1977 Earl CampbellBack to top

Earl Campbell is one of the most notable running backs to ever play college football. Graduating from the University of Texas in 1977, where he rushed for 4,444 yards and was a four-time     All-Southwest running back, he was the first draft pick of the Houston Oilers. After breaking the single season rushing record for a rookie, Campbell was voted Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player (MVP) in his first professional year. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame. Since retiring from football, Campbell enjoys spending time with his family in Austin, Texas. He continues to actively contribute to the University of Texas Athletic Department as Assistant to the Athletic Director as well as an ambassador and mentor for incoming athletes. Campbell also serves as president of Earl Campbell Meat Products, Inc. which manufactures and sells Earl Campbell’s© Smoked Sausage and other food products and barbeque sauce.

1978 Billy SimsBack to top

Billy Sims of the University of Oklahoma became the sixth junior to win the Heisman Memorial Trophy. With an average of 160.1 yards and 10.9 points, he became the nation’s leading rusher and scorer in 1978 and set the Big Eight Conference single season rushing record with 1,762 yards on 231 carries. Sims was the only back in the nation’s top 50 to average 7.0 yards per carry, and became the first player in Big Eight history to rush for more than 300 yards in three straight games. He compiled these statistics in only one full season of play as injuries kept him out of play in his freshman year, and most of his sophomore year as well. Sims was inducted into the Michigan Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1994. He is retired from the NFL and was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame in 1995. Sims currently works for “Texas Can Academy” in Dallas as the V.P. of Expansion and Community Development.

1979-80 Mike SingletaryBack to top

Mike Singletary was the only college junior to be selected to the All-Southwest Conference Team of the 1970s. He set a team record with 232 tackles in 1978 with an average of 15 tackles per game and earned All-America honors in both his junior and senior years at Baylor University. Singletary was the second-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears in the 1981 National Football League (NFL) draft. His accomplishments with the Bears fill several record books. One of the greatest inside linebackers ever to play the game, the defensive leader of the 1985 Super Bowl Champions was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998. Since his 1993 retirement, Singletary has focused his intensity on the business world by helping companies increase their competitive edge. He speaks about teamwork, winning attitudes, and leadership and is the creator of the successful training video, A Team of Eagles, and author of Daddy’s Home at Last. Singletary was named “Father of the Year” by the National Fatherhood Initiative, and is currently an assistant head coach for the San Francisco 49ers.

1981 Jim McMahonBack to top

Jim McMahon was the first recipient of the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award®. He was a consensus All-American at Brigham Young University (BYU), where he led the nation in passing in 1980 and 1981. With 4,571 yards and 47 touchdowns, McMahon was the first player to throw for over 4,000 yards in a season. He completed his career as the most prolific passer with 9,536 yards, and at the completion of his career, McMahon owned or shared 55 NCAA offensive records. McMahon was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998. One of the grittiest quarterbacks ever, he led the Chicago Bears offense for eight seasons (1982-1989) and drove them to a victory in Super Bowl XX and was named to the Pro Bowl that season. Throughout his NFL career, McMahon played for San Diego, Minnesota and earned a second Super Bowl ring with the 1996 Green Bay Packers. He participates in several charity events such as the Charity Golf Tournament in Arizona, Children’s Miracle Network and Think First Foundation.

1982 Todd BlackledgeBack to top

Todd Blackledge was a three-year starting quarterback for Joe Paterno at Penn State and guided the Nittany Lions to a 31-5 record, including three New Year’s Day Bowl victories, as well as the National Championship in 1982. After passing for 2,218 yards and completing 22 touchdown passes for the Lions, Blackledge was named the country’s outstanding quarterback. He played in the NFL for seven years. Following retirement Blackledge has had a successful career as a college football analyst for ABC Sports, CBS Sports and most recently ESPN. He has called preseason NFL games for the Philadelphia Eagles and provided analysis for the Cleveland Browns, Big East Network, Indianapolis Colts, and many Bowl games. In May 1997, Blackledge was inducted into the GTE Academic All-America Hall of Fame.

1983 Steve YoungBack to top

Steve Young led the BYU Cougars to an 11-1 mark his senior year and was an unanimous All-American selection. He played for the Los Angeles Express of the USFL and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before joining the San Francisco 49ers in 1987. As a 49er, Young’s honors include being selected as MVP of Super Bowl XXIX, the NFL’s MVP in 1992 and 1994, the only quarterback in NFL history to have won four consecutive passing titles, the only quarterback in NFL history to post four consecutive seasons with a quarterback rating of above 100 and selected to participate in the Pro Bowl six consecutive years. In 1993, Young founded Forever Young Foundation, a non-profit public charity dedicated to the development, security, strength, and education of children. In addition to the many charities he volunteers his time, he is a sportscaster for ESPN.

1984 Doug Flutie Back to top

Doug Flutie earned the Heisman Trophy after his spectacular senior season at Boston College, the same year he threw the famous “Hail Mary” pass to teammate Gerard Phelan as time expired to upset the Miami Hurricanes 47-45. Since then Flutie has excelled in the Canadian Football League (CFL), becoming the first CFL player to throw for 6,000 yards in a single season and captured MVP titles six times including three Grey Cup Championships. He returned to the NFL in 1998 with the Buffalo Bills where he led the team to the playoffs and was named the Comeback Player of the Year and earned a spot on the Pro Bowl team. Flutie played four seasons for the San Diego Chargers before moving to the New England Patriots. He established the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism in the name of his son, to help less-fortunate families who have children with autism. Flutie is currently a studio and color analyst for college football on ABC Sports and ESPN.

1985 Chuck LongBack to top

Chuck Long was a consensus All-America quarterback and the first player to pass for more than 10,000 career yards in the Big 10 Conference. He led the Iowa Hawkeyes to the Big 10 Conference Title and a berth in the Rose Bowl. In 1999, Long was enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame and is believed to be the only collegiate player to play in five bowl games. He played in the NFL for eight seasons with the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams. Long returned to his alma mater for five seasons as an assistant football coach. He then went to the University of Oklahoma where he was the offensive coordinator and quarterback’s coach and was named head coach at San Diego State in 2006.

1986 Vinny TestaverdeBack to top

Vinny Testaverde won nearly every major individual honor in college football as the quarterback for the Miami Hurricanes. During his final season with the Hurricanes, he threw only eight interceptions and maintained a remarkable passing percentage of 63.6. With 46 career touchdown passes, Testaverde is Miami’s all-time leader. The first draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he was the starter for the Bucs for six seasons. Testaverde signed with the Cleveland Browns during the 1993 season and moved with the team to Baltimore in 1996. In 1998, he moved to the New York Jets and earned a two-time Pro Bowl selection. Testaverde played one season with the Dallas Cowboys before returning to the Jets, where he retired in 2006. Testaverde’s community involvement includes volunteering for Baltimore County’s “Literacy Works” program, United Way and “Brave Kids.”

1987 Don McPhersonBack to top

As quarterback for Syracuse University, Don McPherson led the Orangemen to an undefeated season his senior year, took MVP honors in the Sugar Bowl and compiled 22 records. He had a seven-year professional career, playing in both the NFL and CFL. In 1999, McPherson founded the Sports Leadership Institute, which provides training on facilitation skills to address social issues and examine sports in American culture. He is a board member of the Nassau County Sports Commission and the Jenna Foundation for Non-Violence, where he created McPherson’s Mentors for Jenna and the John Mackey Award. A nationally recognized expert on violence in sports and society, McPherson is a consultant to the NCAA, Women’s Sports Foundation, American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, the Family Violence Prevention Fund and the Justice Department’s “Agenda for the Nation on Violence Against Women.”

1988 Troy AikmanBack to top

As a junior Troy Aikman transferred to UCLA from the University of Oklahoma and finished his college career as an All-American who led the Bruins to the 1989 Mobil Cotton Bowl Classic victory. During his two years at UCLA, he passed for 5,298 yards and 41 touchdowns. After being drafted number one in the NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys in 1989, Aikman led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl championships, four consecutive NFC championships and six NFC east titles, including five consecutive. He set 45 passing records for the Cowboys, including completions with 2,898, passing yards with 32,942 and touchdowns with 165. Aikman retired from football in 2001. In 1992, he founded the Troy Aikman Foundation that establishes Aikman’s End Zones in children’s hospitals. Aikman is involved with numerous other charities, and has raised money for disaster relief for the Red Cross. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in February of 2006. Aikman is currently the owner of Troy Aikman Ford in Dallas and is also a broadcaster for Fox Sports.

1989 Andre WareBack to top

Andre Ware shattered 26 NCAA and 15 SEC passing and total offense records while at the University of Houston. He won the Heisman Trophy, surpassing the statistics of the 14 previous winners by the eighth game of the 1989 season. In the first ten games alone Ware completed 329 passes in 516 attempts for a total of 4,299 yards and 44 touchdowns.  He was taken by the Detroit Lions as the seventh overall pick in the 1990 draft. Ware joined the Toronto Argonauts and spent three seasons in the CFL. After signing with the Oakland Raiders in 1998, he retired from football in 1999 due to a shoulder injury. Currently Ware commentates for ESPN and a local radio station in Houston, Texas, where he resides.

1990-91 Ty DetmerBack to top

Ty Detmer was the first player to win consecutive Davey O’Brien National Quarterback® awards. He established 59 NCAA records at BYU, including most touchdown passes, most passing yards, most completions, most attempts and most offensive plays. Detmer was awarded the Heisman and Maxwell trophies as a junior in 1990, after passing for 5,188 yards and 41 touchdowns. As a senior, he earned first team All-American honors from the Associated Press, The Sporting News, Football News and Kodak.  Detmer was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 1992 NFL draft. He has played for the Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons. During his NFL career he totaled 6,351 yards and 34 interceptions. Detmer retired in 2006 and currently lives in Austin with his wife and four children..

1992 Gino TorrettaBack to top

Gino Torretta won almost every major award during his career at the University of Miami, including the Heisman, Walter Camp and Maxwell awards. He still holds Miami’s passing record with 7,000 yards and earned his business management degree in only three-and-one-half years. Torretta was the top draft choice of the Minnesota Vikings and played five seasons in the NFL. He is now Manager of Institutional Sales for Gabelli Asset Management Company headquartered in Rye, NY. Torretta enjoys broadcasting as a college and pro football analyst. He is currently a host on the Bubba Burger Blitz College Football Show on FSN Florida and broadcasts a college and pro football game of the week on the Sports USA Radio Network. Torretta and his wife established the Torretta Foundation to support local children’s charities, Myasthenia Gravis and ALS research. They currently live in Charlotte, NC with their daughter.

1993 Charlie WardBack to top

Charlie Ward led the Florida State Seminoles to the 1993 National Championship after winning the Heisman Trophy. He achieved a remarkable completion average of nearly 70 percent, and was a three-year starter for the Seminole’s basketball team. A 1994 first-round draft pick of the New York Knicks, Ward played the first nine-and-a-half seasons of his career in New York and still ranks third on the team’s all-time career 3-point list (598) and fifth in steals (744). He spent half a season with the San Antonio Spurs in 2004 before signing with the Houston Rockets as a free agent. Ward played 14 games with 13 starts and averaged 5.4 points and 3.1 assists before having season-ending surgery on his right knee. He is now an assistant coach with the Houston Rockets in charge of player development and is also involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

1994 Kerry CollinsBack to top

Kerry Collins completed his college career at Penn State with a Rose Bowl victory. In his final season with the Lions, he achieved an impressive completion percentage of 66.7 and threw for 2,679 yards. Collins was named Big 10 Offensive Player of the Year and was also named an All-American by the Football Writers Association of America, Football News and the Associated Press. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers and led the team to the NFC Championship in his second season. Collins joined the New York Giants in 1999 and led them to the Super Bowl in 2000. In 2000 and 2001, he became the first player in NFL history to throw every pass for the same team in two consecutive seasons. Collins established a charitable fund, KC for Kids, which raises money for the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine in Manhattan. He donates funds to his Alma Mater’s football program for the Kerry Collins Quarterback Scholarship, which will endow a Penn State quarterback’s books and tuition in perpetuity. Collins currently plays for the Oakland Raiders.

1995-96 Danny WuerffelBack to top

Danny Wuerffel, a two-time O’Brien winner, enjoyed a near-perfect career as a Florida Gator. He set three NCAA, 12 SEC and 32 school records, and then led the Gators to the 1996 National Championship with an 11-1 record. As a senior, Wuerffel passed for 3,625 yards and 39 touchdowns. He won the Heisman Trophy and was named National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Player of the Year and was the recipient of the Draddy Trophy. After graduating with a bachelors of Science Degree in Public Relations, Wuerffel was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in 1997 where he played for three seasons. In 2000, he led the Rhein Fire to the 2000 NFL European title. After spending one year with each of the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins, Wuerffel retired from the NFL to work with Desire Street Ministries (DSM) in New Orleans. Located in one of America’s most impoverished and destitute inner-cities, DSM has started a pediatric clinic, a church, a school (grades 7-12) and much more.

1997 Peyton ManningBack to top

Peyton Manning finished his career at the University of Tennessee as the winningest quarterback in SEC history. He accumulated 42 NCAA, SEC and Tennessee records. Manning was selected by the Indianapolis Colts as the first pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. A six-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time MVP, he has produced totals during his career that rank among the best in NFL history. Manning has completed more passes and thrown for more yards and touchdowns than any NFL player over the first eight career seasons, and has started every career game. He set NFL records with 49 touchdown passes and a 121.1 quarterback rating in 2004. Manning established The PeyBack Foundation in 1999 to promote the future success of disadvantaged youth by assisting established programs that provide leadership and growth opportunities for children at risk. Earlier this month Peyton won Super Bowl XLI and took home the MVP trophy.

1998 Michael BishopBack to top

Michael Bishop led the 1998 Wildcats to the second-best season in Kansas State history with a 10-1 record. He finished second in voting for the Associated Press National Player of the Year and was a finalist for the Heisman, Maxwell and Johnny Unitas awards. Bishop was a first-team All-American pick by Football News and The Sporting News and was a first-team All-Big 12 pick. He led the Big 12 in total offense with 299.3 yards per game and in passing efficiency.  Bishop was drafted by the New England Patriots and played for the Frankfurt Galaxy of the NFL Europe. He currently plays in the CFL for the Toronto Argonauts.

1999 Joe HamiltonBack to top

Joe Hamilton finished his career as the most prolific offensive player in Georgia Tech and Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) history. He enjoyed one of the best seasons in ACC annals in leading the Yellow Jackets to an 8-4 record and their third straight bowl game. Hamilton was second in the nation in passing efficiency with a rating of 175.0, the sixth-best season rating in NCAA history. In addition, he was second nationally in total offense with 344.9 yards per game while directing a unit that led the nation in total offense and second in scoring. Tech’s second-leading rusher, his 734 yards rushing is the most in NCAA Division I-A history by a 3,000 yard passer. Hamilton was drafted and played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for three seasons; he currently plays for the Orlando Predators.

2000 Chris WeinkeBack to top

Chris Weinke signed with Florida State University out of high school and spent four days in August 1990 on the campus before signing a professional baseball contract with the Toronto Blue Jays (second round pick). He spent six years with the Blue Jays before returning to FSU.  Weinke was the first three-year starter at quarterback for the Seminoles under Bobby Bowden. After leading the Seminoles to their first undefeated season in 1999, Weinke went on to claim the second national title for Florida State. In 2000 he completed the season as the nation’s leading passer with 4,167 yards, averaging 347.3 yards per game. This Heisman Trophy winner ranked second nationally in both passing efficiency and touchdown passes. He is only the second quarterback in NCAA history to pass for more than 9,500 career yard and win a national championship. Weinke was named one of six NCAA Division I-A Scholar Athletes and was an All-District Academic All-American who graduated in three and a half years with a 3.5 GPA. He currently plays for the Carolina Panthers.

2001 Eric CrouchBack to top

Eric Crouch earned the Heisman Trophy after leading the Huskers to an 11-1 record his senior year. Just the third quarterback in NCAA history to rush for 3,000 yards and pass for 4,000 yards in his career, he was also named the Walter Camp Player of the Year and Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. Crouch became the 13th player in NCAA history to rush and pass for over 1,000 yards in a single season, throwing for 1,510 yards and rushing for 1,115. He averaged 5.5 yards per carry and 92.9 yards per game which ranked third nationally among quarterbacks. His season rushing totals would top the previous rushing highs by former Heisman Trophy winners Terry Baker (538, Oregon State, 1962) and Davey O’Brien (462, TCU, 1938). In addition to running Crouch/Churchich Recreation in Omaha, Nebraska, Crouch currently plays for the Toronto Argonauts.

As a first-year starter, Brad Banks led the Iowa Hawkeyes to an 11-1 record and the Co-Big Ten Conference Title. He led the nation in pass efficiency with a 157.1 rating, had 26 touchdown passes and just five interceptions. Banks finished the season with 2,573 passing yards and 2,996 in total offense. He earned numerous national honors, including the Walter Camp Football Foundation first team All-America, Associated Press College Football Player of the Year and second team All-America and Chicago Tribune Silver Football Awards as the Big Ten Conference Most Valuable Player, to name a few. Banks played for the Washington Redskins in 2003 and then for the Ottawa Renegades in the CFL. He currently plays arena football for the Grand Rapids Rampage.

2003-04 Jason WhiteBack to top

In 2003, Jason White brought home Oklahoma's fourth Heisman Trophy with a record-setting campaign. He was named Associated Press, Sporting News and CNNSI.com College Player of the Year, and was selected to the Walter Camp All-America Team. White also received the Jim Thorpe Courage Award and was named the Big 12 Player of the Year. He capped his return from two serious knee injuries by becoming the nation's top-rated passer while leading the third-ranked Sooners to an undefeated regular season and a berth in the Bowl Championship Series title game in the Sugar Bowl. In 2004, White led the second-ranked Sooners to an undefeated regular season, a Big 12 Conference Championship and a berth in the Bowl Championship Series title game in the Orange Bowl. He won the Maxwell Award and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. During the course of the 2004 season this 6’3”, 226-pound senior became Oklahoma’s all-time leader in career passing yards with a total of 7,768 and touchdown passes with a total of 79.