1972 Heisman Trophy Winner Johnny Rodgers Biography

By Author: Kellen Sears
Total Articles: 381
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Johnny Steven Rodgers was born on the 5th on July in Omaha, Nebraska. Rodgers would stay in Omaha through his childhood and paved his way to fame while still living in Omaha.

The fame of Johnny Rodgers all began when he was playing football at the tech high school in Omaha. Rodgers was known for his ability to get to top speed quickly and blew by the opposition. He became so successful in high school that he was voted the top athlete of the year of all high school players.

Rogers' performance in high school earned him a spot on the Nebraska Cornhuskers' football team. Rodgers became famous for his ability to run the football on the offense, but he was used in a number of ways while playing at Nebraska. He played as a punt returner, receiver and running back during his time at Nebraska.

His ability to return kicks and punts was certainly not unnoticed by those watching him. There were several publications in the years following his play at Nebraska that named him the greatest punt returner or kick returner in the history of college football.

In the end it was his play as a running back that earned ...
... him fame. During the 1972 season he dominated and gained the attention of the entire nation. He had already started to turn heads with his big play in the game against Oklahoma the year before, but the next season he really lit up the scoreboard during the Orange Bowl. During the Orange Bowl he dominated Notre Dame and led the team to a 40-6 victory. During the game Rodgers managed to run for three touchdowns. He also managed to reel in a 50 yard reception for his 4th touchdown of the game. To top it all off he threw a 54 yard pass during the game. All of these touchdowns came through two and a half quarters as he sat out for the rest of the game with 6 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter.

Rodgers was named the offensive player of the year and would ultimately win the Heisman Trophy during the 1972 season. During his time at Nebraska he set several records, including the all-purpose NCAA yardage record. The amazing thing about Rodgers setting this record was that he did it in 3 years.

Rodgers was drafted in the first round by the San Diego Chargers. He decided to instead play in the CFL with the Montreal Allouettes. He would play there for a few years as offensive rookie of the year, an all-star and even an MVP award. While he was an individual force his team also managed to bring home a Grey Cup as champions of the CFL.

Rodgers decided to head to the NFL in 1977 but bad luck struck him. He sat out most of his time in the NFL with injuries and then suffered a knee injury that would end his promising career. While he was unable to show his talent in the NFL, he will always be remembered as one of the great players in college football and the CFL.

AUTHOR:-
Kellen Sears writes reviews on various sporting events including the sports betting websites. In this piece of write up, the author highlights one of the most popular sports CFB and college football betting. The author also refers popular online sportsbook.