College football duos: Ranking the 32 best dynamic duos in modern history
By Nick Villano
23. Desmond Howard and Elvis Grbac, Michigan
Desmond Howard will always be synonymous with “that pose“. He made the Heisman pose on the field on the way to winning the trophy in 1991. That season, he was playing with a quarterback he knew well. Elvis Grbac was in his third year under center for the Michigan Wolverines. All three of those years, he at least had Howard as an option.
Howard and Grbac are unique. They aren’t like other duos on this list because their connection goes all the way back to high school. Before they were making big plays in Ann Arbor, they were tearing the field up with St. Joseph High in Cleveland. The chemistry between Howard and Grbac was clear when they were in college.
Howard’s Heisman Trophy-winning season was epic. He caught 62 passes for 985 yards and 19 touchdowns. He added two touchdowns rushing and two touchdowns on special teams (one kick return and one punt return). However, it was through the air that was his bread and butter. That’s where Grbac comes in.
Most quarterbacks have their best statistical season in their senior year, but not Grbac. He had 2,085 yards and a then-Michigan record 25 touchdowns. His stats fell off his senior year. Why? Because his favorite target Howard left for the NFL.
These two were made for each other. They never found the type of success apart that they had together. Grbac had a decent career in the NFL and Howard was a Super Bowl MVP, but their success was inconsistent. In college, they were a duo that could not be stopped.