tackle on the two yard line. Hornung played defense to hold Iowa, then drove the Irish down the field as the quarterback and kicked the winning field goal for the final 17-14 margin. As a senior, Hornung led the Irish in passing, rushing, scoring, kickoff and punt returns, punting, field goal extra points, and passes broken up, and ranked second in interceptions and tackles. In 1956, although he and his Irish teammates won only two of 10 games, Hornung became the 22nd winner of the Heisman Trophy and remains the only player to win the coveted award in its 86 years while playing for a team with a losing record. Following his career at Notre Dame, Hornung went on to have an illustrious playing career in the NFL. Upon retirement from football, Hornung resumed a successful real estate and investment career and launched a career as a sports radio and TV commentator and speaker. He was a college and pro football analyst for CBS, TBS, ABC Radio; a color analyst on radio for the Minnesota Vikings and Notre Dame. Hornung has authored multiple books, including My Private Collection: The Paul Hornung Scrapbook published in 2014, and Lombardi and Me: Players, Coaches and Colleagues Talk about the Man and the Myth published in 2006. Said Mike Comerford, the President of the Heisman Trophy Trust: “The Heisman Trust mourns the passing of Paul Hornung. A true legend in every sense of the word, Paul was a cherished member of the Heisman family. Treasured by the Heisman winners, Paul was a frequent guest at the annual Heisman weekends. We extend our deepest condolences to his wife, Angela. He will truly be missed.”
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1955
Howard Cassady
1955 Cassady
1956 Hornung
“Hopalong” was one of Ohio State’s best ever, scoring 37 touchdowns in thirty-six games for 222 points. He gained 2,466 yards rushing for an average of 5.6 per try. A player’s player, his 964 yards with a total of 15 touchdowns his senior season led the team, as Ohio State repeated as Big Ten champions. Often overlooked were his sparkling defensive plays; he never had a pass completed over him in four years of Big Ten competition. He held the Buckeyes’ yardage-gained record for many years and was voted All-American 1954–55. Howard also played baseball for Ohio State for four years, and in 1955 was named Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press. He played eight years with the Detroit Lions, one with the Philadelphia Eagles, and one with the Cleveland Browns. He then founded his own company that manufactured concrete pipe, which he sold in 1968 when he began selling steel with Hopalong Cassady Associates. Howard later worked for American Shipbuilding in Tampa, and was a scout and coach for the New York Yankees. He was inducted into the Columbus Clippers Hall of Fame in August 2005. Howard and his wife, Barbara have three children and four grandchildren. He passed away in September 2019. Howard Cassady was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1979.
Balloting
1957 Crow
1958 Dawkins
Ohio State Running Back
1 2 3 4 5
Howard Cassady, Ohio State Jim Swink, Texas Christian George Welsh, Navy Earl Morrall, Michigan State Paul Hornung, Notre Dame
1956
Paul Hornung
Notre Dame Quarterback
Despite a mediocre Notre Dame team, the blond, 220-pound “Golden Boy,” carried the ball 94 times his senior year for 420 yards for an average of 4.5 per try. He completed 59 of 111 passes for 917 yards, 3 touchdowns, and a .532 completion percentage, giving him a total offensive figure of 1,337 yards. The jack-of-all-trades could run, pass, block, and tackle. Paul was probably the greatest all-around player in Notre Dame’s history and is the only Heisman winner to have played on a losing team, as the Fighting Irish were 2–8 in 1956. As almost every football fan knows, Paul went to the Green Bay Packers, leading the NFL in scoring for three straight years, and was voted MVP in 1960 and 1961. He accomplished his records despite injuries and military obligations, and it is no wonder that his coach, Vince Lombardi, called him “the most versatile man who ever played the game.” He was President of Paul Hornung Sports Showcase and Paul Hornung Enterprises, Inc., Vice President of Real Estate and Investment Co. and a member of the National High School Hall of Fame. He passed away in November 2020. Paul Hornung was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
Balloting
1959 Cannon
1 2 3 4 5
Paul Hornung, Notre Dame John Majors, Tennessee Tom McDonald, Oklahoma Gerry Tubbs, Oklahoma Jimmy Brown, Syracuse
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1957
John David Crow
Texas A&M Running Back
Despite suffering some early season injuries in 1957, during his senior campaign, John David carried the ball 129 times for 562 yards, scored 6 touchdowns, passed for 5 more, and added 5 interceptions. John David was named a scholastic All-American his senior year and was named to Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. John David had a memorable professional career with the Cardinals and 49ers, playing eleven years and setting rushing and touchdown records, some of which still stand. He rushed for 5,000 yards and gained over 3,000 yards on pass receptions. Returning to college ball in 1968, he worked as offensive backfield coach under his old A&M mentor, Bear Bryant, in Alabama. He then went on to the Cleveland Browns and San Diego Chargers in a similar capacity and was named Athletic Director and Head Football Coach at Northeast Louisiana State University in 1975, a position he held until 1980. John David served Texas A&M as Associate AD, AD, and as Director of Development for Athletics until his retirement in 2001 and was named a distinguished alumnus of Texas A&M. He served on the Board of Directors of Gulf Greyhound Partners, Ltd. and The Green Group, Inc. John David and his wife Carolyn have three children (one deceased), seven grandchildren, and five great granddaughters. He passed away in 2016. John David Crow was elected to the Texas and Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, and the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame 1976.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
John David Crow, Texas A&M Alex Karras, Iowa Walt Kowalczyk, Michigan State Lou Michaels, Kentucky Tom Forrestal, Navy
1958
Pete Dawkins
Army Running Back
Pete, the sixty-ninth Army football captain and a polio victim, posed a double threat as a runner and a left-handed passer. In three years, he rushed for 1,123 yards, threw 16 passes, 7 for touchdowns, caught 27 passes for 716 yards and scored 158 points, leading the Cadets to an undefeated season. Pete was Class President and Cadet First Captain, and went on to attend Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, where he played for the university’s rugby team for three years. Later,
he attended Princeton, where he received an MPA and PhD. His military career was equally impressive, and he rose to the rank of Brigadier General with commands in both the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. After serving twenty-four years, Pete retired from the Army and entered the world of business. After several years on Wall Street, he ran for a seat in the U.S. Senate, and subsequently served for over twenty years in executive positions in Primerica Corporation, Travelers, and Citigroup. Pete is currently Senior Advisor at Vitu Financial, the largest non-bank liquidity provider in the global markets. He was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1975 and, along with Roger Staubach, received the Hall of Fame’s Gold Medal Award in 2007.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Pete Dawkins, Army Randy Duncan, Iowa Billy Cannon, Louisiana State Bob White, Ohio State Joe Kapp, California
1959
Billy Cannon
Louisiana State Running Back At LSU, Billy gained 598 yards rushing, an average of 4.3 yards, completed 2 passes for 20 yards, caught 15 punts and ran them back for 221 yards, returned 8 kickoffs for 191 yards, scored 7 touchdowns and punted 44 times for an average of 40.3 yards. The shifty, slashing 6-foot-1, 210-pound “Atomic Cannon” was clocked in the hundred at 9.4, and was the scourge of LSU’s Southeastern Conference opponents for three years. Billy went on to a distinguished pro career with the Houston Oilers (four years), the Oakland Raiders (six years), and the Kansas City Chiefs (one year). He was named All-Pro halfback with Houston and All-Pro tight end with Oakland. During his pro years, Billy went to dental school at the University of Tennessee, graduating in 1968 with a DDS. He continued his studies at a graduate program in orthodontia at Loyola in Chicago, earning two additional degrees. Billy and his wife, Dorothy, have five children and resided in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he was an orthodontist. Billy Cannon passed away in 2018. He was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2008.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Billy Cannon, Louisiana State Richie Lucas, Penn State Don Meredith, Southern Methodist Bill Burrell, Illinois Charles Flowers, Mississippi
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1960
Joseph Bellino
Navy Running Back
At 5-feet-9 and 181 pounds, Joe gained 834 yards, over half of his team’s total 1,650 yards, in Navy’s 1960 season (9-1). He completed 5 of 14 passes, 2 for touchdowns, caught 15 passes for 264 yards and 3 touchdowns. His quick-kicks averaged 47.1 yards, and he returned 5 punts for 97 yards and 11 kickoffs for 240 yards. He was Navy’s chief scorer in 1960 with 18 touchdowns for 110 points and played safety on defense, averaging over 40 minutes per game. After a four-year stint in the Navy, Joe was signed by the (then) Boston Patriots and played for three seasons. In 1968, he was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals, but preferred to retire from football rather than move his family. Although semi-retired, for the last thirty years, Joe worked in the automobile industry, specializing in the wholesale auto auction and consumer leasing business. Joe was Director of National Accounts for ADESA Boston, also Director of the Northern Bank and Trust Company, and was active in many charities in the New England area. He served over twentyeight years in the U.S. Navy and Naval Reserve and held the rank of Captain, USNR, Retired. Joe passed away in 2019, survived by his wife, Ann, and two children, Therese and John. Joseph Bellino was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1977.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Joseph Bellino, Navy Tom Brown, Minnesota Jake Gibbs, Mississippi Ed Dyas, Auburn Bill Kilmer, UCLA
1961
Ernest Davis
Syracuse Running Back
Ernie, a big, rugged 6-foot-2, 211-pounder, played left halfback and was his team’s leading ground-gainer for three seasons. He completed 1961 with 823 yards on 150 carries, averaging 5.5 yards. He scored 15 touchdowns and totaled 94 points, leading Syracuse in pass receiving with 16 catches for 157 yards. He broke Jim Brown’s career records in rushing (2,386 yards), yards gained all ways (3,414), scoring (220 points), and touchdowns (35). Ernie was the first African American to win
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the Heisman Trophy. After graduating from college, he was signed by the Cleveland Browns for the (then) astronomical sum of $80,000. Shortly after signing, and before he suited up for his first pro game, Ernie was struck down by leukemia. He died on May 18, 1963, after a sixteen-month battle for survival. Ernest Davis was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1979.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Ernest Davis, Syracuse Bob Ferguson, Ohio State Jimmy Saxton, Texas Sandy Stephens, Minnesota Pat Trammel, Alabama
1962
Terry Baker
Oregon State Quarterback
The West Coast’s first Heisman winner established an amazing record in total offense, running and passing for 4,980 yards at Oregon State. In 1962, Terry completed 111 passes out of 202 attempts for 1,723 yards, including 15 touchdown passes. He led his team in net yards gained rushing, averaging 4.5 yards per carry and kicked 33 of his team’s 42 punts, averaging 37.4 yards per punt. A fine all-around athlete, he is the only Heisman winner to also play in an NCAA Final Four. Terry graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1963, then played pro ball with the Los Angeles Rams and the Edmonton Eskimos. He attended law school at USC, received his Juris Doctorate in 1968, and was admitted to the Oregon State Bar that year. Terry served on the staff of the President’s Commission on Campus Unrest and Kent State Task Force in 1970. He practiced law in Portland, Oregon, as a partner in the law firm Tonkon Torp LLP until retiring in 2012. He received the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award in 1988 and was elected to the GTE Academic All-American Hall of Fame in 1991. Terry Baker was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1982.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Terry Baker, Oregon State Jerry Stovall, Louisiana State Bob Bell, Minnesota Lee Roy Jordan, Alabama George Mira, Miami
1960 Bellino
1963
1961 Davis
Roger Staubach
Navy Quarterback
Roger was hailed by Navy coach Wayne Hardin as “the greatest quarterback Navy ever had.” In 1963, he completed more than 115 passes, 9 for touchdowns, and as a sophomore completed 67 of 98 pass attempts as the leading percentage passer in the nation. In the Michigan-Navy game of 1963, he connected on 14 passes for 237 yards, and against West Virginia, he completed 17 passes. He was the fourth junior to win the Heisman Trophy. Of Roger’s subsequent professional career with the Dallas Cowboys, not much needs to be said other than that he proved himself to be one of the finest quarterbacks in history in terms of both performance and team leadership. Roger joined the Cowboys in 1969, following four years of service in the Navy, with one year in Vietnam. He was voted MVP in Super Bowl VI. Roger was the Executive Chairman of Americas of Jones Lang LaSalle, an international diversified commercial real estate company headquartered in Chicago. Roger Staubach was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1981 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985—the first year he became eligible for this honor.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Roger Staubach, Navy Billy Lothridge, Georgia Tech Sherman Lewis, Michigan State Don Trull, Baylor Scott Appleton, Texas
1964
John Huarte
Notre Dame Quarterback
The grim-jawed passer led Notre Dame to a brilliant season of nine victories in ten games. Although he played only 5 minutes as a sophomore and 45 as a junior, he established nine Notre Dame records and tied another. He completed 114 of 205 passes for 2,062 yards and 16 touchdowns for an average of 18.1 per completion in his senior year. He was the sixth Notre Dame player to win the Heisman Trophy. After graduation, John played ten years of pro football, eight in the NFL, and two in the WFL playing for Memphis. He is the owner and president of Arizona Tile, a group of twenty-five granite tile centers located throughout California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Texas, and is the No. 1 distributor of these products in North America. He is married to the former Eileen Devine of New York City and they have five children and eleven grandchildren. John Huarte was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2005.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
1952 Baker
John Huarte, Notre Dame Jerry Rhome, Tulsa Dick Butkus, Illinois Bob Timberlake, Michgan Jack Snow, Notre Dame 1963 Staubach
1964 Huarte
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USC SALUTES ITS HEISMAN WINNERS MATT LEINART 2004
CARSON PALMER 2002 MIKE GARRETT 1965
O.J. SIMPSON 1968 MARCUS ALLEN 1981
CHARLES WHITE 1979
1965 Garrett
1965
Mike Garrett
1966 Spurrier
Balloting
1967 Beban
1968 Simpson
USC Running Back
In three years with the Trojans, Mike gained 4,876 yards in rushing, passing, receiving, punt returns, and kickoff returns. Mike’s 1,440 rushing yards led the nation’s runners in 1965 and his 3,221 career yards on the ground was among the best in NCAA history. The 5-foot-9, 189-pound halfback broke nearly all of his college’s football offensive records and many of the AAWU Conference on the West Coast. After college, Mike played four years with the Kansas City Chiefs, winning a Super Bowl in 1970, and four more with the San Diego Chargers. In San Diego, Mike also founded a community-based educational program for underprivileged children. Mike returned to his alma mater, the University of Southern California, as Associate Athletic Director and was then named Athletic Director in 1993. He has remained actively involved in youth programs in Los Angeles, starting East Los Angeles Youth Activities to deal with gang youth, and has been a motivating force behind several charity sports programs. Mike and his wife, Suzanne, have four children, Sara, Daniel, and twins, Michael William and John Sherman. Mike Garrett was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1985. 1 2 3 4 5
Mike Garrett, USC Howard Twilley, Tulsa Jim Grabowski, Illinois Don Anderson, Texas Tech Floyd Little, Syracuse
1966
Steve Spurrier Florida Quarterback
1969 Owens
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6-feet-2 and 203 pounds, “Super Steve” broke many Florida and Southeastern Conference records in a career that spanned 31 games. He completed 392 passes out of 692 attempts for a total yardage of 4,848, including 37 touchdowns and picked up 442 yards rushing. The number one draft choice of the San Francisco 49ers, he played for nine years, spelling John Brodie as quarterback in 1972 and leading the 49ers to a third consecutive NFC West Title. In the ’72 season he threw for 5 touchdown passes to tie Brodie and Albert for the team record. A collegiate head coach for 29 years, he was 20-13-1 at Duke and won the ACC title in 1989. As Florida head coach, his team won the SEC title in 1990–91, 1993–96, 2000 and the National Championship in 1996. He was the winningest coach in Florida history with a record of 122-27-1 for 12 years. As head coach at the University of South Carolina, his teams have qualified for a Bowl game all nine years, with an Eastern Division title in 2010. In 2011, he led South Carolina to the best record, 11-2, and is the winningest football coach in that school’s history. He won nine Conference
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2020 Coach of the Year awards and the Davey O’Brien Legends Award. He is married to the former Jerri Starr; they have four children and fourteen grandchildren. Steve Spurrier is one of four people to be elected to the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame as both a player (1986) and a coach (2017).
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Steve Spurrier, Florida Bob Griese, Purdue Nick Eddy, Notre Dame Gary Beban, UCLA Floyd Little, Syracuse
1967
Gary Beban
UCLA Quarterback Gary quarterbacked UCLA to twenty-three victories against five losses and two ties in his three-year reign with the Bruins. He completed 240 of 454 passes for a total of 4,070 yards, while rushing for 1,280 yards, crossing the goal line 35 times, and running for 2 two-point conversions. Against USC in his senior year, Gary completed 16 out of 24 passes for 301 yards and 2 touchdown strikes of 53 and 20 yards. After college, Gary played for the Redskins until 1970. He then joined CB Commercial, the nation’s leading full-service real estate organization. After serving as an industrial property specialist and holding various management positions, Gary served as the President of CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) from 1987 to 1998, and co-chaired the Global Account Management Group until his retirement in 2008. Still active with CBRE as an advisor and client account manager, he also serves as a Director of the Hubbell Realty Company. Gary Beban was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1998.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Gary Beban, UCLA O.J. Simpson, USC Leroy Keyes, Purdue Larry Csonka, Syracuse Kim Hammond, Florida State
1968
O.J. Simpson
USC Running Back
The second Heisman Trophy winner from USC, O.J. piled up a monumental record in two seasons at USC. In eighteen games he gained 3,187 yards, scored 21 touchdowns in 1968 and 13 in 1967. His 40 carries in the UCLA game his senior year gave him an NCAA record of 334 for one season. His 205 yards in that same game swelled his season total to 1,654 for another NCAA record.
Since graduation, O.J. has become not only a legendary rusher in the NFL, but an actor, and an advertising pitchman. He closed out a great football career in 1979 with the 49ers. He went on to be seen on television and movie screens regularly. He was a sports broadcaster for NBC and ABC. He owns and is CEO of two companies, Orenthal Productions and O.J. Simpson Enterprises. O.J. Simpson was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
O.J. Simpson, USC Leroy Keyes, Purdue Terry Hanratty, Notre Dame Ted Kwallick, Penn State Ted Hendricks, Miami
1969
Steve Owens
Oklahoma Fullback Steve was named to the All Big Eight Conference team in 1967– 69; received Big 8 Player of the Year in 1968–69; was a Consensus All-American in 1968–69 and was selected by his teammates as co-captain of the 1969 Sooners. Steve was drafted in the 1st round by the Detroit Lions, was the first Lion to gain over 1,000 yards in a season, and was an All-Pro selection in 1971. After six years with Detroit, he retired with a serious knee injury. In 1991, Steve was named to The Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, and was the Walter Camp Foundation Alumnus of the Year. He was inducted into the Orange Bowl Hall of Honor in 1992. Steve is CEO of Steve Owens Associates and Steve Owens Insurance Group, which offer a full range of insurance and service related products, located in Norman, Oklahoma. Steve keeps strong ties to the University of Oklahoma, serving as AD from 1996–98. He is the founding member of the Norman Public School Foundation and Miami (OK) Public School Foundation. He has been a spokesman for the Ronald McDonald House and played a key role in raising funds to bring the House to Oklahoma City. Steve has given his time to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the Child Welfare Citizens Advisory Board, the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Football Foundation, and the Advisory Board for the Norman Family YMCA. He is on the Board of Directors of Arvest Bank and also serves on the Selection Committees for the Doak Walker and the Danny Wuerffel Awards. Steve resides in Norman with his wife, Barbara. They have two sons, their beloved Blake, and Mike, his wife Lindsay and children Quincy, Austin, Madden and Campbell. Steve Owens was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1991.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Steve Owens, Oklahoma Mike Phipps, Purdue Rex Kern, Ohio State Archie Manning, Mississippi Mike Reid, Penn State
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1970
Jim Plunkett
Stanford Quarterback In three seasons with the Indians, Jim’s total offense records included most pass attempts (962), most pass completions (530), most net yards passing (7,544), most touchdown passes (52), most plays total offense (1,174), and most yards total offense (7,887). His net yards passing and most yards total offense were NCAA records at the time. When he connected for 22 of 36 passes for 268 yards against Washington, he broke the career passing mark of 7,076 yards held by Steve Ramsey of North Carolina. After Rose Bowl heroics (leading Stanford over Ohio State in 1971, 27-17), Jim went on to the New England Patriots—as a No. 1 draft choice—where he compiled a brilliant freshman record as starting quarterback passing for 2,158 yards, and winning Rookie of the Year honors. He played in every Patriots game until injuries sidelined him in 1975. He was traded in 1976 to the 49ers, and in 1980, joined the Oakland Raiders and quarterbacked them to two Super Bowl wins, in 1980 (in which he was named MVP) and 1983. Jim retired after a stellar seventeen-season pro-football career, and works as an analyst for the Oakland Raiders pre-season television and co-hosts a weekly Oakland Raiders highlight television show. He was named the First Recipient of the Leukemia Society of America’s Ernie Davis Award. Jim Plunkett was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1990.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Jim Plunkett, Stanford Joe Theismann, Notre Dame Archie Manning, Mississippi Steve Worster, Texas Rex Kern, Ohio State
1971
Pat Sullivan
Auburn Quarterback A three-season starter, Pat led Auburn to 25 victories in 30 games. The Tigers averaged well over 34.4 points and 425.8 yards a game and Pat accounted for 73 touchdowns (18 running and 55 passing) to equal the all-time NCAA mark. He received the Sammy Baugh Award (1970), the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award (1971), and was the 1972 MVP of the College All-Star Game. After graduation, Pat played for the Atlanta Falcons. In 1976, he was traded to the Washington Redskins and in 1977, to the 49ers. Following his pro career, Pat was successful as an insurance and tire company executive in
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his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. For 5 years, he served as the color analyst on Auburn’s radio broadcast. In 1986 he returned to Auburn as QB coach. In 1992 he became the Head Football Coach at TCU and was named SWC Coach of the Year in 1994. Pat was the Offensive Coordinator and QB Coach at The University of Alabama at Birmingham from 1999–2005, and the Assistant Head Coach in 2006. In 2007 he was named Head Football Coach at Samford University in Birmingham and led them to a 2013 SO-CON championship. Pat retired from coaching in 2014 and worked for the President of Samford University in Campus and Community Development. Pat volunteered for the UAB Head and Neck Cancer Survivor Care Program. He and his wife Jean have three children and eight grandchildren. He passed away in December 2019. Pat was a member of the Gator Bowl, Sugar Bowl, and Senior Bowl Hall of Fame. In 1981 Pat Sullivan was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, in 1991, the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, and in 2012, the National High School Hall of Fame.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Pat Sullivan, Auburn Ed Marinaro, Cornell Gregg Pruitt, Oklahoma John Musso, Alabama Lydell Mitchell, Penn State
1972
Johnny Rodgers
Nebraska Wide Receiver
The first wide receiver to win the Heisman, Johnny was one of the most versatile players in Cornhusker history. Operating as a punt and kickoff returner, he broke offensive and punt return records by the dozen. In his three-year career he racked up 5,586 all-purpose yards for an NCAA record. Johnny sits among Orange Bowl royalty, winning three straight Orange Bowls and two National Championships concluding his Heisman-winning season with a 5-touchdown performance against Notre Dame. He rushed for 3 touchdowns, caught a 50-yard touchdown and even threw a 52-yard touchdown on a halfback pass play. His 24 points scored in 1973 and 30 career points scored in Orange Bowl games are both tied for first all-time. Johnny chose to go to the CFL and played for the Montreal Alouettes where he was named Rookie of the Year in 1973 and All-Pro from 1974–1976. He also had a career with the San Diego Chargers. Johnny is “The Huskers Player of the Century“ and “Most Valuable Player in the History of the Big Eight Conference.” In 2011 he authored his second book “10 Minutes of Insanity,” The Johnny Rodgers Story, a must read for anyone who wants our youth to know
that just one bad decision can have life long consequences. All readers will find this book interesting, informative, and inspiring. In 2011, he established the Johnny ”The Jet” Rodgers National College Football Return Specialist Award and the Jet Legacy Award to honor Return Specialists from the past. In 2018–19 The Johnny Rodgers Career and Technical Education Scholarship program will provide over 200 youth scholarships to Metropolitan Community College to help youth establish a career in the trades. All proceeds from The Jet Awards go to fund scholarships in the TRADES. Johnny Rodgers was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2000.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
1970 Plunkett 1971 Sullivan
1972 Rodgers
Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska Greg Pruitt, Oklahoma Rich Glover, Nebraska Bert Jones, Louisiana State Terry Davis, Alabama
1973
John Cappelletti
Penn State Running Back
In 1972, John had the 3rd best year in Penn State history when he gained 1,117 yards rushing. In 1973, he had the 2nd best year in Penn State history, rushing for 1,522 yards. In his two-year career, he gained 100 yards in thirteen games and had a career total of 2,639 yards and 29 touchdowns for an average of 120 yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry. John’s statistics cover two years as running back as he played defensive back in 1971. He was named to virtually every All-American team, including the Kodak All-American team. John’s acceptance speech at the Heisman Dinner (with Vice President Gerald Ford next to him on the dais) was considered the most moving ever given at these ceremonies, as he honored his brother, Joey, a victim of leukemia. John was a first-round draft choice of the Rams, and spent two years grinding out short yardage. In 1976, he was promoted to starting duties and rushed for 688 yards in 177 carries. Placed on the injured reserve list in 1979, he was traded to the San Diego Chargers in 1980 and retired after the 1983 season. John was previously a partner in Family Classic Cars in San Juan Capistrano, California. He and his wife, Betty, have four sons, John Jr., Thomas, Joseph, and Nicholas, who, with his wife Elizabeth, had the Cappelletti’s first granddaughter, Elianna. John and Betty reside in Laguna Niguel, California. John Cappelletti was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1993.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
John Cappelletti, Penn State John Hicks, Ohio State Roosevelt Leaks, Texas David Jaynes, Kansas Archie Griffin, Ohio State
1973 Cappelletti
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1974-75
Archie Griffin
Ohio State Running Back As a junior, Archie Griffin was named to every All-American team and was called “the greatest football player I’ve ever coached” by Woody Hayes. Combining power, speed, and an uncanny ability to break 4 or 5 tackles on a single play, he smashed the all-time record for running backs in the Big Ten, amassing 4,064 yards. As a senior, Archie extended his record of consecutive 100-plus yard games to 31, and his overall yardage to 5,176. Archie was exceptional in many ways: he was magnificently consistent, grinding out 100-plus yards week in and week out, and he was a leader on the field and off, despite his modesty. Archie Griffin is the only player ever to win the Heisman twice: 1974 and 1975. But most of all, Archie reflected the high standards of the Griffin family, which exemplified hard work, devotion to excellence, and resilience. After graduating early from Ohio State with an excellent scholastic record, Archie was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals and played seven seasons. Archie retired in June of 2017 after thirtythree years of service in the Ohio State Department of Athletics (Associate Director), Alumni Association (President and CEO), and Advancement (Senior Advisor). Archie Griffin was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1986.
Balloting
1974
1 2 3 4 5
Archie Griffin, Ohio State Anthony Davis, USC Joe Washington, Oklahoma Tom Clements, Notre Dame Dave Humm, Nebraska
1 2 3 4 5
Archie Griffin, Ohio State Chuck Muncie, California Ricky Bell, USC Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh Joe Washington, Oklahoma
Balloting
1975
Tony Dorsett 1976
Pittsburgh Running Back
In his fantastic four-year career at Pittsburgh, Tony established so many NCAA records that he deserves his own record book. Just to skim the surface, Tony had most yards gained; most seasons gaining 1,000 yards; most seasons gaining 1,500 yards; most rushes; most yards rushing; most yards gained in a season; as well as many freshman records. As a freshman, Tony weighed only 155 pounds, but a strenuous weight-lifting program brought him up to 192 pounds. Even as a “lightweight” he was a star, finishing thirteenth in Heisman voting as a freshman. The 1976 season saw
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Tony eclipse several important marks—the most important being his 1,948 yards rushing which gave him a four-year total of 6,082. Tony equaled the record for most games rushing 100 yards or more (11 for a season, 33 for his career). In winning the Heisman Trophy, Tony beat Ricky Bell, his only serious competition, by an overwhelming 701–73 margin in first place votes. After playing in the collegiate national championship in 1976, Tony went to the Dallas Cowboys for the 1977 season, starting in the backfield under the 1963 winner, Roger Staubach. Tony was named NFL Rookie of the Year in 1977, and played in the Super Bowl. He retired from the NFL in 1990, and is owner of Touchdown Productions. Tony Dorsett was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh Ricky Bell, USC Rob Lytle, Michigan Terry Miller, Oklahoma State Tom Kramer, Rice
1977
Earl Campbell
Texas Running Back
Earl has an affinity for the number “4”: four times he was All-Southwest running back—the first time in that conference’s history one man earned such an honor; his college career in rushing is 4,444 yards; and in his fourth year of college he captured both the Heisman Trophy and consensus All-American. Earl’s top game was in 1977, where he gained 222 yards rushing against Texas A&M. His incredible talent for rushing brought him eighteen games in which he gained 100 yards or more. After graduating with a degree in speech communications from the University of Texas, Earl was the first player drafted by the NFL for the 1978 season by the Houston Oilers. With the Oilers, he showed definite record-breaking tendencies, becoming one of the few rookies in their first season to go over 1,000 yards rushing, and breaking the single season rushing record for a rookie. Earl set the Oilers team record for most touchdowns in a single season and tied the record for touchdowns in a single game. Retired from the NFL, Earl is Assistant to the Athletic Director at the University of Texas, He is also the President of Earl Campbell Foods, Inc., called the fastest growing food company in America. Earl Campbell was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Earl Campbell, Texas Terry Miller, Oklahoma State Ken MacAfee, Notre Dame Doug Williams, Grambling College Ross Browner, Notre Dame
Billy Sims
1978
Oklahoma Running Back
Billy became the sixth junior to win the Heisman and was the nation’s leading rusher and scorer for 1978, averaging 160.1 yards and 10.9 points. He set the Big Eight Conference single season rushing record of 1,762 on 231 carries for a phenomenal average of 7.6 yards every time he touched the ball. Billy was the only back in the nation’s top 50 to average 7.0 per carry, and became the first player in Big Eight’s history to rush for more than 200 yards in three straight games. In 1978, Billy was elected College Player of the Year by both the Associated Press and the United Press, and was Sports Magazine’s Player of the Year. He finished as the Heisman runner up to Charles White in 1979, then went on to become the NFL’s Rookie of the Year for Detroit in 1980. In 1990, he was inducted into the Michigan Hall of Fame and, in 1994, the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. In 2004 Sims co-founded Billy Sims BBQ and he continues to be actively involved in the day to day running of the company. He spends his days off with his kids and grandchildren. Billy Sims was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1995.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
1974–75 Griffin
Billy Sims, Oklahoma Chuck Fusina, Penn State Rick Leach, Michigan Charles White, USC Charles Alexander, Louisiana State
1979
Charles White
USC Running Back
Coach John Robinson stated, “Charlie is simply the most competitive athlete I’ve ever seen.” Incredibly, as USC’s all-purpose back, Charlie averaged 30 to 40 carries a game. Against Notre Dame, he scored 4 touchdowns, carrying 44 times and rushing for 261 yards. In his regular season career he rushed for 5,598 yards, including Bowl Games: 6,245 yards. Charlie had a lifetime average of 5.4 yards per carry, caught 59 passes for 541 yards, and scored 53 touchdowns—a Pac 10 record. Charlie set a total of 22 records in the NCAA, Pac 10, and USC. In his senior year, he led the nation with an average of 194.1 yards per game and in the last ten games of that year, he averaged 201 rushing yards per game. Charlie graduated with a degree in Speech Communications. Drafted by the Cleveland Browns, he also played for the Los Angeles Rams and led the NFL in rushing in 1987. He has five children, Nicole, Julian, Ashton, Tara, and Sophia, and one granddaughter, Giovanna Lee Hemmen. Charles White was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1996.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Charles White, USC Billy Sims, Oklahoma Marc Wilson, Brigham Young Art Schlichter, Ohio State Vagas Ferguson, Notre Dame
1977 Campbell
1976 Dorsett 1978 Sims
1979 White
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1980
George Rogers
South Carolina Running Back
Ball carriers can get pigeonholed as musclers or runabouts, not George. South Carolina backfield coach, Bob Brown, called him “the ideal mix of bigness and quickness.” New Orleans Saints coach, Bum Phillips, who made George the top NFL ’81 draft choice, also noted George’s double edge—he could dodge a defender or run over him. As tailback for the SC Gamecocks, George rolled up twenty-one consecutive, 100-yard games, including every game in his senior year, when he led the nation in rushing with 1,781 yards and tied for third in touchdowns with 14. When the 1980 college season opened, he was a Heisman long shot, but when the voting was over he led decisively, beating out Hugh Green of Pittsburgh. In his first NFL season with the Saints, he was one of the league’s leading ground-gainers. He later won a Super Bowl with the Washington Redskins, and retired from football in 1988. To give back to his community, George started the George Rogers Foundation of the Carolinas, Inc. which provides financial assistance to first-generation college students and support to community-based youth development non-profit organizations. His foundation recently partnered with the University of South Carolina to provide scholarships to former athletes returning to college to complete their degrees. George is the first in his family to attend and graduate from college and wishes others to have the same opportunity that was available to him. George Rogers was elected to the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame in 2013, the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2004 and the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1997.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
George Rogers, South Carolina Hugh Green, Pittsburgh Herschel Walker, Georgia Mark Herrmann, Purdue Jim McMahon, Brigham Young
1981
Marcus Allen
USC Running Back
USC’s Marcus Allen is the only player in the history of football to win a college National Championship, a Heisman Trophy, an NFL MVP award, a Super Bowl title, and a Super Bowl MVP award. The fourth tailback from the University of Southern California to win the Heisman Trophy, Marcus achieved this honor by being the first rusher to cover more than 2,000 yards in one season. He had eight 200-yard plus games, including the season’s first five in a row—becoming the first player to have five-straight 200-yard games. He finished his senior year with 2,342 yards. In addition to the Heisman, Allen won the Maxwell and Walter Camp Player of the Year awards. On October 31, 1982 in USC’s 41-17 win over
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Washington State, Marcus totaled 289 yards on 44 carries and scored 4 touchdowns. Marcus was drafted in the first round by the Los Angeles Raiders and remains the all-time leading rusher in Raiders history. He played professionally until 1997, when he retired from the Kansas City Chiefs. Marcus Allen was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003.
Balloting
1
Marcus Allen, USC
2 3 4 5
Herschel Walker, Georgia Jim McMahon, Brigham Young Dan Marino, Pittsburgh Art Schlichter, Ohio State
1982
Herschel Walker
Georgia Running Back
The seventh junior to win the Heisman Trophy, 6-foot-1, 222-pound Herschel amassed an unbelievable 5,097 yards rushing (an NCAA record for yards rushing in three seasons). He exploded for 50 touchdowns in just thirty-two games, averaging 159.3 yards per game and a whopping 5.3 yards per carry. He led the Bulldogs to a National Championship as a freshman and an amazing three-year record of 32 wins and only 2 losses. Following his junior season, Walker decided to go pro. The NFL still didn’t take underclassmen, but the newly-formed USFL did. Walker signed with the New Jersey Generals and became the marquee player in that league. In his three-year USFL career, Walker rushed for 5,562 yards. Then, in a fourteen-year career in the NFL, he played for the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, and New York Giants. He returned to the Cowboys for the last year of his career, and retired in 1997. Herschel Walker was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1999.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Herschel Walker, Georgia John Elway, Stanford Eric Dickerson, Southern Methodist Anthony Carter, Michigan Dave Rimington, Nebraska
1983
Mike Rozier
Nebraska Running Back
Mike owns the Nebraska all-time rushing and scoring records, yet he might never have gone west to Lincoln had Nebraska Assistant Coach Frank Solich not been such a keen observer of game film: while studying footage of another player in Mike’s hometown of
1981 Allen
Camden, NJ “Mike kept sticking out on the film,” Solich remembers. Mike was a wishbone fullback in high school, yet still managed to gain 300 yards in a single game. During his Heisman year he averaged nearly 8 yards per carry, was also the recipient of the Timmie and Maxwell Awards, and was Walter Camp’s Player of the Year. Mike was a No.1 USFL draft pick by the Pittsburgh Maulers and then the Jacksonville Bulls. He was taken in the supplemental draft by the Houston Oilers in 1984, where he played for 7 years. He finished his NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons in 1991. In 2005 Mike was inducted into the Camden County Sports Hall of Fame and the New Jersey Sports Hall of Fame. Besides charity events sponsored by the HWA and the Heisman Trust, Mike started his own foundation, the Michael T. Rozier Cancer Foundation (mikeroziercancerfoundation.org). A 501(c)(3) charity, its mission is to assist cancer patients and their families with unexpected ancillary expenses—to fulfill their needs right here, right now. Immediate concerns like food, transportation to and from treatment, parking and lodging are the main focus. Mike also supports the Beacon Schools, Rotary Club of Winslow Township, and the foundations of many other Heisman winners. Mike Rozier was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2006.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
1980 Rogers 1983 Rozier
Mike Rozier, Nebraska Steve Young, Brigham Young Doug Flutie, Boston College Turner Gill, Nebraska Terry Hoage, Georgia
1984
Doug Flutie
Boston College Quarterback
Doug set the NCAA all-time passing yardage mark while winning BC’s first Heisman in 1984. The first major college football passer to surpass 10,000 career yards (10,579), Flutie was a surefire combination of derring-do, charisma, and dazzling football skills. He had a remarkable senior year, throwing for 3,454 yards and 27 touchdowns as the Eagles finished 9-2, ranking eighth in the polls. Of course, everyone remembers his dramatic last-second bomb to Gerard Phelan that led BC over Miami, 47-45. From 1985–88 he played for the USFL New Jersey Generals. After a brief stint in the NFL, Doug went to the Canadian Football League from 1991–97 and was a six-time CFL Outstanding Player of the Year, threetime Grey Cup MVP, and the first CFL player to throw for 6,000 yards in a season. Doug returned to the NFL in 1998 and he played three seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He was the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year in 1998 and was selected to the Pro Bowl. In 1999, Doug led the Bills to the playoffs and was a Pro Bowl alternate. Doug played for the Chargers from 2001–04, and with the Patriots in 2005, before retiring. He is currently a broadcast analyst for NBC Sports, covering Notre Dame football. In 1998, he established the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism in honor of his son who was diagnosed with the disability. To date, the foundation has raised over $10 million for children with autism. A member of the Flutie Brothers Band, he won “Monday Night at the Mic” on ABC’s Monday Night Football. Doug and his wife, Laurie, have two children, Alexa and Dougie Jr. Doug Flutie was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2007.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Doug Flutie, Boston College Keith Byars, Ohio State Robbie Bosco, Brigham Young Bernie Kosar, Miami Ken Davis, Texas Christian
1982 Walker
1984 Flutie
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TUXEDOS... IT’S WHAT WE DO BEST
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ALAN
1954 WINNER
AMECHe
RON
DAYNE
george rogers 1980 Heisman Trophy Winner
1999 WINNER
WISCONSIN CONGRATULATES
THIS YEAR’S FINALISTS
The University of South Carolina extends our congratulations to this year’s recipient of the Heisman Memorial Trophy.
HEISMAN
2020
1985
Vincent ‘Bo’ Jackson
Auburn Running Back
Bo Jackson, Auburn’s great running back and second Heisman winner, is such a remarkable all-around athlete that if there were any Heisman awards in baseball or track and field he would almost certainly have won them too. As the nation’s premier ball-carrier, Bo was the spearhead of Auburn’s return to football prominence. Under the direction of Coach Pat Dye, the school produced the best teams since the National Championship days of 1957, when the Reverend Ralph “Shug” Jordan coached the Tigers to first place in the Associated Press poll. In his freshman year, Bo averaged 6.4 yards per rush, sprinted a 6.18 second sixty-yard dash for the track team, and hit .279 as the starting centerfielder in baseball. In 1985, he led the nation in all four main categories of ball-carrying— total rushing yardage, average per carry, touchdowns scored, and yards per game—as late as the eighth week of the season. Jackson was drafted by the Tampa Bay Bucaneers, but opted instead to play baseball for the Kansas City Royals, the defending World Series champions, who had selected him in the fourth round in the 1986 amateur draft. He played serveral seasons with the Royals, White Sox and Angels, while also returning to football to play for the Los Angeles Raiders. Vincent “Bo” Jackson was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1998.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Bo Jackson, Auburn Chuck Long, Iowa Robbie Bosco, Brigham Young Lorenzo White, Michigan State Vinny Testaverde, Miami
1986
Vinny Testaverde Miami Quarterback
Vinny, like all great quarterbacks, knows that his offensive line makes or breaks the day, and no one is more generous with his praise than the 6-foot-5, 235-pound aerial wizard from Elmont, Long Island. Oklahoma’s Barry Switzer, the most successful of college football coaches, said of Vinny after he had thrown 4 touchdowns passes to beat his No. 1-ranked Sooners earlier in the season: “In twenty-one years, I have never seen a better quarterback.” To add statistical weight to Switzer’s appraisal, consider that in the first nine games of the 1986 season, Vinny had completed 154 passes in 242 attempts for 2,249 yards and 24 touchdowns. His completion percentage was 63.6, but even
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more impressive was that he threw only 8 interceptions. He was Miami’s then-all-time leader in career touchdown passes with 46. Vinny was the No. 1 selection for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and played twenty-one years in the NFL: six with Tampa Bay, three with the Cleveland Browns, two with the Baltimore Ravens (voted to first Pro Bowl), seven with the New York Jets (voted to second Pro Bowl), and one each with the Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, and Carolina Panthers. He and his wife, Mitzi, have two daughters, Alicia Marie and Madeleine, and a son, Vincent, Jr. Vinny Testaverde was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2013.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Vinny Testaverde, Miami Paul Palmer, Temple Jim Harbaugh, Michigan Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma Gordon Lockbaum, Holy Cross
1987
Tim Brown
Notre Dame Receiver
The single attribute that sets the great football player apart from the merely good one is the ability to turn the game around on one play. More than any other college star of the 1987 season, Tim possessed this rare talent. Tim, who did everything on a football field except sell tickets, was the seventh Trophy recipient from Notre Dame, tied with Ohio State for the most Heisman wins. He caught passes, ran back punts and kickoffs, rushed when necessary, and drove any defense to distraction just by being on the field. At 6-feet and 195-pounds, Brown was not huge by football standards, but he had great speed, elusiveness in the open field, sure hands, and a fine grasp of the strategy and tactics of what is, in reality, a complex game. Lou Holtz said “He is the most intelligent player I’ve ever been around.” As a measure of Tim’s versatility, consider his statistics for the first nine games of the 1987 season: 32 pass receptions for 729 yards and 3 touchdowns, 29 rushes for 133 yards and 1 touchdown, 19 kickoff returns for 398 yards, and 31 punt returns for 380 yards and 3 touchdowns. Tim played sixteen seasons with the Los Angeles/ Oakland Raiders and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before retiring from the NFL after the 2004 season. Tim Brown was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Tim Brown, Notre Dame Don McPherson, Syracuse Gordon Lockbaum, Holy Cross Lorenzo White, Michigan State Craig Heyward, Pittsburgh
1988
1986 Testaverde
Barry Sanders
Oklahoma State Running Back
Barry set 34 NCAA records in 1988. A running back averaging 100 yards a game is considered superior; Barry obliterated that statistic by averaging 249 rushing and 300 all-purpose yards per game during Oklahoma State’s 1988 season. In addition, he shattered several NCAA single season and career marks: setting a new NCAA all-time rushing record with a regular season total of 2,628 yards, the then-all-purpose yards record with 3,249 yards, and the touchdowns scored record with 39 in just 11 games. He also added another 222 yards and 5 touchdowns in the ‘88 Holiday Bowl. Barry is the only Heisman winner to be notified of his achievement in Tokyo, Japan, where he and his Cowboy teammates were awaiting the final game of the season. Barry was the Detroit Lions’ 1st round pick in the 1989 draft and continued to mesmerize defenses with his awesome speed, versatility, and evasive maneuvers. He was named the 1989 Rookie of the Year, 1991 and 1994 NFC Most Valuable Player of the Year, and 1994 NFL Performer of the Year. He was the NFL MVP in 1997 and the fifth running back to rush for 2000 yards in a season (2053). He was a ten-time Pro Bowl selection and is an eight-time all-NFL and Pro Bowl player, retiring from the NFL in 1999. Barry donates a tremendous amount of time and money to local charities and religious organizations in Detroit, Oklahoma, and his hometown of Wichita, Kansas. Barry Sanders was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
1985 Jackson 1987 Brown
Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State Rodney Peete, USC Troy Aikman, UCLA Steve Walsh, Miami Major Harris, West Virginia
1989
Andre Ware
University Of Houston Quarterback Andre won Houston’s first Heisman with one of the great passing seasons in NCAA history. He threw for 4,699 yards and 46 touchdowns as Houston averaged 53.5 points per game. His list of accomplishments included a 95–21 drubbing of SMU, the most points ever scored by a team with a Heisman winner. Andre set 26 NCAA records as Houston finished 9-2 and ranked 14th nationally. His arrival at Houston in 1987 coincided with the start of the run and shoot offense of new Cougars head coach Jack Pardee. Ware was custom-made for this system. However, he broke his arm five games into his first season and was lost the rest of the way. Ware rebounded as a 1988 sophomore, earning the starting job and throwing for 2,507 yards and 25 touchdowns as the Cougars improved from 4-6-1 to 9-3. After winning the Heisman as a junior, he was drafted in the first round by the Detroit Lions. He later played for the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL. He was signed by the Oakland Raiders in 1998, and retired from the NFL in 1999. Andre Ware was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2004.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
1988 Sanders
Andre Ware, Houston Anthony Thompson, Indiana Major Harris, West Virginia Tony Rice, Notre Dame Darian Hagan, Colorado
1989 Ware
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1991 Howard
1990
Ty Detmer
BYU Quarterback At 6-feet, 174-pounds, Ty was the brilliant junior quarterback of the Brigham Young University Cougars. To football fans who love the aerial game, the names of Gifford Nielson, Marc Wilson, Jim McMahon, Steve Young, and Robbie Bosco are enshrined in the pantheon of great passing quarterbacks. Add to this list—Ty Detmer. “If there’s such a thing as a coach’s dream,” said BYU’s coach LaVall Edwards, “Ty’s it. He is the best quarterback in the country. He’s as good at executing, reading, and knowing what to do as anybody I’ve seen.” In the crucial early season encounter with the No. 1 ranked Miami Hurricanes at Provo, Ty was at his best, passing for more than 400 yards as the Cougars registered a stunning 28–21 upset. He was even better in rallying his team to a 50–36 victory over Washington State in a game where BYU seemed hopelessly behind at half-time. A 43-point second half, achieved largely through Ty’s heroics, brought the victory. By season’s end, he had a Heismanrecord 5,022 yards of total offense. In his professional career, Ty played for the Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, and Atlanta Falcons. He and his wife, Kim, have four daughters. Ty Detmer was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2012.
1990 Detmer
Balloting
1992 Torretta 1994 Salaam
1993 Ward
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1 2 3 4 5
Ty Detmer, Brigham Young Raghib Ismail, Notre Dame Eric Bieniemy, Colorado Shawn Moore, Virginia David Klingler, Houston
Desmond Howard 1991 Michigan Receiver
The 5-foot-10 junior sensation from Cleveland became the second Heisman recipient from Ann Arbor. It was in the Notre Dame game that Desmond showed a spellbound national television audience just why he was the heart and soul of the 1991 Maize and Blue. With Michigan desperate to end a string of four consecutive defeats at Notre Dame’s hands, an early Wolverine surge had run out of steam; the Fighting Irish were poised to take the lead. Then, quickly, Michigan moved into Notre Dame territory. On a crucial fourthdown-and-inches play, Wolverine quarterback Elvis Grbac launched a high floating spiral, the mercurial Desmond raced under it, leaped as far as he could, and cradled the ball in his out-stretched hands for the touchdown that gave Michigan one of its most cherished victories. The play is enshrined in Ann Arbor lore as “The Catch.” In game after game, Desmond made dazzling receptions, ran kickoffs back with reckless abandon and wondrous facility for using his blockers to full open-field advantage, and carried the ball brilliantly on wide-sweeping reverses. Desmond was drafted in the first round by the Washington Redskins and was the MVP of the 1997 Super Bowl for the Green Bay Packers. He retired from the NFL in 2002. Desmond Howard was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2010.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Desmond Howard, Michigan Casey Weldon, Florida State Ty Detmer, Brigham Young Steve Emtman, Washington Shane Matthews, Florida
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1992
Gino Torretta Miami Quarterback
At 6-feet 3-inches, and 205 pounds, senior Gino Torretta was key to the extraordinary success of his team. Against archrival Florida State, one of the strongest teams in the nation, it came down to the fourth quarter. On the crucial third down and long yardage play, Gino came through with a thrilling 14-yard run that left the Florida State defense awestruck. As clever a quarterback as college football had seen in years, he quickly exploited the defense and threw a touchdown to win the game. “Gino showed everybody he is the best quarterback in college football,” said coach Dennis Erickson. Florida State coach Bobby Bowden captured the essence of the day when he noted: “I can sum up this game in one word—‘Torretta.’ Torretta was great.” Gino, the latest in a long line of stand-out Miami quarterbacks, eclipsed all other Hurricane QBs in the record book, with 7,000 aerial yards. After spending five seasons in the NFL, Gino is a Senior Vice President for Gabelli Asset Management Company headquartered in Rye, NY. He is also the Chairman and CEO and the game analyst for Touchdown Radio, which broadcasts a nationally syndicated radio college football game every week. Gino, his wife Bernadette, and their daughter reside in Miami, where they have established The Torretta Foundation to support research in ALS and Myasthenia Gravis. Gino Torretta was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2009.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Gino Torretta, Miami Marshall Faulk, San Diego State Garrison Hearst, Georgia Marvin Jones, Florida State Reggie Brooks, Notre Dame
1993
Charlie Ward
Florida State Quarterback
In 1993 Charlie Ward won Florida State’s first Heisman Trophy, giving FSU and head coach Bobby Bowden its first-ever national title. Ward’s margin of victory was a massive 1,622 points, second largest lead at the time. Ward won over thirty college football awards, received a No. 1 AP ranking and set nineteen school and seven Atlantic Coast Conference records. A native of Thomasville, Georgia, Charlie was the sparkplug on three Seminole NCAA Tournament basketball teams, pushing the Seminoles to the brink of the 1993 Final Four, falling one game shy. Ward’s still holds Seminole basketball records for steals (9) and career (236) and ranks sixth all-time in assists (396). He’s the only Heisman winner to play in the NBA. After graduating from FSU, Ward was
drafted twice by Major League Baseball before being a first-round draft pick in 1994 by the New York Knickerbockers. He went on to help the Knicks reach the playoffs from 1996 to 2001, leading the team to their second Eastern Conference championship and NBA Finals in 1999. He played eleven seasons in New York, San Antonio, and Houston, and served as an assistant coach with the Rockets. Following a high school football coaching career, Ward is the head coach of The Florida State University School men’s basketball team. He co-hosts the weekly Chalk Talk with Charlie television segment on Fox 49’s Live in Tallahassee. Ward and his wife Tonja have been married for 23 years and have three children, Caleb, Hope and Joshua. They founded the Charlie Ward Family Foundation to leave a legacy of giving back to youth development programs and organizations. Charlie Ward was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2006.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Charlie Ward, Florida State Heath Shuler, Tennessee David Palmer, Alabama Marshall Faulk, San Diego State Glenn Foley, Boston College
1994
Rashaan Salaam
Colorado Running Back
The 6-foot 1-inch, 215-pound running back gained 2,055 yards rushing during his Heisman year and joined fellow Heisman winners Marcus Allen, Mike Rozier and Barry Sanders as the first four Division I players to gain more than 2,000 rushing yards in a season. Rashaan rushed for 165 yards against Michigan in Michigan Stadium before 106,000 spectators—the largest crowd to see a Colorado team in action. He led the Buffaloes to an 11-1 season capped by a 3-touchdown performance in the 1995 Fiesta Bowl. Always humble, Rashaan acknowledged the importance of his teammates: “Without my offensive linemen,” he said, “I would not have been honored with the greatest award in amateur athletics.” As a junior, Rashaan was a unanimous All-American selection and led the nation in rushing (186.8 yards per game), scoring (13.1) and all-purpose yards (213.6). He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 1995 NFL draft with the twenty-first overall pick. Rashaan moved from the gridiron into the international business arena and was on the Board of Directors for the Adoria Group, Ltd, a sports and entertainment group based in Beijing, promoting Mixed Martial Arts in mainland China. Rashaan Salaam passed away in 2016.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Rashaan Salaam, Colorado Ki-Jana Carter, Penn State Steve McNair, Alcorn State Kerry Collins, Penn State Troy Davis, Iowa State
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1995
Eddie George
Ohio State Running Back
Eddie captured Ohio State University’s sixth Heisman Trophy. At 6-feet 3-inches, and 227 pounds, the gifted senior tailback gained 1,877 yards rushing for a 152.2 per game average, and scored 23 touchdowns. He also caught 44 passes for 399 yards and 1 touchdown, leading the nation in scoring with an average of 12 points per game. Eddie rushed for over 100 yards in elevenstraight games after gaining 99 in the Kickoff Classic against Boston College. He accomplished all of these feats while rarely playing more than three quarters. Eddie’s finest game was at home, in Ohio Stadium, against a tough Illinois defense. During the 41-3 romp, the Buckeyes rushed for 314 yards and scored 3 touchdowns, 2 rushing and 1 receiving. Coach John Cooper said of Eddie: “I’ve been coaching thirty-three years and this young man has got the best work ethic of any football player I’ve been around. Obviously he’s a great football player, but this award could not go to a finer person, both on the field and off the field, than Eddie George.” Eddie was selected by the Houston Oilers in the first round of the 1996 NFL draft with the 14th overall pick. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000. He is currently a Broadway actor. Eddie George was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2011.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Eddie George, Ohio State Tommie Frazier, Nebraska Danny Wuerffel, Florida Darnell Autry, Northwestern Troy Davis, Iowa State
1996
Danny Wuerffel Florida Quarterback
At 6-feet 2-inches and 212 pounds, Danny is the second Florida Gator to capture the award and the first Heisman winner whose head coach, Steve Spurrier, was another recipient of the Trophy. Danny, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, led the Gators to the National Championship title in 1996 with a 12-1 record. The Gators beat the Florida State Seminoles in the Sugar Bowl to claim their title. In 1996, Danny passed for 3,625 yards with a pass efficiency of 167.86. He threw for 36 touchdown passes for the season, compared with only 13 interceptions. Danny graduated from the University of Florida’s School of Journalism and Public Relations
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with a degree in Public Relations. He was selected in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL draft by the New Orleans Saints. After three years with the Saints, Danny led the NFL Europe’s Rhein Fire to a World Bowl Championship. He then played for one season each with the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, and Washington Redskins. Danny now works full-time as Executive Director of Desire Street Ministries, based in Atlanta, Georgia. Desire Street works with leaders to revitalize under-resourced neighborhoods through spiritual and community development. Danny Wuerffel was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2013.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Danny Wuerffel, Florida Troy Davis, Iowa State Jake Plummer, Arizona State Orlando Pace, Ohio State Warrick Dunn, Florida State
1997
Charles Woodson Michigan Cornerback
Charles was the third Michigan Wolverine to win the Heisman Trophy, joining Desmond Howard and Tom Harmon. At 6-feet 2-inches and 200 pounds, the exciting junior cornerback garnered numerous post-season honors including First Team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association. Charles finished the season with 8 interceptions. He is a versatile player who also saw time as a receiver on offense and as a dangerous punt returner on special teams. The Wolverines finished the season with a 21–16 victory over Washington State in the Rose Bowl to go 12-0 on the season and to claim a share of the National Championship with Nebraska. Woodson won the Heisman over Tennessee’s Peyton Manning, making him the first two-way player in a generation to win the award. Charles was drafted fourth overall by the Oakland Raiders in 1998 and was named the 1998 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers in 2011, returned to the Oakland Raiders in 2013 and retired after the 2015 season. Charles Woodson was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2018.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Charles Woodson, Michigan Peyton Manning, Tennessee Ryan Leaf, Washington State Randy Moss, Marshall Ricky Williams, Texas
1995 George
1998
Ricky Williams
Texas Running Back
The 6-foot, 225-pound running back is the second Texas Longhorn to win the Heisman Trophy. Ricky also garnered numerous post-season honors including the Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year Award, the Doak Walker Award, and the Maxwell Award, as well as being named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. Ricky holds or shares twenty NCAA records, and broke Tony Dorsett’s 22-year old NCAA career-rushing mark in 1998 with 6,279 yards. Ricky and the Longhorns finished the 1998 season with a 38–11 victory over Mississippi State in the Cotton Bowl, to go 9-3 on the season. He was drafted fifth overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 1999 NFL draft, the first time in NFL history that one player had been a team’s entire draft class. Ricky retired from the NFL in 2011. He was an assistant football coach at the University of The Incarnate Word. Ricky Williams was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2015.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
1996 Wuerffel
Ricky Williams, Texas Michael Bishop, Kansas State Cade McNown, UCLA Tim Couch, Kentucky Donovan McNabb, Syracuse
1999
Ron Dayne
1997 Woodson
Wisconsin Running Back
At 5-feet 10-inches and 252 pounds, Ron is the second Wisconsin Badger, following Alan Ameche, to win the Heisman Trophy. During Ron’s four-year career at Wisconsin, the Badgers complied a 37-13 record and won two Big Ten titles. Ron led the Big Ten in rushing 3 times in his illustrious career. Ron’s 6,397 career rushing yards was an NCAA record until 2016. Ron and the Badgers finished the season with a 17–9 victory over Stanford in the Rose Bowl to go 10-2 on the season. Dayne is the only Big Ten player in history to win back-to-back Rose Bowl MVP awards. He was also named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Ron was drafted eleventh overall by the New York Giants in the 2000 NFL draft. Ron Dayne was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2013.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Ron Dayne, Wisconsin Joe Hamilton, Georgia Tech Michael Vick, Virginia Tech Drew Brees, Purdue Chad Pennington, Marshall 1998 Williams
1999 Dayne
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2000
Chris Weinke
Florida State Quarterback
At 6-feet 5-inches and 230 pounds, Chris is the second Florida State Seminole to win the Heisman Trophy. Chris was the first three-year starter at quarterback in the twenty-two-year tenure of Florida State Head Coach, Bobby Bowden. In 1999, Chris led the Seminoles to their first undefeated season and their second national title. Charlie Ward, the 1993 Heisman Trophy winner, led Florida State to their first national title in 1993. Chris led the Seminoles to three straight national championship games and compiled a 32-3 record at Florida State as the starting quarterback. During Chris’s Heisman winning season, he led the nation in passing with 4,167 yards during the regular season for an average of 347.3 yards per game. Chris is the second quarterback in NCAA history to pass for more than 9,500 career yards and win a national championship, and is the ACC and FSU record holder for career passing yardage as well as career touchdown passes. Chris was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fourth round (106th overall) of the 2001 NFL draft. He played with the Panthers and the 49ers before retiring. He eventually moved on to a coaching career, taking a job as the quarterbacks coach for the St. Louis Rams.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Chris Weinke, Florida State Josh Heupel, Oklahoma Drew Brees, Purdue Ladainian Tomlinson, Texas Christian Damien Anderson, Northwestern
2001
Eric Crouch
Nebraska Quarterback At 6-feet 1-inch and 200 pounds, Eric is the third Cornhusker to capture the Heisman. He set the all-time record for total offense in the Big 12 with 7,915 and is the 13th player in NCAA Division 1-A history to run and throw for more than 1,000 yards in a season. Entering his senior year with 2,319 rushing yards and 41 touchdowns, already more than any other Nebraska quarterback, Eric added to his totals with 1,510 passing yards and 1,115 rushing
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through twelve games. His 18 rushing touchdowns in 2001 brought his career total to 59 while his 7 touchdown passes gave him 29 for his career. Eric ran for more than 100 yards a halfdozen times, and guided his team into the top 10 each year he was at the helm of the offense. Eric was drafted in the third round by the St. Louis Rams, and also spent time in Germany with Hamburg Sea Devil NFL Europe. He played for the Toronto Argonauts for the 2006–07 seasons as quarterback and for the Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL in 2011. He is the owner of Crouch Recreation in Omaha, Nebraska. He currently resides in Omaha, Nebraska, with his wife Nicole and their two children, Lexi and Carsen.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Eric Crouch, Nebraska Rex Grossman, Florida Ken Dorsey, Miami Joey Harrington, Oregon David Carr, Fresno State
2002
Carson Palmer
USC Quarterback
Carson was the fifth Trojan to capture the award, following Mike Garrett, O.J. Simpson, Charlie White, and Marcus Allen. At 6-feet 5-inches, the experienced, strong-armed Palmer was a fouryear starter and the Pac 10’s career passing and total offense leader. Carson set seven Pac 10 career records and such USC records as: total offense (a Pac 10 record 11,621), plays (a Pac 10 record 1,824), passing yardage (a Pac 10 record 11,818), passing touchdowns (72, third on the Pac 10 ladder), completions (a Pac 10 record 927), and attempts (a Pac 10 record 1,569). Carson finished his USC season with a win at the 2003 Orange Bowl where he was selected as the MVP. He went on to be the No. 1 pick in the 2003 NFL draft. From 2004–11, he was the starting quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals, played for the Oakland Raiders from 2011–12 and the Arizona Cardinals from 2013–2017. He retired from the NFL in January 2018.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Carson Palmer, USC Brad Banks, Iowa Larry Johnson, Penn State Willis Mcgahee, Miami Ken Dorsey, Miami
2000 Weinke
2003
2001 Crouch
Jason White
Oklahoma Quarterback
At 6-feet 2-inches and 220 pounds, Jason became the fourth Sooner to win the Heisman Trophy following Billy Vessels, Steve Owens, and Billy Sims. Jason led his team to twelve straight victories, throwing for a school record of 40 touchdown passes in a season and securing a spot for the Sooners to play in the Sugar Bowl. At Oklahoma, Jason is ranked second in passing yards in a season with 3,744. In 2003, Jason was the recipient of the Associated Press Player of the Year, consensus All-American, consensus Big 12 Player of the Year, Davey O’Brien Award, and the Jim Thorpe Courage Award. He returned to the University of Oklahoma for the 2004–2005 season to complete his NCAA eligibility. Jason is partnered with Air Comfort Solutions Heating and Air in OKC and Tulsa, and also owns Jason Whites Store Divided, a colligate sports apparel store. Jason resides in his hometown of Tuttle, Oklahoma with his wife Tammy and their two children Tinley and Tandon.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Jason White, Oklahoma Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh Eli Manning, Mississippi Chris Perry, Michigan Darren Sproles, Kansas State
2004
Matt Leinart
USC Quarterback
At 6-feet 5-inches and 225 pounds, Matt is the sixth USC Trojan to win the Heisman Trophy following Mike Garrett, O.J. Simpson, Charlie White, Marcus Allen, and Carson Palmer. In his junior year, Matt led the Trojans to an undefeated season, won the Heisman, and went on to win the BCS Championship Orange Bowl. Matt was just the third quarterback in more than thirty years to lead his team to back-to-back national championships. Later on that year, Matt decided against entering the NFL draft, instead choosing to stay at USC for his senior year and attempt to be part of a first-ever three-time national championship team with the Trojans. He was selected 10th overall in the 2006 NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals. He also had stints with the Houston Texans, the Oakland Raiders, and Buffalo Bills before settling in as a college football commentator for Fox Sports. Matt Leinart was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2017.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Matt Leinart, USC Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma Jason White, Oklahoma Alex Smith, Utah Reggie Bush, USC
2005
1 2 3 4 5
2005 Winner Declared Ineligible Vince Young, Texas Matt Leinart, USC Brady Quinn, Notre Dame Michael Robinson, Penn State
2002 Palmer
2003 White
2004 Leinart
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2006
Troy Smith
Ohio State Quarterback
Troy, a once-upon-a-time, red-shirt freshman, quickly developed into Heisman Trophy material as a quarterback by the 2006 season. Troy, at 6-feet and 220 pounds, joins six previous Heisman winners from Ohio State University: Leslie Horvath, Victor Janowicz, Howard Cassady, two-time winner Archie Griffin, and Eddie George. As a senior, he received 86.7 percent of the Heisman vote, the second highest percentage in the history of the award. Troy capped his illustrious season, securing his claim to the Heisman, with an outstanding performance in his final game against second-ranked Michigan, throwing for 316 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 42-39 victory. Troy surpassed 2,700 total offensive yards in his 2006 Heisman campaign. Troy was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2007 NFL draft.
2006 Smith 2007 Tebow
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Troy Smith, Ohio State Darren McFadden, Arkansas Brady Quinn, Notre Dame Steve Slaton, West Virginia Mike Hart, Michigan
2007
Tim Tebow 2008 Bradford 2009 Ingram
Florida Quarterback Tim capped an unprecedented season by becoming the first sophomore in NCAA history to win the Heisman Trophy. In 2007, he accounted for 51 total touchdowns, the most in a season in Florida’s history and in the Southeastern Conference single-season history. He threw for 29 touchdowns and rushed for 22 more. Tim is the third quarterback from Florida to win the Heisman Trophy following Danny Wuerffel and Steve Spurrier; all three have won the National Championship either as a player or a coach. Tim was drafted by the Denver Broncos as the twenty-fifth overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft. Tim’s primary focus off the field is the Tim Tebow Foundation, established in 2010 with the goal to bring faith, hope, and love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour. The foundation fulfills this mission every day by making dreams come true for children with life-threatening illnesses, building Timmy’s Playrooms in children’s hospitals, providing life-changing surgeries to children of the Philippines through the Tebow CURE Hospital, and sponsoring Night to Shine, a nationwide prom for people with special needs. In addition, Tim serves as an analyst for ESPN and is pursuing a career in professional baseball as a member of the New York Mets organization.
Balloting
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1 2 3 4 5
Tim Tebow, Florida Darren McFadden, Arkansas Colt Brennan, Hawaii Chase Daniel, Missouri Dennis Dixon, Oregon
Sam Bradford
2008
Oklahoma Quarterback Sam became the fifth Oklahoma player—and second-consecutive sophomore—to win the Heisman. He joins Billy Vessels, Steve Owens, Billy Sims, and Jason White as Sooner Heisman winners. Sam’s combined 53 touchdowns running and passing are tied with Marcus Mariota for the most in Heisman history. The 6-foot4, 220-pounder turned in one of the best seasons by a redshirt freshman in collegiate history in 2007, throwing for 3,121 yards and 36 touchdowns while leading the nation in passing efficiency. That set the stage for a phenomenal 2008 year, as Sam was the trigger man for the highest-scoring offense in NCAA history, throwing for 4,464 yards with 48 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions. He again led the nation in passing and also added 5 rushing touchdowns as the Sooners went 12-1 and qualified for the BCS national title game. He declared for the NFL draft following the 2009 season, and was selected as the first overall pick in the 2010 draft by the St. Louis Rams. He was named the 2010 NFL Rookie of the Year.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Sam Bradford, Oklahoma Colt McCoy, Texas Tim Tebow, Florida Graham Harrell, Texas Tech Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech
Mark Ingram
2009
Alabama Running Back
In his sophomore season, Mark became Alabama’s first Heisman Trophy winner as he helped lead the Crimson Tide to the school’s thirteenth national title. Mark was the sixth player to win both the Heisman and a National Championship in the same season since 1950. Mark set the Alabama single-season rushing record in 2009 with 1,659 yards while catching 32 passes for 334 yards and scoring 20 touchdowns. He was a unanimous first-team All-American (AFCA, FWAA, AP, Sporting News and Walter Camp), and was named the Sporting News National Player of the Year. As a freshman, Mark led the team with 12 rushing touchdowns in 2008, setting the Alabama freshman record. That season, he gained 728 yards and averaged 5.1 yards per carry. During the regular season of his junior year in 2010, Mark rushed for 816 yards, averaging 5.6 yards a carry, and 11 touchdowns. He also had 252 receiving yards and 1 receiving touchdown. He is the son of former NFL wide receiver Mark Ingram, who won a Super Bowl with the New York Giants. Mark was drafted by the New Orleans Saints with the 28th overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Mark Ingram, Alabama Toby Gerhart, Stanford Colt McCoy, Texas Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska Tim Tebow, Florida
2011 Griffin III
2010
Cam Newton
Auburn Quarterback At 6-feet 6-inches and 250 pounds, Cam became the third Auburn Tiger to receive the Heisman Trophy, joining Pat Sullivan and Vincent “Bo” Jackson. In his 2010 Heisman Trophy winning season, Cam completed 185 of 280 passes for 2,854 yards and 30 touchdowns while throwing only 7 interceptions. He also accumulated 1,473 yards and an additional 20 touchdowns on 264 rush attempts and caught 2 passes for 42 yards and a touchdown. Newton’s passing and rushing touchdown totals set an Auburn University record, and made him only the second player to tally 20 or more passing and rushing touchdowns in the same season. Newton was named the 2010 SEC Offensive Player of the Year as well as the 2010 AP Player of the year before winning the Heisman in a landslide. Cam was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the first overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft. He was named the NFL Rookie of the Year for 2011.
2010 Newton
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Cam Newton, Auburn Andrew Luck, Stanford LaMichael James, Oregon Kellen Moore, Boise State Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
2011
Robert Griffin III 2012 Manziel
2013 Winston
Baylor Quarterback
At 6-feet 2-inches and 220 pounds, Robert became the first Baylor Bear to receive the Heisman Trophy. During the regular season of his Heisman-winning campaign, he tallied 3,998 yards and 36 touchdowns through the air, and added 644 net yards and 9 touchdowns rushing. Robert finished the 2011 regular season leading the nation with a pass efficiency rating of 192.3. He is one of three players in FBS history with 10,000 plus passing yards (10,366) and 2000 plus rushing yards (2,254). For his outstanding performance, the quarterback was also named an AP first team All-American, the winner of the Davey O’Brien Award, and the Big-12 Offensive Player of the Year. Robert was drafted second overall by the Washington Redskins in the 2012 NFL draft and in his debut season, he was the 2012 Offensive Rookie of the Year and voted to his first Pro Bowl.
Balloting
2014 Mariota
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Robert Griffin III, Baylor Andrew Luck, Stanford Trent Richardson, Alabama Montee Ball, Wisconsin Tyrann Mathieu, Lousiana State
HEISMAN
2020
2012
Johnny Manziel
Texas A&M Quarterback
Johnny became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, taking home the award following a redshirt season. In Texas A&M University’s first year in the defense-rich SEC conference, quarterback Manziel passed for 3,419 yards and 24 touchdowns and rushed for 1,181 yards and 19 touchdowns during the 2012 regular season. Manziel was the first quarterback in SEC history, and only the fifth player ever in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, to have 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in the same season. Upon surpassing 4,600 yards, he set a new SEC record for total yards in a season. Manziel holds a Texas A&M record of logging eight straight games with 300 or more total yards, including games against three of the top ten defensive teams in the country. He personally accounted for over 380 yards per game, which is more than 41 teams averaged in the NCAA FBS. Manziel is the second winner from Texas A&M, joining John David Crow, who won in 1957.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M Manti Te’o, Notre Dame Collin Klein, Kansas State Marquise Lee, USC Braxton Miller, Ohio State
Jameis Winston
2013
Florida State Quarterback
At 19 years old, Jameis was the second-consecutive redshirt freshman to win the Heisman Trophy and the third Florida State Seminole, after Charlie Ward and Chris Weinke. In his first year as a starter, he quarterbacked his team to an undefeated season and the 2013 National Championship. Winston had an impressive 3,820 passing yards and 38 passing touchdowns during the regular season and, upon surpassing Weinke’s 33 touchdown passes, he set the new FSU single-season touchdown pass record. Winston won the 79th Heisman Trophy by the seventh-largest
margin of victory in the history of the award. Winston followed up his Heisman-winning season with a stellar sophomore year, throwing for 3,907 yards and 25 touchdowns while leading FSU to a school-record 26-straight wins and a berth in the inaugural college football playoff. He finished his two-year career with a record of 26-1 as a starter, throwing for 7,964 yards and 65 touchdowns. He applied for the NFL draft in 2015 and was selected first overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Jameis Winston, Florida State AJ McCarron, Alabama Jordan Lynch, Northern Illinois Andre Williams, Boston College Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M
Marcus Mariota
2014
University of Oregon Quarterback
Marcus is the first Oregon player, the first Polynesian, and the first player from Hawaii to win the Heisman. Mariota was born in Honolulu and attended St. Louis High School, where he was a two-sport star in football and track. At Oregon, his junior Heisman-winning season was spectacular. He threw for 3,783 yards and 38 touchdowns with just two interceptions while also rushing for 669 yards and 14 scores (he also caught a TD pass) as the Ducks finished the regular season with a 12-1 record. His 53 total touchdowns tied Sam Bradford for the most in Heisman history. Mariota led the nation in touchdowns, passing efficiency (186.33) and total offense (4,452 yards). His winning Heisman vote was the third-highest vote total in Heisman history and he appeared on a record 95.16% of ballots. Mariota bypassed his senior season and was the second overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft by the Tennessee Titans.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Marcus Mariota, Oregon Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin Amari Cooper, Alabama Trevone Boykin, Texas Christian J.T. Barrett, Ohio State
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2015 Henry
2015
Derrick Henry
2017 Mayfield
Alabama Running Back
The 6-3, 242-pound Henry set the national high school career rushing mark with 12,124 yards, breaking Ken Hall’s 59-year-old record. As a 2013 freshman at Alabama, Henry made an impact for the Tide as part of a deep corps of running backs, rushing for 382 yards and 3 touchdowns on just 35 carries (including 100 yards on 8 carries against Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl). He followed up with a strong 2014 junior season, rushing for 990 yards and 11 touchdowns as he shared carries with T.J. Yeldon. Henry came into his own as a junior, setting the SEC single-season rushing record with 1,986 rushing yards. He also tied the conference mark for rushing touchdowns with 23. His rushing yardage total led the nation, as did his number of rushing attempts (339). He was just the third running back in SEC history (following Herschel Walker and Bo Jackson) to have four 200-yard games in a single season. Henry led No. 2 Alabama (12-1) to the 2015 national title before being selected in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft by the Tennesee Titans.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Derrick Henry, Alabama Christian McCaffrey, Stanford Deshaun Watson, Clemson Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma Keenan Reynolds, Navy
2016
Lamar Jackson
2016 Jackson
Louisville Quarterback 2019 Burrow
Lamar won Louisville’s first Heisman by producing one of the most statistically impressive seasons in Heisman history. He is the youngest player to win the Heisman, at just 19 years, 337 days. The 6-3, 218-pounder accumulated 4,928 yards of total offense, second in Heisman history behind Ty Detmer’s 5,022 in 1990. His 51 touchdowns running and passing ties him with Tim Tebow for third on the all-time Heisman chart. He’s the first player to win the Heisman with at least 30 touchdown passes and at least 21 rushing touchdowns. His 1,538 rushing yards are the most-ever by a Heisman-winning quarterback. He led the Cardinals to a 9-3 record, a No. 15 national ranking and a berth in the Citrus Bowl. Among the highlights: 8 touchdowns in the first half against Charlotte, 610 yards of total offense (411 passing, 199 rushing) against Syracuse and 5 total touchdowns in a 63–20 thrashing of Florida State. Jackson returned as a junior to finish third in the 2017 Heisman balloting before being selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens.
Balloting
2018 Murray
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Lamar Jackson, Louisville Deshaun Watson, Clemson Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma Dede Westbrook, Oklahoma Jabrill Peppers, Michigan
HEISMAN
2020
2017
Baker Mayfield
Oklahoma Quarterback Baker Mayfield won Oklahoma’s sixth Heisman while producing the highest passing efficiency rating in FBS history. He is the first Heisman winner to begin his career as a walk-on athlete since the NCAA instituted athletic scholarships in the 1950s. He is also one of seven players to log three top 5 Heisman finishes, joining Glenn Davis, Doc Blanchard, Doak Walker, Archie Griffin, Herschel Walker, and Tim Tebow. Mayfield took over the starting job for the Sooners in 2015 and made an immediate impact, passing for 3,700 yards and 37 touchdowns while rushing for another 405 yards and 7 scores on the ground. He finished fourth in that year’s Heisman race. In 2016 he set the NCAA record with a passer rating of 196.38, with 3,965 yards through the air and 40 touchdowns. He took his first trip to New York as a Heisman finalist, finishing third behind Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson. Mayfield saved his best season for last, throwing for 4,340 yards with 41 touchdowns and just 5 interceptions while leading the Sooners to a 12-1 record and a berth in the College Football Playoff. He once again set the NCAA record for passing efficiency with a rating of 203.76 and won the Heisman by a comfortable margin, the first senior to do so since 2006. He was the first pick of the 2018 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma Bryce Love, Stanford Lamar Jackson, Louisville Saquon Barkley, Penn State Rashaad Penny, San Diego State
Kyler Murray
2018
Oklahoma Quarterback Kyler won Oklahoma’s seventh—and second consecutive— Heisman with a remarkable season, accumulating 4,946 yards of total offense and 51 touchdowns, and leading the Sooners to the College Football Playoff. The first player to win the Heisman the year after taking over for another winner, his victory also marks just the fourth time a school has won consecutive Trophies. He joins Sooner winners Vessels, Owens, Sims, White, Bradford and Mayfield—tying Oklahoma with Notre Dame and Ohio State for most Heismans. Murray attended Allen (Texas) High and the 5-10, 195-pounder was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for his football exploits. He was also a baseball star and was considered a
major prospect for the 2015 MLB draft. Murray signed with Texas A&M and appeared in eight games as a true freshman in 2015 then found his way to Norman as a transfer. After sitting out a year, he served as backup to Mayfield, winning the job outright in 2018. He more than filled the big shoes of the reigning Heisman winner, passing for 4,054 yards and 40 touchdowns, with another 892 yards and 11 scores on the ground, leading the Sooners to a 12-1 record, the Big 12 title and a berth in the College Football Playoff. His passer rating of 205.72 was the best in Heisman history, eclipsing the 203.76 set by Mayfield in 2017. Accordingly, Murray captured the attention of Heisman voters. He polled 2,167 points to capture the award over Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa (1,871 points), and Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins (783 points). Expected to bypass the NFL to become a Major League Baseball player, Murray instead chose football and was selected as the first overall pick in the 2019 draft by the Arizona Cardinals.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Kyler Murray, Oklahoma Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State Will Grier, West Virginia Gardner Minshew, Washington State
2019
Joe Burrow
Louisiana State Quarterback Burrow is the second LSU player to win the trophy and first since the late Billy Cannon did so in 1959. His Heisman triumph makes him the third-consecutive transfer player to win the award (and seventh overall), though he is the first to do so under the NCAA’s graduate transfer rule. The 6-4, 216-pounder from Athens, Ohio, had an extraordinary season, passing for 4,715 yards and 48 touchdowns (tying a Heisman record), while adding another 289 yard and three scores on the ground. He had a remarkable completion percentage of 77.9 percent, the best in Heisman history. As the field general for the nation’s top offense, he led No. 1 LSU to a 13-0 record, the SEC title (its first since 2011), and its first berth in the College Football Playoff. Burrow was the first overall pick of the 2020 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.
Balloting
1 2 3 4 5
Joe Burrow, Louisiana State Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma Justin Fields, Ohio State Chase Young, Ohio State Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2020 HEISMAN FINALISTS
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Joe Burrow
Kyler Murray
Baker Mayfield
2018 Heisman Winner
2017 Heisman Winner
2016 Heisman Winner
2015 Heisman Winner
Derrick Henry
Marcus Mariota
Jameis Winston
Robert Griffin III
Cam Newton
2019 Heisman Winner
Lamar Jackson
2013 Heisman Winner
2011 Heisman Winner
2014 Heisman Winner
2010 Heisman Winner
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