Eddie George - Former - Go Buckeyes Go
Eddie George
OSU's unconventional Heisman winner!
Having enjoyed a successful run with the Tennessee Titans, and now a player with the Dallas Cowboys, football fans tend to forget that the country first heard of Eddie George as an Ohio State Buckeye.
Ohio State's fifth Heisman Trophy recipient came to Columbus via Philadelphia in 1992. He imprressed the Buckeyes coaching staff not with blazing speed or artistic moves through defensive linemen, but with intensity. Versatility was also an impressive trait. Before OSU latched on to its future running back, other collegiate teams had tried to lure him to play, of all things, linebacker.
Primarily used as a goal line running back his Freshman season, Eddie scored five touchdown. His Sophomore season was lackluster with his habit of fumbling the football costing him playing time, and eventually landing him on the bench. Still, George and the Buckeyes' head coach, John Cooper, felt the potential was there for something terrific, and Eddie would not dissapoint. 1995 saw the arrival of Eddie George as one of the nation's top running backs. With the exception of a season opening victory against Boston College, he would rush for 100 or more yards in each game. Not only could he run, but George proved to be an excellent receiver, reeling in 44 passes for 399 yards and a TD. It seemed the Buckeyes were destined for a Rose Bowl trip and a national title shot, but the Michingan Wolverines would bring such to a halt, beating OSU 31-23, despite Eddie's 105 yards rushed.
The 1996 season was the crowning moment for Eddie George. During that season he amassed 1,927 yards, averaging an impressive 6.5 yards per carry. The endzone would be familiar territory for the Big Ten MVP, as he scored 24 touchdowns for the year.
At season's end, he would tally up a career total of 3,668 yards, second to Archie Griffin as the Buckeyes' rushing leader.
Among the awards Eddie received to go along with the Heisman Trophy were the Doak Walker Award, the Maxwell Trophy, and the Walter Camp Player of the Year.
The first round draft pick of the then-Houston Oilers, George was selected as the 1996 NFL Rookie of the Year, and he has been selected four times as an AFC Pro Bowl player. Following the lead of another Heisman Trophy recipient, Auburn's Bo Jackson, Eddie returned to Columbus in the offseasons to complete his studies, and he received his Bachelor's degree in landscape architecture in June, 2001.
