The Texas Longhorns program is a member of the Southern Conference (SEC), representing the University of Texas at Austin in the NCAA Division I, Football Bowl Subdivision. In the program's history, they have had two Heisman Trophy winners.
Texas Longhorns Heisman Winners
1. Earl Campbell, RB in 1977
Earl Campbell, as a senior in 1977, led the country in rushing with 1,744 yards, according to the Texas Longhorns official website. Except for the southwest, where the Heisman Trophy runner-up Terry Miller of Oklahoma State received more votes, Campbell dominated every region to win the trophy. The first player chosen in the 1978 NFL Draft, Campbell, went on to win NFL Rookie of the Year and the NFL MVP awards while playing for the Houston Oilers. The former Longhorn was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991 and was named to the NFL First Team All-Pro three times. According to the official websites of the Tennessee Titans and USA Today, the Longhorns and the Titans (previously the Oilers) have retired Campbell's No. 20 and No. 34 jerseys, respectively.
2. Ricky Williams, RB in 1998
After Earl Campbell, it took 21 years for the Longhorns to produce its next Heisman Trophy winner, Ricky Williams. According to the official website of the Longhorns, the running back ran for 6,279 yards and scored 72 touchdowns during his UT career.
Williams swept all voting regions and received the highest percentage of votes (43% of 920 voters), beating rivals Michael Bishop of Kansas State, Cade McNown of UCLA, and Tim Couch of Kentucky in a landslide victory. In the 1999 NFL Draft, Williams was chosen by the New Orleans Saints as the fifth overall choice.
What is a Heisman award?
According to the official website of the Heisman Trust, the Heisman Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the top collegiate football player. The coveted award is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust in December following the regular season. The recent winner of the trophy is Colorado wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter.
The Downtown Athletic Club created the award and its inaugural recipient was Jay Berwanger, a halfback for the University of Chicago. In 1936, the award's name was changed to honor the club's athletic director, John Heisman.
