The legacy is written into the literal fight song for the Michigan Wolverines, and with over 1,000 career victories and 12 national titles, “Hail to the Victors” is a fitting way of praising the achievements of one of college football’s oldest and proudest programs.
As the victories amassed, so have the individual achievements; one of the most prestigious awards in college football is the Heisman Trophy, an annual award given to the most outstanding player in college football. The Wolverines have had multiple players earn that distinction over the years.
Let’s examine the history of Heisman Trophy winners to come from the Michigan Wolverines and the impact their legacies have had on the program as a whole.
Tom Harmon, RB (1940)
Tom Harmon was the first-ever Wolverine to win the Heisman Trophy and was also one of the best athletes of his era as he played for the varsity basketball team for two years in addition to playing almost every single minute of his three-year football career.
Harmon did everything for the Wolverines, and his final game was a fitting end to a spectacular career. In his finale against Ohio State, Harmon led the Wolverines to a 40-0 victory while scoring three rushing touchdowns, two passing touchdowns, four extra points, intercepting three passes, and punting three times for an average of 50 yards a punt.
His performance was so incredible that the Ohio State faithful gave Harmon a standing ovation at the end of the game in Columbus, Ohio, an honor that no other Wolverine player had received before or since.
Desmond Howard, WR (1991)
Desmond Howard became the second Heisman winner in Wolverines history after a fantastic all-around season and was just the third wide receiver to win the award at the time, following Johnny Rodgers and Tim Brown.
Howard did it all for the Wolverines in 1991, setting 12 single-season records for Michigan and setting or tying five NCAA records. He caught 61 passes for 960 yards and 19 touchdowns, ran the ball for 165 yards on 12 carries and two touchdowns, and averaged 15.3 yards a return on punts and 31 yards on kick returns with a return for touchdown on each.
Howard won the award with the second-largest margin of victory at the time, a testament to just how electric he was as a player. Howard elected to forgo his senior year and declared for the NFL following his Heisman victory. He now currently works as an analyst for ESPN and is a co-host for “College GameDay.”
Charles Woodson, DB (1997)
Charles Woodson is the third winner of the Heisman Trophy award for Michigan. In a touch of symmetry with the first award winner Tom Harmon, he was selected in due part to his participation on both sides of the ball, a rarity since college football moved to a two-platoon system in the 1960s.
Woodson started working on offense as a sophomore after winning the starting cornerback job just two weeks into training camp during his freshman season. As he continued his play on both sides of the ball, he intercepted seven passes and had 43 tackles while catching 11 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown on offense. He also contributed on special teams as a punt returner, where he returned 33 punts for 283 yards and a touchdown.
Charles Woodson led the Wolverines to an undefeated record in 1997 and Michigan defeated Washington State in the Rose Bowl to claim a share of the national title. He later went on to play for 18 seasons in the NFL and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021 after being inducted to the College Hall of Fame in 2018.
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