Archie Griffin

Archie Griffin. The Only Two-Time Heisman Trophy Winner (1974-1975). This statue of Archie Griffin was dedicated during the 50th Anniversary season of Griffin winning his first Heisman Trophy in 1974., The statue is a replica of the statue The Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation and the Rose Bowl Stadium dedicated in August 2024 to the only two-time Heisman Trophy winner, one of only two players to start in four Rose Bowl Games® and the Rose Bowl Game's® All-Century Player. The replica was graciously donated to Ohio State by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation. The replica statue and the original on which it is based celebrate Griffin's impact outside two historic stadiums: Ohio Stadium and the Rose Bowl, in Pasadena, Calif., Griffin is a beloved Buckeye whose post-career service, contributions, achievements and accomplishments have benefited his alma mater, his community and many organizations, and they include a scholarship fund in his name to "pay forward" that supports Ohio State sports programs., It isn't difficult to see why Coach Woody Hayes said of Griffin, whose teams were unbeaten (3-0-1) against Michigan: "He's a better young man than he is a football player, and he's the best football player I've ever seen.", It was the fall of 1974 when Griffin won the Heisman Trophy as the nation's most outstanding college football player. From Columbus and Eastmoor High School, Griffin was only a junior, but success for him at Ohio State had not taken long. He rushed for an Ohio State single-game record 239 yards against North Carolina in the second game of his freshman season (1972), and the following season he became the first Ohio State sophomore to rush for more than 1,000 yards during an All-American season., Griffin rushed for a school record 1,695 yards in 1974 and helped lead Ohio State to the third of what would become a conference-record six consecutive Big Ten championships. In addition to winning the Heisman Trophy, he was also honored as a unanimous All-American, the Big Ten Silver Football award winner and the UPI and Walter Camp Player of the Year., Griffin went on to achieve legendary status in the world of college football as an Ohio State senior in 1975. That's because little did anyone know at the time, but the 1974 Heisman Trophy would be only Griffin's first Heisman Trophy., Griffin rushed for 1,450 yards as a senior in 1975 and helped lead the Buckeyes to an 11-1 season and an unbeaten conference record along the way to a Big Ten championship. He earned unanimous All-America honors and, in addition to winning his second Heisman Trophy, he was named the UPI and Walter Camp Player of the Year for a second consecutive year. He closed his brilliant collegiate career with an NCAA record 5,177 yards rushing (excluding bowl game statistics) and additional NCAA records for 100-yard games (33) and consecutive 100-yard games (31; a record that still stands)., Griffin went on to play seven seasons in the National Football League with the Cincinnati Bengals. He worked for his alma mater as an Assistant Athletics Director and later was the President of the Ohio State Alumni Association from 2004 to 2015. He was honored with an NCAA Top V Award in 1976, the highest honor the NCAA can bestow for combined excellence in athletics, academics and leadership. He was enshrined into the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and to the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1990. In 2006 he was named one of the NCAA's "100 Most Influential Student-Athletes." In 2011 he was the first recipient of the Big Ten Conference's Ford-Kinnick Leadership Award, and in 2013 he was named the Rose Bowl's All-Century Player. Griffin's name, along with that of Illinois great Red Grange, graces the Big Ten Conference Championship Game MVP award., Griffin, who graduated in 1976 with his degree in industrial relations, is Ohio State's all-time leading rusher with 5,589 yards. His Ohio State jersey No. "45" was retired October 30, 1999, by the Department of Athletics.