George Adds to His Trophy Collection

Eddie George took a quick path from the Heisman Trophy to the Associated Press NFL offensive rookie of the year.

The star running back was just as sensational with the Houston Oilers as he was at Ohio State. He gained 1,368 yards on 335 carries, a 4.1 average, and scored eight touchdowns.

That was good enough to easily win the balloting by a nationwide panel of sports writers announced Wednesday. George received 74 of 93 votes, far ahead of New England receiver Terry Glenn, who had eight. George and Glenn were teammates at Ohio State.

Third was fullback Mike Alstott of Tampa Bay with six, followed by wide receiver-kick returner Eddie Kennison of St. Louis with three and guard Jonathan Ogden of Baltimore with two.

“Honors like that are everything a kid sees now,” George said. “The Heisman, rookie of the year, Super Bowl MVP, I think everyone shoots for those things, naturally.”

George is the seventh Heisman winner to be voted top offensive rookie. All the others--Tony Dorsett in 1977, Earl Campbell in 1978, Billy Sims in 1980, George Rogers in 1981, Marcus Allen in 1982 and Barry Sanders in 1989--were running backs.