An Archie Griffin statue is coming to the Horseshoe.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Griffin’s first Heisman Trophy season, Ohio State will unveil a statue of the running back on Aug. 30, the day before the Buckeyes’ season-opener against Akron. Griffin will dot the “i” when the Ohio State Marching Band performs “Script Ohio” at halftime of the game.
Ohio Stadium has stood for 102 years and no Buckeye – not Chic Harley, not Woody Hayes, nor any other OSU legend – has been so honored. To Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork, it makes sense that Griffin, a Columbus native, is the first.
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“Obviously, Archie is one of one,” Bjork told The Dispatch on Saturday. “Nobody else has ever won two Heismans, so he’s one of one. That’s obviously rarefied air.”
But Bjork said Griffin’s status as the only two-time Heisman winner is only part of the reason he merits a statue.
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“It’s easy to pull up the stats and the numbers and the accolades,” he said. “But it’s really about how Archie makes you feel when you’re around him. He’s genuine. He’s a people person. He’s never met a stranger. There’s a quote from Woody Hayes that says, ‘He’s a better young man than he is a football player, and he’s the best football player I’ve ever seen.’”
Griffin ran for 5,589 yards and 26 touchdowns for Ohio State before a seven-year NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals. He later served as an assistant athletic director at OSU and president of the OSU Alumni Association.
A statue of Griffin was unveiled at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, which Bjork and Griffin attended. Griffin joins Jackie Robinson, former UCLA football coach Terry Donahue, women’s soccer icon Brandi Chastain and legendary broadcaster Keith Jackson as the only people honored with statues at the Rose Bowl.
Bjork said that was the impetus behind having a duplicate statue of Griffin at Ohio Stadium.
“From what I understand, a couple of years ago they mapped out the Rose Bowl statue,” said Bjork who succeeded longtime athletic director Gene Smith in July. “The Rose Bowl has been on a campaign to raise money for different projects around the stadium.
“I think they approached some folks at Ohio State and said we want to do a statue at the Rose Bowl, but we could also put one in Columbus at the stadium.”
The sculptures were done by the renowned Brian Hanlon, the official sculptor for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Hanlon’s sculpture of legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden stands outside Pauley Pavilion.
Bjork said the Griffin statue will be near the Rotunda at the stadium. He added that details about the ceremony will be announced soon.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Stadium to get its first statue. Which Buckeye will be honored?
