In 1982, Georgia’s sports-information department mailed weekly Herschel Walker updates to media members across the country in special envelopes bearing “Herschel for Heisman” artwork. In 1992, UGA sent out fliers that promoted Garrison Hearst for the Heisman by comparing his statistics with Walker’s. And in 1994, UGA mailed 10-page brochures extolling Eric Zeier’s candidacy.
But, in a sign of the times, Georgia has no plans to mount such a campaign for Todd Gurley, a leading candidate for this season’s Heisman Trophy.
“The Heisman campaign is just watching him do his thing,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said this week.
Or as Claude Felton, UGA’s associate athletic director for communications, put it: “We have a campaign committee, and Todd Gurley is the chairman.”
Unlike in decades past, UGA figures there’s nothing it could tell Heisman voters — 870 media members, 57 former Heisman winners and one symbolic fan — that they haven’t already seen on TV and the Internet.
Such exposure is why major-college football programs, for the most part, have gotten away from once-elaborate campaigns to promote players for college football’s most prestigious award.
Heisman marketing campaigns are now largely seen as superfluous, a quaint throwback to another era.
It was all so different, Felton noted, when Walker finished third in the Heisman voting in 1980, second in 1981 and first in 1982.
“In those days, people across the country didn’t get a chance to see you on television,” said Felton, recalling that Georgia’s 1980 national-championship team didn’t play on TV until the eighth game of the season. “I used to say in those days that the most important thing was to get on TV and that when you did get on TV you better play really well because you’re on so infrequently.”
This season, all of Georgia’s games will be nationally televised. A single play, such as tailback Gurley’s much-viewed hurdling of a would-be Tennessee tackler Saturday, can generate more publicity than a year’s worth of news releases or a pile of posters.
“What can you do that’s more than watching him on ‘SportsCenter’?” Felton asked.
Still hanging in Felton’s office is the original 1982 cartoon illustration drawn by well-known artist (and UGA graduate) Jack Davis of a bulldog holding a “Herschel for Heisman” sign — the artwork used on the envelopes that delivered the school’s Heisman campaign for Walker.
In 1990, BYU sent ties to Heisman voters to promote quarterback Ty Detmer, who won the Heisman. In 2001, Oregon spent $250,000 on a New York City billboard promoting quarterback Joey Harrington, who finished fourth in the voting. In 2003, Northern Illinois bottled “Turner the Burner” hot sauce to market running back Michael Turner, who didn’t finish in the top 10. And in 2011, Baylor used social media to stir enthusiasm for quarterback Robert Griffin III, who won the Heisman.
But last year, a Wall Street Journal story on the end of the trend was headlined: “R.I.P., Heisman Campaigns.”
Richt never bought into such campaigns. He noted this week that, as an assistant at Florida State, he coached two Heisman winners (Charlie Ward and Chris Weinke) and one Heisman runner-up (Casey Weldon), and “we never really had a campaign” for any of them.
“I don’t think you need one,” Richt said. “If a guy plays well enough, everybody is going to know it.”
Indeed, Gurley hasn’t needed marketing help to emerge as a leading candidate.
While most newspapers and websites with “Heisman watch” lists ranked Gurley No. 2 this week behind Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, an ESPN survey of 10 of its staff “experts” rated Gurley the No. 1 candidate. Oddsmaker Bovada listed Gurley as the second most likely Heisman winner, behind Mariota.
Ultimately, Gurley’s chances might hinge on whether he remains healthy and how his team fares.
“I just worry about winning (games),” said Gurley, dismissing Heisman talk as he normally does. “If you win, that’s going to come.”
Only two UGA players have won the Heisman — Frank Sinkwich in 1942 and Walker 40 years later. (Among other Georgia players, Charley Trippi finished second in 1946, Hearst third in 1992, Terry Hoage fifth in 1983, Zeier seventh in 1994 and Champ Bailey seventh in 1998.)
One-third of the way through this regular season, Gurley has good campaign numbers — 198 yards rushing vs. Clemson, 131 vs. South Carolina and 208 vs. Tennessee. (He played only two series against Troy, rushing for 73 yards.) He ranks second in the nation in all-purpose yards per game at 196.5. Richt figures Gurley’s appeal to voters will transcend statistics.
“He’s got a certain style about him that is attractive to me — just watching the power and the speed and the agility,” Richt said. “He’s a great competitor. That’s what separates him from most backs. There’s a lot of really great backs out there, as we all know. … But every once in a while, there’s one that’s just different, and he’s one of those guys.
“So I think that’s enough of a campaign. Just let him do his thing.”
