Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks, from Davey O’Brien to Caleb Williams

Believe it or not, a majority of the 88 Heisman Trophies have not been handed out to quarterbacks. When looking at the progression of college football over time, this did not become a quarterback-centric sport until the late 1980s.

Andre Ware’s Heisman Trophy for Houston in 1989, under a modernized passing offense, really seemed to mark the changing of the guard in college football. That’s when the sport was beginning to turn from a running back’s game into a quarterback’s domain. Steve Spurrier changed the SEC from a run-first conference to a pass-first conference beginning in 1990. Innovators such as Hal Mumme and Mike Leach began to revolutionize the passing game at Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech. Leach taught a man named Lincoln Riley about the passing game.

Through the mid-1980s, however, non-quarterbacks dominated the Heisman, including at USC, which produced four Heisman running backs in the 17 seasons spanning 1965 to 1981. With Caleb Williams winning the Heisman in 2022, three of USC’s last four Heisman winners — all in the 21st century — have been quarterbacks. USC has five running backs and three QBs among its eight winners.

The sport has changed.

Quarterbacks make up “only” 38 of the 88 Heisman winners, but they will soon have half, and are likely to keep winning most of these awards in the coming decades. Let’s look at all 38 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks, with Caleb Williams being the latest member of the club:

THE FIRST 12 HEISMAN-WINNING QBs

Jan 1, 1971; Pasadena, CA, USA: FILE PHOTO; Stanford Cardinal quarterback Jim Plunkett (16) throws the ball against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the 1971 Rose Bowl game where Stanford beat OSU 27-17 at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Long Photography-USA TODAY Sports

• 1938: Davey O’Brien, TCU

• 1939: Nile Kinnick, Iowa

• 1943: Angelo Bertelli, Notre Dame

• 1947: Johnny Lujack, Notre Dame

• 1956: Paul Hornung, Notre Dame

• 1962: Terry Baker, Oregon State

• 1963: Roger Staubach, Navy

• 1964: John Huarte, Notre Dame

• 1966: Steve Spurrier, Florida

• 1967: Gary Beban, UCLA

• 1970: Jim Plunkett, Stanford

• 1971: Pat Sullivan, Auburn

1984

Doug Flutie, Boston College

1986

Vinny Testaverde, Miami

1989

Andre Ware, Houston

1990

Ty Detmer, BYU

1992

Gino Torretta, Miami

1993

Charlie Ward, Florida State

1996

Danny Wuerffel, Florida

2000

Chris Weinke, Florida State

2001

Eric Crouch, Nebraska

2002

MIAMI – JANUARY 2: Quarterback Carson Palmer #3 of USC throws to Alex Holmes #81 against Iowa during the FedEx Orange Bowl at Pro Player Stadium on January 2, 2003 in Miami, Florida. The University of Southern California Trojans defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 38-17. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Carson Palmer, USC

2003

Jason White, Oklahoma

2004

NEW YORK – DECEMBER 11: Quarterback Matt Leinart of the University of Southern California Trojans wins the 2004 Heisman Trophy on December 11, 2004 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

Matt Leinart, USC

2006

Troy Smith, Ohio State

2007

Tim Tebow, Florida

2008

Sam Bradford, Oklahoma

2010

Cam Newton, Auburn

2011

Robert Griffin III, Baylor

2012

Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M

2013

Jameis Winston, Florida State

2014

Dec 13, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota kisses the Heisman Trophy during a press conference at the New York Marriott Marquis after winning the Heisman Trophy. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Marcus Mariota, Oregon

2016

Lamar Jackson, Louisville

2017

FILE – This Dec. 9, 2017 file photo shows Oklahoma head football coach Lincoln Riley, left, standing with Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, winner of the Heisman Trophy, during a news conference in New York. . (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma

2018

Dec 8, 2018; New York, NY, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Kyler Murray (right) poses for photos with head coach Lincoln Riley (left) during a press conference at the New York Marriott Marquis after winning the Heisman Trophy. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Kyler Murray, Oklahoma

2019

Jan 13, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Joe Burrow (9) hoists the national championship trophy after defeating the Clemson Tigers in the College Football Playoff national championship game at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Joe Burrow, LSU

2021

Albert Cesare — USA TODAY Network

Bryce Young, Alabama

2022

Dec 10, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; USA Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams reacts after winning the Heisman Award at The Lincoln Center. Mandatory Credit: Todd Van Emst/Heisman Trust Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports

Caleb Williams, USC

Story originally appeared on Trojans Wire