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Big Ten Football: Ranking the 30 best players of all time

By Quinn Douglas

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 02: The Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate after their 27-21 win over the Wisconsin Badgers during the Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 02: The Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate after their 27-21 win over the Wisconsin Badgers during the Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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IOWA CITY, IOWA- SEPTEMBER 23: The Penn State Nittany Lions face off against the Iowa Hawkeyes, September 23, 2017 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
IOWA CITY, IOWA- SEPTEMBER 23: The Penn State Nittany Lions face off against the Iowa Hawkeyes, September 23, 2017 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /

Nile Kinnick Career Statistics, 1937-1939

  • Games Played: 24
  • Carries: 254
  • Rushing Yards: 724
  • Completions: 88
  • Pass Attempts: 229
  • Passing Yards: 1,445
  • Total Touchdowns: 7
  • Total Points: 53
  • Notables: 1939 Heisman Trophy, 1939 Maxwell Award, 1939 Walter Camp Award, 1939 AP Male Athlete of the Year, 1939 Chicago Tribune Silver Football winner, 1939 Consensus First Team All-American, #24 retired by Iowa, namesake of Kinnick Stadium

The namesake of the stadium that is a house of horrors for highly-rated Big Ten teams is that of Nile Kinnick. Kinnick is the only player in Iowa history to win the Heisman Trophy in 1939. In his career he amassed 2,169 yards of total offense as a true triple threat player for Dr. Eddie Anderson and his single wing offense.

Kinnick had many famous moments during Iowa’s famous 1939 season, such as scoring the only touchdown in the Hawkeyes upset of #3 Notre Dame or single-handily leading Iowa to victory over a powerhouse Minnesota team. Kinnick did it all for Iowa in 1939, and still holds the school record for most interceptions in a season with eight.

Along with the Heisman, Kinnick was also named AP Male Athlete of the Year, and won the Maxwell, Walter Camp, and Chicago Tribune Silver Football. Kinnick was offered a contract by the NFL’s Brooklyn Dodgers but he never played a down of professional football. Kinnick was killed in a plane crash on June 2, 1942 while running a training mission.

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