By Darin How do you shut down a Heisman winner and secure a National Championship in a single afternoon? You unleash Steve Emtman. Born in Spokane and fueled by a legendary “high motor,” Emtman evolved from a redshirt freshman into the most decorated defensive lineman of his era. A human wrecking ball who combined brute strength with surprising agility, he became the first player in nearly a decade to sweep the Outland and Lombardi trophies in the same season. From the rain-soaked fields of Seattle to the pinnacle of the College Football Hall of Fame, this is the story of the man who anchored the greatest defense in Washington history.
Football Bio
April 16, 1970 – Spokane, Washington – The top-notch Washington Husky defensive tackle from 1989 to 1991, Steve Emtman, was born.
This player was extremely focused on his job at linebacker and ran with a high motor. Steve was extremely stout against the run and could rush the passers with the best of them, according to the Football Foundation.org.
Emtman served a redshirt season, and then, in his first year on the field, he served in a reserve capacity, spelling teammates on the D-line. When he finally started the next year, his stellar play earned him second-team All-American honors and the co-defensive player of the year in the Pac-10 Conference. Steve won both the Lombardi and Outland trophies in his junior season and placed fourth in the Heisman voting.
In his final collegiate game, he was named the co-MVP of the Rose Bowl as the Huskies claimed a share of the national championship by completing an undefeated season, easily beating Michigan 34-14. In that game, Washington shut down Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard and limited the Michigan ground game to 74 yards. Emtman’s final career numbers read 14 sacks and 134 tackles, with 36 for loss. Steve was a three-time All-Conference player and a unanimous All-America selection.
The National Football Foundation selected Steve Emtman for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006. Steve was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round but played only six seasons due to injuries.
Conclusion
Steve Emtman was the definitive “Ironman” of the interior line. His performance in the 1992 Rose Bowl, where he physically dismantled a powerful Michigan offense, remains one of the most dominant individual displays in the history of the “Granddaddy of Them All.” While the professional ranks saw his career hampered by significant knee injuries, his three-year run at Washington set a standard for defensive line play that few have touched since. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006, Emtman remains a towering figure in Husky lore—a reminder of a time when the road to a National Title went straight through #90.
Accolades and Football Accomplishments
- National Champion: 1991 (Undefeated 12-0 season).
- Lombardi Award Winner: 1991 (Nation’s top lineman/linebacker).
- Outland Trophy Winner: 1991 (Nation’s top interior lineman).
- Bill Willis Award Winner: 1991 (Nation’s top defensive lineman).
- Heisman Trophy Finalist: Finished 4th in the 1991 voting (Rare for a DT).
- Unanimous First-Team All-American: 1991.
- Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year: 1990, 1991.
- Rose Bowl Co-MVP: 1992.
- College Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2006.
- NFL First Overall Pick: #1 overall by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1992 NFL Draft.
- Washington Huskies Legend: Member of the Husky Hall of Fame (Inducted 1999).
