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Ranking Heisman Trophy winners from 1-81

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Dec 14, 2013; New York, NY, USA; The Heisman Trophy is seen during a press conference before the announcement of the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner at the Marriott Marquis in New York City. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 14, 2013; New York, NY, USA; The Heisman Trophy is seen during a press conference before the announcement of the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner at the Marriott Marquis in New York City. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /
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SOUTH BEND, IN - 1952: John Lattner #14 of the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish tries to avoid being tackled circa 1952 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Notre Dame/Collegiate Images/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN – 1952: John Lattner #14 of the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish tries to avoid being tackled circa 1952 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Notre Dame/Collegiate Images/Getty Images) /

Pete Dawkins 1958 Season Statistics

  • Games: 9
  • Rushing Attempts: 78
  • Rushing Yards: 428
  • Rushing Yards Per Game: 47.6
  • Yards Per Carry: 5.5
  • Rushing Touchdowns: 0
  • Receptions: 16
  • Receiving Yards: 491
  • Receiving Yards Per Game: 54.6
  • Receiving Touchdowns: 6

Army halfback Pete Dawkins emerged as one of the Black Knights’ best players as a junior in 1957, when he led the team in receiving (225 yards, 3 TD), ranked second in rushing (665 yards, 8 TD), and also threw a touchdown pass. However, Dawkins was voted the best player in the game – the Heisman Trophy winner – the following season.

While leading Army to a 8-0-1 record and a No. 3 ranking in the final AP poll, Dawkins averaged 54.6 receiving yards per game and hauled in six touchdowns as a big-play receiver. Dawkins averaged a staggering 28.8 yards on 16 catches, and added 428 rushing yards for the nation’s second-highest scoring offense (29.2 points per game).

A consensus All-American and the Maxwell Award winner, Dawkins won a tight race against Iowa quarterback Randy Duncan and LSU’s Billy Cannon for the Heisman.

It’s safe to say that Dawkins, who is one of the few Heisman winners not to pursue a career as a professional athlete was one of the most accomplished away from football. According to his Heisman bio:

"Pete was Class President and Cadet First Captain and went on to attend Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, where he played for the University’s rugby team for three years. Later, he attended Princeton where he received a MPA and Ph.D. His military career was equally impressive and he rose to the rank of Brigadier General with commands in both the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. After serving 24 years, Pete retired from the Army and entered the world of business. After several years on Wall Street, he ran for a seat in the U.S. Senate, and subsequently served for over twenty years in executive positions in Primerica Corporation, Travelers and Citigroup."

Dawkins was the third and final Army football player to win college football’s greatest individual honor.

John Lattner 1953 Season Statistics

  • Games: 10
  • Rushing Attempts: 134
  • Rushing Yards: 651
  • Rushing Yards Per Game: 65.1
  • Yards Per Carry: 4.9
  • Rushing Touchdowns: 9
  • Receptions: 14
  • Receiving Yards: 204
  • Receiving Yards Per Game: 20.4
  • Receiving Touchdowns: 1
  • Passing: 1-for-2, 55 YD
  • Interceptions (Defense): 4
  • Returns: 40-yard average on 8 kick returns; 10-yard average on 10 punt returns; 2 TD

Statistics certainly aren’t everything when it comes to the Heisman Trophy, and there is certainly something to be said for versatility. However, Notre Dame halfback John Lattner won the 1953 Heisman Trophy despite not leading the Fighting Irish in rushing, passing or receiving yardage.

Lattner gained 651 rushing yards and scored nine touchdowns for 9-0-1 Irish, but Neil Worden (859 rushing yards) led the way on the ground. Joe Heap (336 receiving yards, 5 TD) was also a more accomplished pass-catcher than Lattner, who ranked second on the squad with 14 receptions and 204 receiving yards. Also, Lattner wasn’t called on to pass often and completed just one of two passes – though it was a 55-yard play.

However, Lattner proved his Heisman value to both Notre Dame and the nation by adding two touchdown returns among 18 combined punt and kick returns and also by intercepting four passes on defense. His all-around production gave Lattner the edge he needed to sneak by Minnesota’s Paul Giel in one of the closest Heisman races in history. Lattner earned 384 first-place votes and 1,850 total points while Giel finished second with 366 No. 1 votes and 1,794 points.

A two-time consensus All-American that also won the Maxwell Award in both 1952 and 1953, Lattner finished his career as Notre Dame’s all-time leader in all-purpose yardage – a distinction he held for more than a quarter-century until it was broken in 1979.

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