Heisman Winner
Mike Garrett
RB | Senior | University of Southern California
The versatile Garrett won USC’s first Heisman while becoming one of the first college backs to average over 25 carries per game.
Garrett was born in Los Angeles where he was a 1962 graduate of Roosevelt High. A two-way back, he was the L.A. City Player of the Year as a 1961 senior while also showing great promise as a baseball player.
The 5-9, 180-pound Garrett signed with USC and, after sitting out his freshman year per NCAA rules, he made an immediate impact for the Trojans. As a sophomore, Garrett rushed for 833 yards and scored three times. As a junior, he rushed for 948 yards and nine touchdowns while also catching 17 passes for 227 yards and a score.
Garrett had a mighty senior campaign, rushing for 1,440 yards while scoring 17 touchdowns (two on punt returns), as the Trojans went 7-2-1 and finished ninth in the polls. For his efforts, he was awarded the Heisman Trophy.
His career rushing total of 3,221 yards was among the best totals in NCAA history at the time. Besides his rushing gains, Garrett career totals also included 36 receptions, 43 punt returns, 30 kickoff returns and six pass attempts (two of which went for scores). He scored 30 touchdowns in his career and tallied over 4,500 all-purpose yards.
Garrett was a second round pick in the 1966 draft and played four years for the Kansas City Chiefs and four more with the San Diego Chargers. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Chiefs in 1970.
He returned to his alma mater as an associate athletic director and was later named Athletic Director in 1993, a position he held until 2010. He was also the Athletic Director at Langston College.
Garrett has remained actively involved in youth programs in Los Angeles, starting the East Los Angeles Youth Activities to deal with gang youth, and has been a motivating force behind several charity sports programs.
He was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1985.
