30 Best College Running Backs of All-Time
Career Statistics
- Games: 46
- Carries: 924
- Rushing Yards: 5,589
- Rushing Yards Per Game: 121.5
- Rushing Yards Per Season: 1,397.3
- Rushing Touchdowns: 26
- Yards Per Carry: 6.0
- Receptions: 30
- Receiving Yards: 350
- Receiving Touchdowns: 1
- Notable: Heisman Trophy Winner 1974, 1975; All-American 1974-75; Walter Camp Award 1974-75; Maxwell Award 1975
Only one player in college football history has won the Heisman Trophy twice, and that player was Archie Griffin, who did it in 1974 and 1975.
Griffin was a standout running back who had three seasons of 1,450 rushing yards or greater. As a freshman in 1972, Griffin ran for 867 yards and had three scores, but became the primary ball carrier for Ohio State and head coach Woody Hayes as a sophomore. That year, Griffin had 1,577 rushing yards and scored seven times on the ground, and caught the only touchdown pass of his career.
The best season Griffin had with they Buckeyes was his junior Heisman-winning campaign in 1974. Griffin led the nation with 1,695 rushing yards and 1,772 total yards from scrimmage. In an era of three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust, he averaged 6.6 yards per carry and scored 12 touchdowns.
Interestingly enough, Griffin’s senior season was probably the third best season of his career. Griffin carried the football 262 times for 1,450 yards and four touchdowns in 1975, which was the least productive performance since his freshman season. However, Griffin led the Buckeyes to an 11-1 season, the only loss coming in the Rose Bowl against UCLA, which cost the team a national title.
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