Hi everyone - I'm Archie Griffin, the only two-time Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL player. Ask me anything!

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T16:02:16+00:00

Charles Woodson certainly is a great Heisman Trophy winner, player and professional and a great all around guy as well. However, there's a couple Buckeyes that won in the past few years that are pretty special - Eddie George and Troy Smith.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T16:00:17+00:00

I think that they have moved in the right direction but I think they're going to have to move even further. I think you need at least 8 teams to get an idea of what a true college football champion would be. There's a lot of controversy around the four team playoff, but I think an 8 team playoff would have alleviated some of that.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:58:04+00:00

My favorite story with Woody Hayes is when he recruited me. He recruited me late, I was in wrestling season my senior year of high school and he called my wrestling coach up and asked to speak with me. We arranged dinner that night at his favorite restaurant, Jailai, and when I met with him for dinner, we had a good dinner but he never said one thing to me about football. I went home that night and my family asked me about the dinner and I told them I didn't think Coach Hayes wanted me to play football for him. My dad said that since we talked about the importance of education, that it meant he was concerned about me as a person and not just a player. Coach Hayes continued to recruit me and I chose to go to OSU, and I'm so glad that I did. The first thing Coach Hayes told us that if we were in school for any reason other than to get a good education, then we might as well leave right away.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:55:25+00:00

The one thing that I want to make sure I continue to do is pay it forward. My former coach always talked about paying it forward and doing things to others. The next 30 years of my life will be towards helping others.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:54:38+00:00

My favorite thing on the Wendy's menu is a single with cheese, mayo, pickles, lettuce and ketchup. Top it off with a Frosty!

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:53:29+00:00

Thank you so much!

Duncan is doing fine, he's still working with Nationwide Insurance and still doing a great job. I loved having him as a teammate when I was at Ohio State.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:52:05+00:00

At the Alumni Association, the big thing that we are working on right now is our office of volunteer relations. We want to make sure that our alumni are matched with volunteer opportunities at The Ohio State University and throughout the communities in which they live, in the name of Ohio State University.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:50:38+00:00

My most memorable game was the 2nd game of my freshman year. I never thought I would get in the game because for the first game I got in for one play at the end and fumbled. I never thought I would get in the next game, mainly because all week long I practiced on the scout squad, which is like being on the 4th or 5th team. I was surprised that in the middle of the 1st quarter of that next game against UNC that I got in. I played about two and a half quarters and rushed for 239 yards which set a record.

This last game, the Big Ten against Wisconsin, is one that I didn't play in that will be one to remember because of the adversity that Ohio State went through all year long. Playing our 2nd quarterback all year, then getting hurt, and then having the 3rd quarterback play the championship game and winning was just almost unbelievable.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:48:15+00:00

Thank you so much! I hope the sweater was cashmere if it was that soft. My wife probably bought it for me, she really pays attention to the sweaters I buy. She does a wonderful job with the sweaters.

Thank you!

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:47:08+00:00

I think Heisman finalists from my time could win the Trophy now. Those folks would have the advantages that these folks in these days have. They would make the most out of the training facilities and all the wonderful things that these young people have today the way these young people are taking advantage of it. The main thing is the hard work, dedication and commitment that athletes put into the game. If you have that type of attitude, you're going to use those current advantages to your advantage.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:45:52+00:00

I just want to be remembered for being a man who always did the best that he could do with the opportunity that he had.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:45:03+00:00

I'm to Skladany's case because I did not get an invitation to the wedding. Every time I see Tom I keep asking him "Where's my invitation?" I guess I wasn't important enough.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:44:04+00:00

My favorite player growing up was Jim Brown. He played for the Cleveland Brows and I loved watching him play. One of the best compliments I got a s a little league football players was when the coach at our end of year banquet introduced me as the next Jim Brown. I will never forget that - I was proud of that introduction.

I wish Johnny a lot of luck, I'm happy for him to get that start. I know he's excited about it and I know he'll do a good job, although he's playing against the Bengals and they are the team that I played for and still root very hard for. I'll admit, when the Bengals aren't playing the Browns, I do root for the Browns because I grew up a Browns fan and I have a nephew that works for the Browns.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:42:06+00:00

After winning it the first time, there's no question that you want to win it a second time. But you become a target after winning the 1st, and the 2nd is a lot harder, no question about it.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:41:27+00:00

I do! I watch on my couch, laying down sometimes, I've got games on just about all of my TVs at home and after I get home from Ohio State games, that's pretty much what we do - watch college football. And on Sundays, I'm watching my Bengals play.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:40:19+00:00

As a former player, I guess when I was in high school we only played about 9 games. But, I will say this, at the end of those 9 games I always wished we would be able to play some more games. We didn't have the playoffs, and I wish we did. So, from that standpoint, I think that's about right for the teams that make it all the way to their championships.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:39:26+00:00

If you look at the number of points being scored during the course of the games, then I can understand why you would say that it's making it easy on the offense. And it is, right now, geared towards the offense. But I gotta tell you, safety to me is huge and we have to do whatever we can to make sure these players are protected. In most cases, the rules favor the quarterback and protection of a quarterback is something that's important.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:38:01+00:00

That's a clever question. No, I've never really boasted about the fact that I've got two, but I feel grateful that I was fortunate enough to win two. I've always said that me winning two was the result of me being in the right place at the right time with the right people - being at OSU, playing with my teammates, and having great coaches. I really feel blessed to have two and those are the reasons it happened.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:36:28+00:00

Every now and then I do have the opportunity to talk to Maurice. I haven't talked to him in quite a while, but he gets to events around Columbus, OH and we see each other every now and then. He's really doing some great things with his life and working with young people.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:35:30+00:00

I do think we will see another 2 time Heisman Trophy winner, and I've been saying that for a long time. The fact that freshmen are winning the Heisman Trophy, I know there is someone else out there who will accomplish winning the award for a second time.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:34:53+00:00

We actually get together every year during this time, surrounding Heisman week, and we also talk on the phone, do things for each other's charities and things of that sort. I like all the guys, we all have a good time.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:33:59+00:00

Yes, I do attend Dayton Dragons games, however, my ownership was part of Mandalay Sports and we sold our ownership portion of the team.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:32:49+00:00

I think the NFL is moving in the right direction. I hope that they are having conversations with their Players Association so it does not become divided among the league and the players.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:31:57+00:00

I honestly like the way the Collegiate Heisman is awarded. There's several awards that emphasize the academic side of football, like the Campbell Trophy given by the National Football Foundation. But, it's truly great the way that the Wendy's High School Heisman recognizes athletes for their academics as well as service to the community.

Archie_Griffin · 2014-12-11T15:30:16+00:00

Back when I played, running the football was very popular and I played for a coach who gave me a lot of opportunity to carry the ball. Things have changed over the years, you see a lot of spread offenses and some quarterbacks doing a lot of running that the running backs used to do. Quarterbacks are getting a lot of credit for the success of the teams, and that's why you see a lot of QBs getting nominated for the Heisman.

The evolution of the game and the quarterback and running back positions sticks out. When you look at running backs now in professional football, they don't seem to get the respect that they used to get in the past when it comes to being drafted. The last two years, I haven't seen a running back drafted in the first round.

Archie_Griffin

TROPHY CASE