College football: Ranking every Heisman Trophy winner
By Brad Weiss
37. Ranking every Heisman Trophy Winner: Tom Harmon, Michigan Wolverines football
The University of Michigan has had its fair share of outstanding football players in its illustrious history. But the first man to ever take home the most important individual honor for the Wolverines played all the way back in the late 1930s and early 1940s. A two-time All-American, Tom Harmon ran with the kind of bruising style that made him nearly impossible to take down, and many times, he would lose his shirt in the process.
During his time with the Wolverines, Harmon was a great power runner, perfect for running the single-wing offense. A tremendous player on both sides of the ball, he capped off his career in 1940 by winning the Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award, all the while playing a huge role in one of Michigan’s biggest shellacking of Ohio State to this day.
In that game, Harmon put the stamp on his Heisman winning season, leading Michigan to a 40-0 victory, and playing a huge role in the win. He had three rushing touchdowns, threw for two more, and on the defensive side of the ball, had three interceptions. When all was said and done, Harmon became the No. 1 overall pick in the 1941 NFL Draft.
36. Ranking every Heisman Trophy Winner: Andre Ware, Houston Cougars football
Arriving on campus for the 1987 college football season, University of Houston star Andre Ware seemed destined for greatness. Running Jack Pardee’s run-and-shoot offense, Ware carved up defenses with ease, and after coming back from a broken arm his freshman season, he started to show in 1988 just how prolific a passer he could be, eventually leading to him being the first African-American quarterback to win the Heisman.
During his sophomore season, he improved the Cougars’ record from 4-6-1 the year before, to 9-3, but unfortunately, the Cougars were placed on probation for the 1989 season. Despite this, Ware put together one of the greatest seasons we have seen from a quarterback in the history of college football. He threw for nearly 4,700 yards and 46 touchdowns, as the team averaged over 53 points per game, a run that included them scoring 95 vs SMU.
Despite his tremendous season, Ware did not run away with the Heisman, and some point to the fact that he was not on TV much, and it hurt him. Still, looking back on the history of college football, Ware’s 1989 season is one for the record books, and while he struggled in the NFL, he was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.