The Downtown Athletic Club established the Heisman Trophy in 1935 in New York City. It is one of the most respected honors in college football and is based on the talent and hard work of the player. It recognizes the outstanding college football player who, on the field, exhibits exceptional talent, dedication, and sportsmanship each year. Originally known as the DCA Trophy, this esteemed honor was named after illustrious coach and athletic director John Heisman in 1936.
Legendary players like Archie Griffin, Tim Tebow, and Herschel Walker have won the Heisman Trophy in the past. In 2007, Tim Tebow became the first sophomore Heisman winner, and Chris Weinke, who took home the award in 2000, was the oldest winner at 28 years old. The most Heisman Trophy winners have come from the Universities of Notre Dame and Oklahoma, each with seven.
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Which player has won the Heisman Trophy twice?
Archie Griffin is the only player in Heisman Trophy history to have won it twice, in 1974 and 1975. Archie Mason Griffin is an American retired football player who played for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons as a running back.
Griffin is one of the all-time greats in college football and the only Heisman Trophy winner to win the award twice. He then played for the Buckeyes, who won the Big Ten Conference four times. He also played professionally with the Jacksonville Bulls in the United States Football League (USFL). From 1972 to 1975, Archie Griffin was a member of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team. Griffin had developed a reputation as a standout athlete since his high school days, and even after that, Griffin would continue to play football with distinction.
Griffin, a freshman, started right away for the Ohio State Buckeyes. In his first season, he rushed for 867 yards and scored three touchdowns. In his sophomore year, Griffin set a new school record with 1,577 yards rushing, becoming the first athlete at Ohio State to do so.
In his junior season, he rushed for 1,695 yards and 12 touchdowns. During the 1974 college football season, he won his first Heisman Trophy. However, throughout the season, he received several other accolades. During Griffin's final season with the Buckeyes, he rushed for 1,450 yards and four touchdowns, making him eligible for another Heisman Trophy and becoming the first player to achieve it, which hasn't been surpassed yet.
Other Notable Achievements of Archie Griffin in College
Griffin's other honors, excluding the Heisman, are the NCAA's Walter Camp Award, which he received during the same year he received his Heisman. Griffin was also named the 1974 and 1975 Sporting News Player of the Year. In the same two seasons, United Press International (UPI) named him Player of the Year. In 1975, Griffin also won the coveted Maxwell Award.
In 1973 and 1974, Archie Griffin won the Big Ten Most Valuable Player award for his remarkable college football career. One of the most honored collegiate football players is unquestionably the running back. Ohio State retired his No. 45 jersey, and in 1986, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
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FAQs on Heisman Trophy
A. Archie Griffin is the only player to have won the Heisman Trophy twice, in 1974 and 1975.
A. Archie Griffin played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
A. Griffin set several records at Ohio State, including rushing for over 1,000 yards in multiple seasons and being the first player to win two consecutive Heisman Trophies.
A. Griffin received numerous awards, including the Walter Camp Award, Sporting News Player of the Year, Maxwell Award, and Big Ten Most Valuable Player.
