John Heisman: The Man Behind the Award

October 23, 1869, in Cleveland, Ohio, John Heisman was an American football coach who was one of the top innovators in the history of the game of football. Heisman, along with Walter Camp, Alonzo Stagg, and Pop Warner, transformed football in their era. They made it a much better and safer sport through innovations, rule revisions, and significant procedural improvements that evolved into our modern game of American football at all levels.

The NFF’s website credits Heisman with helping to legalize the forward pass, originating the center snap, innovating the “hike” cadence to initiate a snap, and naming the Heisman Trophy for these contributions. John coached at various schools, including Oberlin, Akron, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Penn, Washington and Jefferson, Auburn, and Rice.

He played every line position while he was a student athlete at Brown University. The National Football Foundation selected John Heisman to enter the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954. Heisman passed suddenly at the age of 66, just as he was preparing to write a book on the history of football. It’s too bad we never got to see that masterpiece, as I am sure it would have been something special.

Coach Heisman was one of the most influential innovators and successful coaches in the early history of American football. His contributions fundamentally shaped the modern game.

Key Contributions and Accolades to American Football

Rule and Game Innovations

• Legalized the Forward Pass (1906): Heisman was instrumental, after years of lobbying the Rules Committee (including Walter Camp), in the decision to legalize the forward pass, which opened up the field and transformed the sport.
• Invented the Center Snap: He is credited with introducing the direct snap of the ball from the center to the quarterback, replacing the earlier practice of rolling or kicking the ball backward.
• Coined the “Hike” or “Hut” Vocal Signals: Introduced the use of audible signals by the quarterback to put the ball in play, establishing the basic cadence used today.
• Introduced the Heisman Shift: Developed a sophisticated offensive shift (a precursor to the T and I formations) to create an advantage before the snap.
• Divided the Game into Quarters: Advocated for and implemented the change from two long halves to four quarters to better manage player fatigue and strategy.
• Introduced Offensive Concepts: Credited with creating the hidden-ball play and using pulling guards to lead interference on end runs.
• Developed the Scoreboard: Introduced the concept of displaying the score on a visible board for fans.
• Advocated for Player Safety: Promoted improvements in player gear and rule revisions to reduce injuries.

Coaching Career and Records

• Diverse Coaching Career: Coached at eight different schools over 36 seasons, including Auburn, Clemson, Georgia Tech, and Penn, compiling a career record of 186–70–18.
• Georgia Tech Dominance: Achieved his greatest success at Georgia Tech (1904–1919), posting a record of 102-29-7 and the school’s best career winning percentage.
• National Champion: Led the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to a National Championship in 1917.
• Longest Winning Streak: Guided Georgia Tech through a phenomenal 33-game winning streak during his tenure.
• Most Lopsided Victory: Coached Georgia Tech in the most one-sided game in college football history, a 222-0 victory over Cumberland University in 1916.

Memorial and Honors

• Heisman Trophy Name: The most enduring tribute, the Heisman Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the most outstanding college football player, was renamed in his honor shortly after his death in 1936.
• College Football Hall of Fame: Inducted as a coach in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954.
• Founding of Organizations: After retiring from coaching, he was the driving force behind founding the Touchdown Club of New York and the National Football Coaches Association.
• First Athletic Director of the Downtown Athletic Club (DAC): In this role, he organized the voting system for the award that would eventually bear his name.