College football: Ranking every Heisman Trophy winner
By Brad Weiss
39. Ranking every Heisman Trophy Winner: Ernie Davis, Syracuse Orange football
One of the saddest stories in football history, Ernie Davis was an incredibly gifted running back at Syracuse, leading them to a national title as a sophomore. During that season, Davis scored ten touchdowns, and after a solid junior campaign, he was ready to take the mantle of being the best player in all the land. As a senior, he dominated for the Orange, leading them to a No. 10 ranking in the country.
Davis was not only able to accomplish that, he did it with style, possessing a beautiful rushing technique that made him the Heisman Trophy winner in 1961. Nicknamed the “Elmira Express,” Davis was the first player to play for Syracuse to win the Heisman Trophy and ended his career as the all-time leading rusher in school history, besting the legendary Jim Brown with 2,386 yards on the ground.
A three-time All-American, Davis finished his career by rushing for over 800 yards and 15 touchdowns while also leading the team in receiving yards that season. The Most Valuable Player in the Liberty Bowl in his last game with the Orange, Davis would not live to see his 24th birthday, as he was struck down with leukemia, and never played a down at the next level.
38. Ranking every Heisman Trophy Winner: Davey O’Brien, TCU Horned Frogs football
When it comes to Davey O’Brien, there are plenty of ways people remember him, mostly being the smallest player to ever win the Heisman Trophy. O’Brien was the first member of the TCU football program to win the award. He was a dynamic player not only on offense and defense but also as one of the best punters in college football.
During his Heisman Trophy-winning season in 1938, O’Brien led the TCU football team to an undefeated season, throwing for over 1,500 yards and 19 touchdowns against only four interceptions. In addition, the former backup to Sammy Baugh rushed for over 450 yards on the ground, picked off six passes on defense, and for his efforts, became the first player from the Southwest Conference to ever win the Heisman.
O’Brien went to TCU because he loved their pass-heavy system, and he ran it to perfection, becoming one of the best quarterbacks of that era. In fact, the best quarterback in the country gets the Davey O’Brien Award each season, and while he was an outstanding runner and punter during his collegiate career, it was his exploits in the passing game that landed him this most coveted prize.