1. George Rogers – South Carolina RB: After rushing for over 1,600 yards in 1979, Rogers had finished 7th in that season’s Heisman race. But, in 1980, Rogers was a senior. He increased his rushing total that season to 1,781 and 14 Touchdowns. The South Carolina Gamecocks were an Independent back in 1980 and even though they only won 8 games that year, one of them was in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The win over the Wolverines helped put George Rogers’ name in the national
limelight. Rogers finished his career in Columbia with 5,091 rushing yards and 31 Touchdowns. In the 1981 NFL Draft, Rogers was picked overall #1 by the New Orleans Saints. This turned out to be a pretty good pick for the awful Saints, at least for a while. During his rookie season Rogers ran for 1,674 yards and 13 Touchdowns and was the NFL Rookie of the year. Rogers is still considered by many as the best player in South Carolina Gamecock history.
2. Hugh Green – Pittsburgh DE: Hugh Green was so dominating at Pittsburgh that they retired his jersey at half time of his final home game. Green was a 3 time consensus All American for Pittsburgh and he was a 4 year starter. Green played high school football at North Natchez High School in Mississippi. These kinds of players play in the SEC in current times, but back then they were leaving the South by the truckloads. As a freshman in 1977, Green totaled 92 total tackles and 12 Quarterback sacks and was the most sensational freshman in the country. His numbers improved yearly and during the 1980 season he totaled 123 tackles and 17 Quarterback sacks. Over his career, Green put up some mind blowing numbers with 460 total tackles and 53 Quarterback sacks. Other
than the Heisman Trophy, Green cleaned up in awards in the 1980 season winning the Walter Camp, Maxwell and Lombardi awards as well as the Sporting News Player of the Year and the UPI Player of the Year.
Green was taken with the 7th pick of the 1st round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he would continue his dominating ways. At Tampa Bay he was a member of the All Rookie Team and made All Pro twice. He played for the Buccaneers for 4 1/2 seasons before being traded to the Miami Dolphins where he finished up his 11 year career. He was one of the game’s all time greats despite many injuries later on in his career.
After football, Green moved back to the woods of Natchez, Mississippi.
3. Herschel Walker – Georgia RB: Only one of the game’s all times greatest players and this Heisman class happened to have two of that category in Hugh Green and Herschel Walker. As a high school senior, Walker ran for an incredible 3,167 yards and led his Johnson County High School team to the Georgia state championship in their division. The phenom from Wrightsville, Georgia was undoubtedly the most highly recruited player in the entire country and after quite a battle, the home state Georgia Bulldogs would earn his services. Walker was a freshman in the 1980 season and he was an instant impact player. The Bulldogs had struggled through the 1979 season with a 6-5 record and in 1980 they won 12 games losing none and winning the national championship. Walker ran for 1,616 yards and 15 Touchdowns. His first collegiate Touchdown in an opening day win over
Tennessee may have been his most famous when he ran over long time NFL player Bill Bates. Walker went on to win the Heisman in 1982 and then he became the first college player to leave early for professional football when he went to the new USFL. Because of that pressure, the NFL relented and let players declare after being in college for 3 years. That was a sad day for college football.
Walker was a three time All American and ran for 5,259 yards. If he had stayed in college, he would own every career rushing mark.
Walker was the Valedictorian in his high school class, is a black belt in karate, ran a 10.23 100 meters and still fights in Mixed Martial Arts. He says he can still play in the NFL and who am I to doubt one of the greatest football players of all time. He has definitely remained in shape.
4. Mark Herrmann – Purdue QB: The state of Indiana has put out some decent Quarterbacks over the years and one of them was Mark Herrmann. He finished in 8th place in the 1979 Heisman voting as a junior on a 10-2 Purdue squad. In 1980, as a senior, Herrmann made it all the way down to 4th on the 9-3 Boilermakers. During the 1980 college football season, Herrmann threw for an amazing 3,212 yards and 23 Touchdowns. Over his career at Purdue, Herrmann threw for just under 10,000 yards and 71 Touchdowns. Those were amazing yards back in this time period. In 1980, Herrmann was a consensus All American and the MVP of the Big 10 Conference.
He was 6-4, 200 and was not drafted until the 4th round when the Denver Broncos picked him. Herrmann played 11 seasons in the NFL but was mostly a back up. He did manage to throw for 4,015 yards.
Herrmann is the director of football operations at St Vincent’s Sports Performance in Indianapolis
Many men with an elevated PSA do not have prostate cancer.* The digital discount priced viagra rectal exam (DRE) is used find abnormalities. This hormone is in addition accountable for bone thickness and muscle accumulation; as viagra no prescription a result of which your penile tissues might get adversely affected. It loosens the tight muscles and increases the blood flow towards the genital cialis 5mg cheap region thus enabling you get to a longer and firmer erection. This drug is very much effective due to its high effects and great results won millions of sildenafil 50mg hearts.
5. Jim McMahon – BYU QB: The cool guy with the sunglasses finished 5th in the Heisman voting in 1980 in his junior season. You thought Jim Herrmann’s college stats were phenomenal, then McMahon’s numbers will blow the mind even further. In the 1980 season, McMahon threw for 4,571 yards and 47 Touchdowns. The BYU Cougars only lost one game in 1980 and strangely that was on opening day to a perennial door mat in New Mexico. This team was most famous for it’s Holiday
Bowl comeback against SMU and the Pony Express when they won 46-45. Against Utah State, McMahon threw for 485 yards and 6 Touchdowns. McMahon finished 3rd in the Heisman in 1981 so more about him later.
6. Art Schlichter – Ohio State QB: Schlichter finished 4th in the Heisman voting as a sophomore in 1979 and he dropped to 6th in 1980. His final season was 1981 and he finished 5th. Schlichter was a 4 year starter at Ohio State, but he never had the number of Herrmann and McMahon because the Buckeyes were always a predominately running team even after the days of Woody Hayes.
Schlichter threw for 1,930 yards and 15 Touchdowns while running for 325 yards and 7 Touchdowns. Schlichter led the Buckeyes to a 9-3 record and a berth in the Fiesta Bowl against Penn State. Schlichter had severe gambling addictions in which I will write about in the 1981 Heisman voting post.
7. Neil Lomax – Portland State QB: Portland State? You know that Lomax had an incredible college career because he finished 7th while playing at Portland State. In the 1980 season, Lomax threw for over 4,000 yards and for 37 Touchdowns. Over his 4 year career, Lomax threw for over 13,000 yards and 107 Touchdowns. Lomax threw for 7 Touchdowns in a single quarter and 499 yards in one game. Lomax was a 2nd round pick of the St Louis Cardinals. With the Cardinals, the 6-3, 220 Lomax threw for 22,771 yards and made the Pro Bowl 2 seasons. But, he was inconsistent at times in 8 years of his NFL career.
After football, Lomax coached a while in the high school ranks.
8. Jarvis Redwine – Nebraska RB: Redwine was the first Husker I-Back to run for more than 1,000 in back to back seasons. In 1979, Redwine ran for 1,100 yards and then in 1980 he ran for 1,119. The Huskers also went 10-2 in back to back seasons with Redwine tearing up defenses.
After starting for the Huskers for 2 seasons, Redwine was taken in the 2nd round of the NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. He was a total bust in the NFL staying 3 seasons and only rushing for 70 total yards.
9. Kenny Easley – UCLA DB: Easley was another legendary player like Herschel Walker and Hugh Green. Easley was a 3 time All American at UCLA after traveling all the way across the country from Virginia. As a high school player, he was an All State Quarterback, but converted to Defense for the Bruins. After Easley finished in 9th in the Heisman voting race, he was taken with the 4th pick in the 1st round by the Seattle Seahawks. With the Seahawks, Easley was considered one of the best Safeties of all time. Easley Intercepted 32 passes and was an excellent punt return man. As great as Easley was, his career was cut short by Kidney disease. After football, Easley bought a Cadillac dealership.
10. Anthony Carter – Michigan WR: Carter was a huge recruiting victory for the Michigan
Wolverines out of Riviera Beach, Florida. Michigan was definitely a running team, but Carter was a big time receiver and in 1980 he caught 51 passes for 14 Touchdowns. Carter was also dangerous as a return man on both punts and kicks. Carter was a sophomore Wide Receiver in 1980 and he would finish 7th in 1981 and 4th in 1982.
There will be more about Carter in the other posts.