Archie Griffin - 1974 & 1975 Heisman Winner (Official Thread)

[ScriptOhio]

Nice Archie article.

Decades later, Griffin's rushing feats still stand
By Ben Aiken, USA TODAY Posted 9/14/2005 10:15 PM
Former Ohio State running back Archie Griffin, the only player to win two Heisman Trophies, began one of the more remarkable streaks in college football history 32 years ago today.
<TABLE class=sidebar cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=4></TD></TR><TR><TD rowSpan=2></TD><TD rowSpan=2></TD><TD class=sidebar vAlign=top width=75>Griffin's 5,177 career rushing yards at Ohio State won him two Heisman Trophy awards.</TD><TD rowSpan=2></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=bottom align=left>By Chris Putman, AP</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
On Sept. 15, 1973, Griffin, then a sophomore, had 15 carries for 129 yards in the Buckeyes' 56-7 defeat of Minnesota in the season opener.
It was the first of 31 consecutive 100-yard rushing games in the regular season for Griffin, which remains an NCAA Division I-A record.
The streak ended Nov. 22, 1975, in Griffin's final regular-season game. Rival Michigan held him to 46 yards.
Griffin, 51, is now the president of the Ohio State Alumni Association.
Other highlights from Griffin's career, according to NCAA football records:
• Led the Buckeyes to a record of 29-1-1 during his 31-game streak.
• Heisman Trophy winner in 1974 and 1975, the only player to win the award twice. He finished fifth in the voting in 1973.
• Co-leader (with Tony Dorsett) in career 100-yard rushing games, with 33.
• Finished with a then-Division I-A record 5,177 career rushing yards, not including bowl games. The total is now ninth.
• The only player to start four Rose Bowls. Griffin ran for 412 yards on 79 carries while Ohio State went 1-3.
• Only player in Ohio State history to lead the team in rushing four times.
• His No. 45 became the first Ohio State jersey to be retired in October 1999.
• Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colle...n_x.htm?csp=34

[tibor75]

One thing that shows that life is not fair:

National titles:
Clarett 1
Archie 0

[osugrad21]

The Lantern

Griffin still inspirational

By Eric Horchy
Published: Tuesday, October 11, 2005
<script **********"**********"> function jump(x) { if (x == 'next') { if (currentpage == paragraph.length) { currentpage = 1; } else { currentpage = currentpage*1+1; } } else { if (currentpage == 1) { currentpage = paragraph.length; } else { currentpage = currentpage-1; } } return currentpage; } function getThisPage() { currentURL = '' + document.location; thispageresult = ''; if (currentURL.indexOf("?page=") > -1) { currentURL = currentURL.substring(0, currentURL.indexOf('?page=')); thispageresult = currentURL; } else if (currentURL.indexOf("&page=") > -1) { currentURL = currentURL.substring(0, currentURL.indexOf('&page=')); thispageresult = currentURL; } else if (isPseudoURL()) { currentURL = '/news/' + story_id + '.html'; thispageresult = currentURL; } else { thispageresult = currentURL; } // Make sure the URL generated by this fuctnion is compatible with mirror image. thispageresult = thispageresult.substring(7, thispageresult.length); thispageresult = thispageresult.substring(thispageresult.indexOf('/')+1, thispageresult.length); thispageresult = basehref + thispageresult; if (thispageresult.indexOf('sourcedomain') > -1) { thispageresult = thispageresult.substring(0, thispageresult.indexOf('?')); } return thispageresult; } function getPageJumpDelim(currentURL) { delimiterToUse = '?'; if (currentURL.indexOf("?") > -1) delimiterToUse = '&'; return delimiterToUse; } function isPseudoURL() { if (document.location.toString().indexOf(".html") > -1) { return true; } else { return false; } } function writeContinued(currentpage, paragraph) { if (currentpage != paragraph.length) { document.write(' Continued...

'); } } function writeNavigation(showpage,paragraph) { document.write('<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="E7E7E7" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10px; padding: 4px;"><tr><td>Article Tools:</td><td align="right">'); createPrevButton(showpage,paragraph); document.write('Page ' + showpage + ' of ' + paragraph.length); document.write(''); createNextButton(showpage,paragraph); document.write('</td></tr></table>'); } function revealPage(showpage,paragraph) { document.write(paragraph[showpage-1]); } function goPage(direction) { document.location = getThisPage() + getPageJumpDelim(getThisPage()) + 'page='+jump(direction, paragraph); } // function createControlButtons(currentpage,paragraph) { // if (currentpage != 1) // document.write('<INPUT TYPE="button" NAME="prev" VALUE="previous" onClick="goPage(\'previous\');"/>'); // if (currentpage != paragraph.length) // document.write('<INPUT TYPE="button" NAME="next" VALUE="next" onClick="goPage(\'next\');"/>'); // } function createNextButton(currentpage,paragraph) { if (currentpage != paragraph.length) { document.write(''); } else { document.write(''); } } function createPrevButton(currentpage,paragraph) { if (currentpage != 1) { document.write(''); } else { document.write(''); } } </script> <script **********"**********"> paragraph = new Array(); paragraph[0] = '<table border="0" align="right"><tr><td align="center"><TABLE BORDER="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="10"> <TR> <td align="center">Media Credit: David Heasley
Archie Griffin speaks to students about life, education and football at the Newport Music Hall.

</td> </tr> </table></td></tr></table>Buckeye spirit abounded Monday evening at the Newport Music Hall as two-time Heisman trophy winner and Buckeye football legend Archie Griffin gave an insipiration-laden speech that focused on his time spent while at OSU.

Roughly 200 attendees, mostly current OSU greek students, listened as an upbeat and positive Griffin, the current CEO and President of the Ohio State Alumni Association, stressed the importance of leadership, good citizenship and perseverance during students\' years on campus.

"In the face of adversity, you find out if you\'re a fighter or a quitter," Griffin said. "It\'s all about getting up after you\'ve been knocked down."

The latter of the two quotes could very likely have been the title of Griffin\'s speech as he further emphasized that fact with a reminiscence of his Buckeye debut during the first game of his freshman year, 1972.

"My first goal was to make the varsity team," Griffin said, noting that it was the first year freshman were even allowed to participate on the varsity squad.

While Griffin was still on the practice squad earning his stripes, the first game of the season was at the Horseshoe against Iowa.

"When the fourth quarter came I got the call off the bench...the first play called was an 18-sweep, a pitch outside," he said. "While I was trying to make sure the hole you could drive a truck through didn\'t go anywhere, the ball hit my hands and I fumbled."

As Griffin described his feelings of frustration at that moment, he related it to how everyone - in football and in life - has to strive to persevere and accept and use the encouragement from inspirational people around them.

Griffin recieved laughs as he described the scene during the second quarter of his second game ever as a Buckeye when he, lost in the surprise and excitement of the moment, left his helmet on the sideline while earning a quick second chance from the infamously strict former OSU coaching legend Woody Hayes. Griffin went on to calmly describe the proceedings of a game which still stands in Buckeye lore as the greatest freshman Buckeye rushing performance ever, gaining 239 yards in front of over 86,000 appreciative fans.'; paragraph[1] = '"That was my most exciting moment ever while I was here at Ohio State," Griffin said, especially since, as an undersized freshman, he didn\'t believe he would ever receive another shot at performing.

Griffin went on to mention Hayes, along with his former high school football coach and junior high counselor, as the three most inspirational and influential individuals who had an impact on his life. He reminded all in attendence to utilize what they gain from those leaders in their lives today.

"Always work hard," Griffin said. "It\'s what you do with your ability that counts most."

Griffin then mentioned the motivating cliche, "It\'s not the size of the dog in the fight, it\'s the size of the fight in the dog," which is often attributed to him and his career on the football field.

As the leader of more than 400,000 graduates and alumni worldwide, Griffin noted that he now carries "a much bigger football for OSU now" as the Alumni Association\'s president since he is the coordinator of such a large contingent, a post he has manned since January.

Griffin wound down his speech by paying special mention to a philosophy his former Buckeye coach held while he was under his tutelage at OSU.

Griffin spoke to those in attendance of the importance of doing good for yourself and for others during all times in life.

"You can never pay back all the good someone has done for you throught your lifetime, but you can always, always pay forward," Griffin said.
'; var currentpage = 1; if(typeof(QueryString('page')) != 'undefined') { currentpage=QueryString('page'); } if (currentpage < 1 || currentpage > paragraph.length) currentpage = 1; writeNavigation(currentpage, paragraph); document.write('
'); document.write('<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tr><td>'); revealPage(currentpage, paragraph); document.write('</td></tr></table>'); writeContinued(currentpage, paragraph); document.write('
'); writeNavigation(currentpage, paragraph);</script>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td><table align="right" border="0"><tbody><tr><td align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="10"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center">Media Credit: David Heasley
Archie Griffin speaks to students about life, education and football at the Newport Music Hall.

</td> </tr> </tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>Buckeye spirit abounded Monday evening at the Newport Music Hall as two-time Heisman trophy winner and Buckeye football legend Archie Griffin gave an insipiration-laden speech that focused on his time spent while at OSU.

Roughly 200 attendees, mostly current OSU greek students, listened as an upbeat and positive Griffin, the current CEO and President of the Ohio State Alumni Association, stressed the importance of leadership, good citizenship and perseverance during students' years on campus.

"In the face of adversity, you find out if you're a fighter or a quitter," Griffin said. "It's all about getting up after you've been knocked down."

The latter of the two quotes could very likely have been the title of Griffin's speech as he further emphasized that fact with a reminiscence of his Buckeye debut during the first game of his freshman year, 1972.

"My first goal was to make the varsity team," Griffin said, noting that it was the first year freshman were even allowed to participate on the varsity squad.

While Griffin was still on the practice squad earning his stripes, the first game of the season was at the Horseshoe against Iowa.

"When the fourth quarter came I got the call off the bench...the first play called was an 18-sweep, a pitch outside," he said. "While I was trying to make sure the hole you could drive a truck through didn't go anywhere, the ball hit my hands and I fumbled."

As Griffin described his feelings of frustration at that moment, he related it to how everyone - in football and in life - has to strive to persevere and accept and use the encouragement from inspirational people around them.

Griffin recieved laughs as he described the scene during the second quarter of his second game ever as a Buckeye when he, lost in the surprise and excitement of the moment, left his helmet on the sideline while earning a quick second chance from the infamously strict former OSU coaching legend Woody Hayes. Griffin went on to calmly describe the proceedings of a game which still stands in Buckeye lore as the greatest freshman Buckeye rushing performance ever, gaining 239 yards in front of over 86,000 appreciative fans.</td></tr></tbody></table>
"That was my most exciting moment ever while I was here at Ohio State," Griffin said, especially since, as an undersized freshman, he didn't believe he would ever receive another shot at performing.

Griffin went on to mention Hayes, along with his former high school football coach and junior high counselor, as the three most inspirational and influential individuals who had an impact on his life. He reminded all in attendence to utilize what they gain from those leaders in their lives today.

"Always work hard," Griffin said. "It's what you do with your ability that counts most."

Griffin then mentioned the motivating cliche, "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog," which is often attributed to him and his career on the football field.

As the leader of more than 400,000 graduates and alumni worldwide, Griffin noted that he now carries "a much bigger football for OSU now" as the Alumni Association's president since he is the coordinator of such a large contingent, a post he has manned since January.

Griffin wound down his speech by paying special mention to a philosophy his former Buckeye coach held while he was under his tutelage at OSU.

Griffin spoke to those in attendance of the importance of doing good for yourself and for others during all times in life.

"You can never pay back all the good someone has done for you throught your lifetime, but you can always, always pay forward," Griffin said.

[BB73]

Love to hear #45. Have my first GPA, 21.

[Bucktastic]

Its a damn shame hes not president of tOSU. Things would be 1 Billion times different.

[WoodyWorshiper]

He's simply the one athlete that I'll never get tired of hearing about. I look at that shot of him, and it's like I expect to see a halo hanging above his head. Has any College athlete EVER had the impact on his University the way that Archie has 30 years after he left the playing field? It was a great privelage to have been able to watch him play at this great University. It's been a greater privelage to continue to see this outstanding man represent his school with such class that it's almost beyond comprehension. This will probably sound corny, but who cares. I'll bet that the first time that Coach Hayes met Archie that he saw something in his eyes that told him that this kid was going to be the one to carry on his legacy after he was gone. Think about it, what Coach Hayes gave and brought to the Ohio State community, Archie has carried on for the past 20 years. The greatest compliment that I could ever give to Archie or to Coach Hayes would be to say, "Those two were meant for each other." Peace.

[HeroDecks]

Archie's the Man!

[Steve19]

What it is and was about Archie was his modesty. He was an honest, unassuming person even when after the first Heisman trophy. He never seemed to "play the big deal". He greeted people who greeted him and stopped and chatted with people that engaged him in conversation.

You never, ever heard Archie Griffin talk smack about anyone or draw attention to himself in order to "get psyched up". Truly great players don't need to engage in such things.

Archie was an authentic example of what Woody always looked for in a player. If you knew his brother Ray, by the way, you knew that Archie's upbringing had a lot to do with who he became.

The benefit of modesty is the ability to see one's own shortcomings and to see opportunities to improve oneself and one's game. We can all learn from that and those students don't know how lucky they are to be around someone with so much "fight in the dog".

[kippy1040]

Archie has always been an inspiration to me and I really love it when i seem him on the OSU sidelines, always so near to the players, just being there for when the team needs a lift. I just wonder how much friendship there is between Archie and Coach Jim Tressel. I never hear of anything of that nature and maybe some of you out there can add something about there relationship with each other. I think Ohio State is fortunate to have both of these type of men in The Ohio State University.

[JXC]

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=10114


going on right now. I asked a question but have to leave for lunch.

Asked if they should move heisman to after bowls. Let me know if it gets answered, cuz i won't be here to see it.

[hoat]

I looked and didn't see this posted anywhere. Figure I'll post this article and then see who everyone thinks may be the next 2 time heisman trophy winner.

Link


Hope is very high
By MATTHEW HORN
Sports Writer

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top><!-- ARTICLE BODYTEXT --><!--ARTICLE TEXT-->Archie Griffin — the only two-time Heisman Trophy recipient — suggests an athlete will match his feat at some point in the future.
Right now, Griffin said his alma mater has at least two players who could put up a Heisman-worthy season — Troy Smith and Ted Ginn, Jr.

“I would hope so,” Griffin said of Smith being a candidate while visiting Terra Community College on Monday. “Troy’s an outstanding athlete. Certainly his performance against Michigan twice and Notre Dame were as outstanding as anybody who’s played that position at Ohio State. “He’ll have to get the season started right. I think he could win.”
Griffin and Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel spoke at the college for “A Night with the Legends,” a benefit for the School of Hope and Sandco Industries, serving residents of Sandusky County with mental retardation.

Much like Vince Young and Texas’ national title campaign received a major boost after the Longhorns left Columbus last season, Buckeye fans hope for a similar scenario when Ohio State leaves Austin this year.

Perhaps Ginn will spearhead a Heisman push like Young did — with a victory over a top-five program on the road early in the season.
“Speed is always something that stands out,” Griffin said. “It’s a gift. He can get the ball, make you miss and get out ahead. And stay there.”

And incoming freshman Chris Wells has even already caught Griffin’s attention a bit.

“Who knows?” he said. “Hopefully he’s as good as advertised.”
Tressel said he felt good about Wells and this year’s recruiting class.

“We’ve got a little bit of everything,” he said. “I feel good about the quality of the kids.”

Tressel said the Buckeyes lost talent on both sides of the ball. On defense, the Buckeyes will have to replace linebackers A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter and safety Donte Whitmer. And the Buckeyes coach suggested center Nick Mangold and end Santonio Holmes were probably also first-round draft picks.

“We get a lot of kids back on offense,” said Tressel, going into his sixth year as Buckeyes coach. “We lost some real good ones.”
With the recent follow-up performances from Oklahoma’s Jason White and Southern California’s Matt Leinart, Griffin said he’s surprised somebody hasn’t already come along to unseat him as the only two-time Heisman winner.

“Somebody can do it,” he said. “I think you will see it happen. People get noticed early.”

Griffin, however, said he has never surprised himself by doing something a second time as much as he did with an additional bronze statue.

“I didn’t think they’d give anybody the Heisman twice at that time,” a modest Griffin said. “I appreciate being in the right place at the right time.”

Griffin said his teammates helped him earn both trophies. The Buckeyes went 40-5-1 in his four years, and he played in four Rose Bowls.

“The great teams we had come to mind first,” Griffin said of reminiscing. “I played on two outstanding teams. The result was that I was able to win two Heisman’s.”
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Ohio State, which finished with losses to only Penn State and Texas last year, should undoubtedly be among the preseason national championship favorites. But the Buckeyes will have to replace some talent on defense in A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter, Donte Whitner, et all.

“A.J. Hawk and Bobby Carpenter — Hawk was a dominant player — you can’t replace him,” said Fremont Ross graduate and former Buckeye Derek Isaman. “But they say that every year. Somebody will rise to the occasion. I just don’t know who it will be.”

Isaman, who went the distance with Mike Tyson in an amateur bout in 1984 and was an Olympic alternate at heavyweight in 1988, may have been referencing sophomore linebacker James Laurinaitis who filled in admirably for Carpenter after he suffered a broken leg against the Wolverines.

“A freshman linebacker stepped in for Bobby,” said Clyde graduate and Buffalo Bill Tim Anderson. “They bring in the top talent and they’re in the top 5-10 every year. A national title is never out of the question.”

Anderson — a member of the 2002 national title team — started 12 games on the defensive line for Buffalo in his second NFL season last year. He said Jim Tressel and his staff will always have the Buckeyes in the mix.

“The coaching staff is very good,” he said. “Three of the last four years they’ve finished in the top 5. They come with a good team every year.”

And while the crystal trophy is always the paramount goal, Ohio State fans are unlikely to complain if that leads to a Heisman candidate or two in the process.
———
Matthew Horn can be reached at mhorn@fremont.gannett.com.


Originally published February 14, 2006

[gregorylee]

Nice article, I should follow the pro's a little more, I didn't realize that TA was starting now.

[ntd]

So, do we have to replace Donte Whitner and whoever this Donte Whitmer guy is?

[osugrad21]

Link

4/3

Archie Griffin to speak at luncheon fundraiser

By GI SMITH
Staff Writer <hr noshade="noshade" size="1"> ZANESVILLE - He's the only player ever to win two Heisman Trophy awards.
But anyone who's talked to college football great Archie Griffin about his collegiate career will tell you the Ohio State Buckeyes legend considers the education he received at his alma mater equally as important.
Griffin will be the guest speaker at an April 11 fundraiser at North Terrace Church of Christ on Bowers Lane. Two local organizations - Rotary Club of Zanesville and The Ohio State Alumni Club of Muskingum County - are organizing the event. Tickets are $25 per person or $225 for a reserved corporate table for eight.
Proceeds will benefit the Noon Rotary Club's Kick Cancer program in conjunction with The James Cancer Center in Columbus and the OSU student scholarship program provided by the local OSU Alumni Club.
"Over 500 tickets have sold so far, so I think that's pretty good for a lunch event," said Donna Cole, a member of the alumni club. "We can accommodate 900 people so there's room for more."
Cole said Griffin will begin speaking to the group at 11:45 a.m., but doors and other entertainment will start at 11 a.m. Before Griffin takes the stage, OSU cheerleaders will perform and there will be a multimedia presentation of Griffin's career highlights and the 2002 OSU football season highlights.
Mollie Crooks, a member of the local Rotary Club, hopes the community will participate in the luncheon because it supports good causes.
"Part of it will help fund cancer research and, personally, I doubt that any of us have not been touched in some way by that disease," Crooks said. "The added benefit is, he is just a wonderful man. His message is very powerful and inspiring from what I've heard. It appeals to youth as well as adults."
Crooks said Griffin wanted to make sure he had time to mingle with lunch-goers during the event, though he will not be signing autographs and cameras will not be allowed in the building.
gismith@nncogannett.com
450-6768
Originally published April 4, 2006

[ant80]

• Co-leader (with Tony Dorsett) in career 100-yard rushing games, with 33.

I believe that someone passed that NCAA record this bowl season... I can't remember his name... Someone help...

But having so many 100 yard games in a strong conference like the big-ten is something different entirely.