Associated Press
SOUTH BEND, Ind. ó Desmond Howard shook his head and smiled. Itís been 20 years since he won the Heisman Trophy at Michigan as an electrifying pass catcher and kick returner.
To him it just doesnít seem possible it happened so long ago.
ěTime just flies doesnít it? Twenty years is unbelievable. Thatís one of those things when somebody says it you kind of got to do the math in your head, like ëYeah I guess heís right,íî Howard said Saturday night when he was enshrined with 15 other players and four coaches into the College Football Hall of Fame.
ěWow.î
Asked what had changed most in the game since he flying over fields in Ann Arbor, even striking a Heisman pose after scoring a touchdown, Howard was quick with an answer, just as he was on the field.
The spread offense with multiple formations and receivers.
ěEveryone wants to spread people out and try to get mismatches out there in space,î he said. ěWhen I played ó if I did that can you imagine the numbers?î he said with a big laugh.
ěYou got to understand I won the Heisman within the rhythm of our offense. … We had guys who could tote the pill and we toted it, we just didnít throw the ball to 21. We tried to run the ball, that was still our primary goal.î
Also inducted Saturday night were: Dennis Byrd (North Carolina State, DT, 1965-67); Ronnie Caveness ( Arkansas, LB 1962-64); Ray Childress (Texas A&M, DL 1981-84); Dexter Coakley (Appalachian State, LB, 1993-96); Randy Cross (UCLA, OG, 1973-75); Sam Cunningham (Southern California, RB, 1970-72); Michael Favor, North Dakota State, C, 1985-88); Charles Haley (James Madison, DE, 1982-85; Mark Herrmann (Purdue, QB, 1977-80); Clarkston Hines (Duke, WR, 1986-89); Desmond Howard (Michigan, WR, 1989-91); Mickey Kobrosky (Trinity College, Back, 1933-36); Chet Moeller (Navy, DB, 1973-75); Jerry Stovall (LSU, HB, 1960-62); Pat Tillman (Arizona St., LB, 1994-97); Alfred Williams (Colorado, LB, 1987-90). Coach Barry Alvarez (Wisconsin, 1990-2005).
Byrd, Tillman and Kobrosky were inducted posthumously. After his college days.
Cunningham had the nickname ěBamî for his punishing running style. He had four touchdowns in a 1973 Rose Bowl win over Ohio State. In his first game in 1970 against Alabama, he scored two TDs and had 135 yards rushing against the then all-white Crimson Tide, leading a victory in a milestone performance.
ěIt has afforded a lot of black athletes the opportunity to play wherever they want to play,î he said.