Heisman Memorial Trophy Award is given annually to the top college American football player in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Award was presented by the Downtown Athletic Club in Manhattan, New York, a privately owned recreation facility near the site of the former World Trade Center, until the Club was forced to close its doors in 2002 due to financial troubles resulting in large part from the 2001 terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers. The award ceremony is now hosted by the Yale Club in Manhattan. The trophy is named after the college coach and DAC Director of Athletics John W. Heisman and was first presented in 1935.
Perhaps the most well-known former winner is O. J. Simpson, who, in a highly-publicized trial in the mid-1990s, was acquitted of murder charges.
Year | Winner | School | Position |
---|---|---|---|
1935 | Jay Berwanger | Chicago | Halfback |
1936 | Larry Kelley | Yale | End |
1937 | Clint Frank | Yale | Halfback |
1938 | Davey O'Brien | Texas Christian | Quarterback |
1939 | Nile Kinnick | Iowa | Halfback |
1940 | Tom Harmon | Michigan | Halfback |
1941 | Bruce Smith | Minnesota | Halfback |
1942 | Frank Sinkwich | Georgia | Halfback |
1943 | Angelo Bartelli | Notre Dame | Quarterback |
1944 | Les Horvath | Ohio State | Quaterback/Halfback |
1945 | Doc Blanchard | Army | Fullback |
1946 | Glenn Davis | Army | Halfback |
1947 | Johnny Lujack | Notre Dame | Quarterback |
1948 | Doak Walker | Southern Methodist | Halfback |
1949 | Leon Hart | Notre Dame | End |
1950 | Vic Janowicz | Ohio State | Halfback |
1951 | Dick Kazmaier | Princeton | Halfback |
1952 | Billy Vessels | Oklahoma | Halfback |
1953 | Johnny Lattner | Notre Dame | Halfback |
1954 | Alan Ameche | Wisconsin | Fullback |
1955 | Howard Cassady | Ohio State | Halfback |
1956 | Paul Hornung | Notre Dame | Quarterback |
1957 | John David Crow | Texas A&M | Halfback |
1958 | Pete Dawkins | Army | Halfback |
1959 | Billy Cannon | LSU | Halfback |
1960 | Joe Bellino | Navy | Halfback |
1961 | Ernie Davis | Syracuse | Halfback |
1962 | Terry Baker | Oregon State | Quarterback |
1963 | Roger Staubach | Navy | Quarterback |
1964 | John Huarte | Notre Dame | Quarterback |
1965 | Mike Garrett | Southern Cal. | Halfback |
1966 | Steve Spurrier | Florida | Quarterback |
1967 | Gary Beban | UCLA | Quarterback |
1968 | O. J. Simpson | Southern Cal. | Halfback |
1969 | Steve Owens | Oklahoma | Halfback |
1970 | Jim Plunkett | Stanford | Quarterback |
1971 | Pat Sullivan | Auburn | Quarterback |
1972 | Johnny Rodgers | Nebraska | Wide Receiver |
1973 | John Cappelletti | Penn State | Running Back |
1974 | Archie Griffin | Ohio State | Running Back |
1975 | Archie Griffin | Ohio State | Running Back |
1976 | Tony Dorsett | Pittsburgh | Running Back |
1977 | Earl Campbell | Texas | Running Back |
1978 | Billy Sims | Oklahoma | Running Back |
1979 | Charles White | Southern Cal. | Running Back |
1980 | George Rogers | South Carolina | Running Back |
1981 | Marcus Allen | Southern Cal. | Running Back |
1982 | Herschel Walker | Georgia | Running Back |
1983 | Mike Rozier | Nebraska | Running Back |
1984 | Doug Flutie | Boston College | Quarterback |
1985 | Bo Jackson | Auburn | Running Back |
1986 | Vinny Testaverde | Miami | Quarterback |
1987 | Tim Brown | Notre Dame | Wide Receiver |
1988 | Barry Sanders | Oklahoma State | Running Back |
1989 | Andre Ware | Houston | Quarterback |
1990 | Ty Detmer | Brigham Young | Quarterback |
1991 | Desmond Howard | Michigan | Wide Receiver |
1992 | Gino Torretta | Miami | Quarterback |
1993 | Charlie Ward | Florida State | Quarterback |
1994 | Rashaan Salaam | Colorado | Running Back |
1995 | Eddie George | Ohio State | Running Back |
1996 | Danny Wuerffel | Florida | Quarterback |
1997 | Charles Woodson | Michigan | Defensive Back |
1998 | Ricky Williams | Texas | Running Back |
1999 | Ron Dayne | Wisconsin | Running Back |
2000 | Chris Weinke | Florida State | Quarterback |
2001 | Eric Crouch | Nebraska | Quarterback |
2002 | Carson Palmer | Southern Cal. | Quarterback |
2003 | Jason White | Oklahoma | Quarterback |