Ohio State’s George a Runaway Winner : Heisman Trophy: Buckeye back gets 50 more first-place votes and 264 more points than the runner-up, Nebraska quarterback Frazier.

It was supposed to be the closest Heisman race in at least a decade. It included a 2,000-yard runner, the star of America’s favorite underdog team, a quarterback who battled back from a blood clot to lead his team to the top of the rankings and a quarterback with the highest rating ever.

Tough crowd.

But running back Eddie George of Ohio State blew by all of them Saturday, just as he blew by one defense after another all season, to win the 1995 Heisman Trophy.

George, who led the nation with 24 touchdowns and rushed for a school-record 1,826 yards, received 268 first-place votes and 1,460 points in balloting by the media and former Heisman winners. That was 264 points better than the runner-up, Nebraska quarterback Tommie Frazier.

After hearing that he had won, while seated in the front row of the audience gathered at the Downtown Athletic Club in New York City, George buried his head in his hands.

“I’m glad this is over,” he said. “I’m just overwhelmed right now. It’s going to take some time to sink in. I think once I’m with my family and we laugh a little bit and cry a little bit, it will probably hit me.”

USC receiver Keyshawn Johnson finished seventh in the balloting.

George is the fifth Ohio State player to win the Heisman, joining Les Horvath, Vic Janowicz, Howard “Hopalong” Cassady and two-time winner Archie Griffin. Only Notre Dame, with seven, has more Heisman winners.

George gained more than 100 yards in every game this season except Ohio State’s opener against Boston College, when he got 99.

After George had run through Illinois’ highly regarded defense for an Ohio State-record 314 yards, Illinois defensive coordinator Denny Marcin said, “I’ve coached 32 years and have not seen a back like that.”

George wasn’t the only member of the Buckeyes to pile up both the yards and the press clippings this season. Ohio State’s roster also includes All-American receiver Terry Glenn and All-Big Ten quarterback Bobby Hoying.

But George was unquestionably the offensive leader, based on his versatility as much as his production. He not only carried the ball 303 times, but also caught 44 passes for 399 yards.

“He has the best work ethic of any player I’ve ever coached,” Ohio State Coach John Cooper said. “It’s impossible to work any harder.”

That kind of praise may mean more to George than anything else said on Saturday considering the type of player he had been only a few years ago.

Growing up in Philadelphia, George is the first to admit his work ethic in high school didn’t impress anyone. He refers to himself in those days as “lazy” and “disrespectful.” It got so bad that he was sent to Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia to straighten out.

“They instilled discipline in me really quick,” George said. “I did a lot of growing up down there.”

Frazier, who passed and ran for 31 touchdowns and led top-ranked Nebraska to its third consecutive undefeated regular season, got 218 first-place votes and 1,196 points. After his career was almost ended by blood clots last season, Frazier came back to pass for 17 touchdowns and run for 14 this season, leading Nebraska to an 11-0 record.

Finishing third in the voting was Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel, who received 185 first-place votes and 987 points. Wuerffel set an NCAA record for passing efficiency in leading No. 2 Florida to a 12-0 record. Wuerffel passed for 35 touchdowns, completed 65% of his attempts and finished with an efficiency rating of 178.4, breaking the mark of 176.9, set by Brigham Young’s Jim McMahon in 1980.

Northwestern running back Darnell Autry, who gained 1,675 yards and scored 15 touchdowns to help his school gain its first Rose Bowl berth in 47 years, finished fourth.

Iowa State running back Troy Davis was fifth. Davis gained 2,010 yards, becoming only the fifth 2,000-yard rusher in Division I-A history. The other four won the Heisman.

Autry and Davis are sophomores.

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The Heisman Vote

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Player, School 1st Pts. 1. George, Ohio State 268 1,460 2. Frazier, Nebraska 218 1,196 3. Wuerffel, Florida 185 987 4. Autry, Northwestern 87 535 5. Davis, Iowa State 41 402 6. Manning, Tennessee 10 109 7. Johnson, USC 9 59 8. Biakabutuka, Michigan 1 31 9. Dunn, Florida State 2 29 10. Hoying, Ohio State 0 28

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