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Heisman Trophy WInner Announced; Historic Win

By Stevie J. Stevenson Jr.

Robert Griffin III was named this year's Heisman Trophy Winner.

The Baylor University Junior Quarterback beat out the expected number one pick in next year's NFL draft, Andrew Luck from Standford University, and the nation's top running back Trent Richardson from The University of Alabama, along with three other finalists.

Griffin is Baylor's first ever Heisman Trophy Winner. It is an honor well earned, as Griffin passed for nearly 4000 yards with 36 touchdowns this season.

John Cappelletti's 1973 Heisman Trophy is part of an exhibit at the Penn State All-Sports Museum located at Beaver Stadium, on the campus of the Pennsylvania State University. Photo: Robert J. La Verghetta CC BY-SA 3.0

Both Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin are passing up a fourth year in the NCAA and anticipate entering the 2012 NFL draft, according to Bleacher Report.

It seems obvious that both Quarterbacks, Luck and Griffin, are number #1 and #2 in the nation and either one would make a potentially good fit for the Indianapolis Colts considering Peyton Manning's prognosis is unclear at this time.

The Heisman Memorial Trophy, sometimes just called "The Heisman" is named for John Heisman, a football player and coach, who died in 1936. Heisman played for both Brown University and Rice University. He was later head football coach at Auburn University, Clemson University, Rice University, and University of Pennsylvania, and also head coach and athletic director at Georgia Tech, where he was involved in football, basketball, and baseball.

The trophy was actually introduced in 1935, at the Downtown Athletic Club, in Manhattan, New York, where Heisman was the athletic director. After he died the next year, it was renamed The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award.

In his name, the trophy is awarded early in December, before the postseason bowl games begin, to the college football player judged to be the most outstanding. This year, it was Robert Griffin III. Congratulations to Griffin.

Stevie J. Stevenson Jr. is a freelance writer and business owner. Contact him at NewsBlaze.