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University of Minnesota Athletics
Smith of Minnesota, the Gophers lone Heisman Trophy Winner
12/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
In both seasons, beating archrival Michigan was undoubtedly the Gophers’ biggest challenge en route to back-to-back National Championship titles. As the late Minneapolis Tribune columnist Dick Cullum wrote, “Minnesota lost to no one and Michigan lost only to Minnesota.” It was Smith’s triple threat ability to run, pass, and kick that proved to be the difference in each instance.
In 1940, Smith scored the winning touchdown in a come-from-behind 7-6 Gopher victory at Memorial Stadium. Michigan had taken an early 6-0 lead and the Wolverines were poised to put the game away with another score after recovering a blocked punt inside the Minnesota five-yard line. But Gopher defensive back Bobby Paffrath intercepted a pass in the end zone, thwarting the Michigan threat. On the next play, Smith took a hand-off from Sonny Franck on a reverse and ran 80 yards for a touchdown. The point-after conversion put the Gophers ahead to stay. “I always regarded the 1940 Michigan game as the stepping stone to our National Championship,” Smith later recalled. “It was definitely the high mark of my football career.”
The following year in Ann Arbor, Mich., Minnesota shut out the Wolverines, 7-0. This time, Smith set up the only score of the game in the second quarter by passing to Herm Frickey for a 45-yard gain to the Michigan five-yard line. Frickey scored two plays later, sparking another Minnesota victory celebration.
Yet Gopher fans’ enthusiasm was tempered by reports that Smith had suffered a knee injury during the Michigan game. The injury ultimately sidelined Smith for the next two weeks. But in his absence, the Gophers were able to edge Northwestern and Nebraska, improving their record to 6-0.
Against Iowa however, Minnesota was held to negative yardage in the first quarter without Smith. Acquiescing to the pleadings of his star halfback, head coach Bernie Bierman decided to insert No. 54 into the lineup in the second quarter to spur a Gopher comeback. Though he only handled the ball seven times in the game, Smith accounted for every Minnesota score by either running or passing for five touchdowns in a 34-13 Gopher win.
After Minnesota finished the year with a 41-6 drubbing of Wisconsin, Smith was awarded the Heisman Trophy. Although he missed one-fourth of the eight-game season, Smith was bestowed college football’s highest honor as much for his inspiring leadership ability as for his on-the-field performances. “He was a completely unselfish, dedicated team player,” coach Bierman said of the Gophers’ team captain. “He could do it all – a brilliant runner, a deadly tackler, a devastating blocker, an excellent passer and a good kicker.”
Smith’s march into Gopher football lore began with two unforgettable individual efforts against Michigan. It ended with him being named Minnesota’s only Heisman Trophy winner in school history.
Story written by Kevin Noth, athletic communications graduate assistant. Gary Russell’s 61-yard run in the fourth quarter at Michigan that set up the game-winning field goal in the Gophers 23-20 win this fall is the kind of play that could become legendary among Minnesota football fans. Now imagine doing it twice against the Wolverines, in consecutive seasons. Such was the case for Minnesota’s lone Heisman Trophy winner, Bruce Smith, who was principally involved in two plays that ultimately helped the Gophers retain the Little Brown Jug during undefeated campaigns in 1940 and 1941.
In both seasons, beating archrival Michigan was undoubtedly the Gophers’ biggest challenge en route to back-to-back National Championship titles. As the late Minneapolis Tribune columnist Dick Cullum wrote, “Minnesota lost to no one and Michigan lost only to Minnesota.” It was Smith’s triple threat ability to run, pass, and kick that proved to be the difference in each instance.
In 1940, Smith scored the winning touchdown in a come-from-behind 7-6 Gopher victory at Memorial Stadium. Michigan had taken an early 6-0 lead and the Wolverines were poised to put the game away with another score after recovering a blocked punt inside the Minnesota five-yard line. But Gopher defensive back Bobby Paffrath intercepted a pass in the end zone, thwarting the Michigan threat. On the next play, Smith took a hand-off from Sonny Franck on a reverse and ran 80 yards for a touchdown. The point-after conversion put the Gophers ahead to stay. “I always regarded the 1940 Michigan game as the stepping stone to our National Championship,” Smith later recalled. “It was definitely the high mark of my football career.”
The following year in Ann Arbor, Mich., Minnesota shut out the Wolverines, 7-0. This time, Smith set up the only score of the game in the second quarter by passing to Herm Frickey for a 45-yard gain to the Michigan five-yard line. Frickey scored two plays later, sparking another Minnesota victory celebration.
Yet Gopher fans’ enthusiasm was tempered by reports that Smith had suffered a knee injury during the Michigan game. The injury ultimately sidelined Smith for the next two weeks. But in his absence, the Gophers were able to edge Northwestern and Nebraska, improving their record to 6-0.
Against Iowa however, Minnesota was held to negative yardage in the first quarter without Smith. Acquiescing to the pleadings of his star halfback, head coach Bernie Bierman decided to insert No. 54 into the lineup in the second quarter to spur a Gopher comeback. Though he only handled the ball seven times in the game, Smith accounted for every Minnesota score by either running or passing for five touchdowns in a 34-13 Gopher win.
After Minnesota finished the year with a 41-6 drubbing of Wisconsin, Smith was awarded the Heisman Trophy. Although he missed one-fourth of the eight-game season, Smith was bestowed college football’s highest honor as much for his inspiring leadership ability as for his on-the-field performances. “He was a completely unselfish, dedicated team player,” coach Bierman said of the Gophers’ team captain. “He could do it all – a brilliant runner, a deadly tackler, a devastating blocker, an excellent passer and a good kicker.”
Smith’s march into Gopher football lore began with two unforgettable individual efforts against Michigan. It ended with him being named Minnesota’s only Heisman Trophy winner in school history.
Story written by Kevin Noth, athletic communications graduate assistant.
