OT (Sort of): Answers to Hump Day Quiz -- Michigan and the Heisman
This week's quiz asked you to name as many Michigan players as you can who finished in the Top 10 in Heisman balloting (other than the three winners). Bonus questions asked for the names of Michigan players who made the Top 10 multiple years. Here are the answers, in reverse order:
Double Secret Bonus Question: Who is the only Wolverine ever to make the top 10 i three different years?
Most of you correctly guessed ANTHONY CARTER, who made the top 10 in 1980, '81', and '82. The other frequent answer was Tom Harmon, a good guess, but he shows up in the answer to the next question.
Bonus Question: Who are the only 4 Michigan players to make the top 10 more than once?
1939, 40 Tom Harmon
1955, '56 Ron Kramer
1977, '78 Rick Leach
1980, '81, 82 Anthony Carter
Woodson, Wheatley, Desmond, and Denard all received a fair number of votes for multiple years. They all made the list, but only once each.
Question: 24 times a Michigan player has made the Top 10 in Hesiman voting without winning the award. Can you name them?
Year Player Rank Heisman Winner
1939 Tom Harmon (2) Nile Kinnick (Iowa)
1941 Bob Westfall (8) Bruce Smith (Minn)
1943 Bill Daley (7) Angelo Bertelli (ND)
1947 Bob Chappuis (2) Johnny Lujack (ND)
1955 Ron Kramer (8) Howard "Hopalong" Cassady (tOSU)
1956 Ron Kramer (6) Paul Hornung (ND)
1964 Bob Timberlake (4) John Huarte (ND)
1968 Ron Johnson (6) OJ Simpson (USC)
1974 Dennis Franklin (6) Archie Griffin (tOSU)
1975 Gordon Bell (8) Archie Griffin (tOSU)
1976 Rob Lytle (3) Tony Dorsett (Pitt)
1977 Rick Leach (8) Earl Campbell (Tex.)
1978 Rick Leach (3) Billy Sims (OU)
1980 Anthony Carter (8) George Rogers (S. Car.)
1981 Anthony Carter (7) Marcus Allen (USC)
1982 Anthony Carter (4) Herschel Walker (UGA)
1986 Jim Harbaugh (3) Vinny Testaverde (Miami)
1993 Tyrone Wheatley (8) Charlie Ward (FSU)
1995 Tim Biakabatuka (8) Eddie George (tOSU)
2003 Chris Perry (4) Jason White (OU)
2004 Braylon Edwards (10) Matt Leinart (USC)
2005 Mike Hart (5) Troy Smith (tOSU)
2010 Denard Robinson (6) Cam Newton (Auburn)
2016 Jabrill Peppers (5) Lamar Jackson (L'ville)
Some observations:
- In fully 1/2 of the years a Michigan player appeared in the Top 10, the Heisman was one by a player from one of just 3 schools: OSU, ND, or USC.
- Only 2 Michigan wide receivers have ever made the list -- AC and Braylon.
- OLs don't get a lot of love -- the year he was the first overall draft pick, Jake Long did not make the Top 10.
- Several Michigan players were named on many of the entries but actually never made the Top 10. The most frequent wrong answers were: Jamie Morris, Elvis Grbac, and the A-Train. It's really hard to believe those guys never made Top 10.
- There were also some fairly obvious players that almost everyone missed, including Rn Johnson (who set a then-NCAA single-game rushing record of 347 yeards against Wisonsin in 1968), and Rob Lytle, who was at one time Micihgan's career rushing leader).
- On the other hand, there were a couple on the list that truly surprised me, most notably Gordie Bell, who I recall as a useful RB, but never in my mind Heisman material. And, frankly, I didn't know who Bob Westfall and Bill Daley even were until I looked them up.)
- Just by looking at the list in the years Michigan players made the Top 10, one can see the incredible recent shift of the Heisman from a RB award to a QB award. In the years listed from 1968-82, all 9 of the awards went to RBs; in all but one of the listed year after that, it went to a QB.
If anything worthy of comment strikes you, please let us all know. And thank you for playing.
August 24th, 2017 at 8:23 AM ^
August 24th, 2017 at 8:46 AM ^
August 24th, 2017 at 9:08 AM ^
I did better than I thought I would. Can't believe I forgot Denard finished in the top 10 in Heisman once.
August 24th, 2017 at 9:11 AM ^
Totally forgot about Denard. My excuse is that my kid was born in 2010 during football season? I'm still mad I forgot about it.
August 24th, 2017 at 10:14 AM ^
You mention that only two WRs have made the list. I think we could add Desmond to this list as well.
August 24th, 2017 at 11:14 AM ^
August 24th, 2017 at 11:54 AM ^