When RG III accepted college football’s top individual award, it marked the first time that a Baylor University football player had claimed such an honor. Griffin’s Heisman chase included incredible stats generated while leading the Bears to a 9-3 regular season record that included a win over Big 12 heavyweight Oklahoma.
RG III Captured Baylor’s First Heisman Trophy
Coming into the season, the Baylor Bears were underestimated, ranked 6th in the Big 12 preseason poll. However, Griffin’s explosive performance quickly turned heads, starting with a stunning season opener against 15th-ranked TCU, where he threw for 359 yards, five touchdowns, and maintained a remarkable 77.8% completion rate. Griffin’s versatility was on full display as he also caught a crucial pass during the game-winning drive, setting the tone for an unforgettable season.
Throughout the 2011 season, Griffin’s stats were nothing short of phenomenal. He finished with an impressive 4,293 passing yards, 37 passing touchdowns, and only six interceptions. Beyond his aerial prowess, Griffin was a dual-threat quarterback who rushed 179 times for 699 yards and ten touchdowns. His leadership and athleticism were pivotal in leading Baylor to five consecutive victories at the end of the regular season, including high-profile upsets over No. 5 Oklahoma and No. 22 Texas (See highlights). These wins helped Baylor finish the regular season with a strong 9-3 record, significantly boosting Griffin’s Heisman campaign.
2011 Finalist Included a Ball, Lots of Luck, a Honey Badger and More
The 2011 Heisman Trophy race was highly competitive, with Griffin contending against standout players like Stanford’s QB Andrew Luck, Alabama’s RB Trent Richardson, LSU’s CB Tyrann Mathieu, and Wisconsin’s RB Montee Ball. Despite the fierce competition, RG III’s exceptional blend of passing accuracy, rushing ability, and clutch performances set him apart. His season stats and key victories highlighted his critical role in Baylor’s success, ultimately earning him the coveted Heisman Trophy and solidifying his place in college football history.
| 2011 Heisman Finalist | School | Class | Position | 1st Place Votes | Total Points |
| Robert Griffin | Baylor | Jr. | QB | 405 | 1,687 |
| Andrew Luck | Stanford | Jr. | QB | 247 | 1,407 |
| Trent Richardson | Alabama | Jr. | HB | 138 | 978 |
| Montee Ball | Wisconsin | Jr. | HB | 22 | 348 |
| Tyrann Mathieu | LSU | Soph. | DB/Ret | 34 | 327 |
Rounding out the top 10 in Heisman voting: Matt Barkley QB USC (153 points), Case Keenum QB Houston (123 points), Kellen Moore QB Boise St. (90 points), Russell Wilson QB Wisconsin (52 points), LaMichael James HB Oregon (48 points)
2011 Heisman Candidate Profiles – Announcement Day
Quarterbacks
Robert Griffin III – Baylor (Jr) Season Overview: Griffin led the nation in QB rating (192.3) and threw 36TD’s vs. 6 Int’s in 12 games. Griffin was a rushing force with 644 yards and 9 TD’s.
Bonus Points: Off the chart stats and his impact on a Baylor team that has been down for years. #1 national QB rating.
Leading Baylor to a 9-3 season that included wins over OU since prior to the game Baylor was 0-20 against the Sooners and a season-ending victory over Texas. Griffin’s strong rushing totals.
Concerns: Three losses on the season has caused it to rain on Griffin’s Heisman candidate parade. The recent voting trend has been the best player on the best team and the much improved Bears still do not fit that category. Getting knocked out in the first half in Saturday’s Texas Tech game diminished Griffin III’s ability to further pad his stats. Video of him standing on the sidelines while other Heisman candidates were surging at this late stage is not beneficial either.
Andrew Luck – Stanford (Jr) Season Overview, the Stanford QB is the only repeat Heisman finalist from 2010. For the season, Luck ranked 5th nationally in passing rating (167.5) while completing 70.0% of his passes for 35 TD’s and 9 Int’s.
Although Luck entered the 2011 season as the clear Heisman favorite, a somewhat weak Pac 12 has not helped his cause. While a dramatic win over USC was huge, the loss to Oregon was deflating to say the least.
Bonus Points: Returning for another season after great 2010 campaign. High QB rating and defeating USC on the road in dramatic fashion eans a Gold Star. A regular season finale win over Notre Dame to cap an 11-win season.
Concerns: Three games of throwing for less than 210 yards. Compared to last season, his rushing yards and yards per carry are way down. Luck rushed for 453 yards last year and only has 153 this year. The loss to Oregon was crippling to Luck’s bid to win the Heisman, especially with a national audience watching the crucial match up.
Running Backs
Trent Richardson – Alabama (Jr): Season Overview. Richardson rushed 263 times for 1,583 yards, (6.0 YPC) and 20 rushing TD’s. The Crimson Tide RB also hauled in 27 receptions for 327 yards and 3 scores Bonus Points: The featured offensive player for the #2 ranked Tide and a scoring machine. Rushed for 3 or more TD’s 3 times
Concerns: Although slight….Richardson rushed for less than 100 yards in three games. Although he grinded out tough yardage in the loss to LSU, failing to score did not boost his Heisman chances. Richardson only has 3 rushing TD’s in his last 4 games and 2 of those were against Georgia Southern. Richardson’s touchdown stats are overwhelmed by Wisconsin’s Ball.
Montee Ball – Wisconsin (Jr.) Season Overview: Ball gained 1,759 yards on 275 carries (5.1 YPG) and scored 32 rushing TD’s. Ball also collected 20 receptions for 255 yards and six more scores.Bonus Points: Ball has turned into a wrecking ball the last month of the season with 17 total TD’s in his last five games. He now ranks 2nd nationally in rushing yards and leads the nation in rushing TD’s. Leads the nation in scoring with 38 TD’s. Ball scored 4 TD’s and rushed for 137 yards in the Big 10 championship game.
Concerns: After a slow start with less than 100 rushing yards in 3 of his first 4 games, Ball has been off the Heisman candidate radar screen for much of the season.
Defense/Special Teams Finalist
Tyrann Mathieu – LSU (Jr.) Season Overview: Known as the “Honey Badger,” Mathieu is lighting in a bottle. This season he leads LSU in tackles and forces turnovers. Mathieu also ranks second in the nation with 5 forced fumbles and 6 fumble recoveries.
Bonus Points: Huge game-breaking punt returns against Arkansas and Georgia in the SEC Championship game.
Concerns: Not being an offensive player and being suspended for one game for breaking team rules.
Note: LSU’s lone Heisman winner was Billy Cannon in 1959. Cannon impressed Heisman voters with a famous punt return that season.
| Who the Experts Liked On the eve of the 2011 Heisman Trophy presentation, here’s how some of the experts had it picked. | |
| CBS Sports | 1. Robert Griffin, 2. Montee Ball, 3t. Trent Richardson, 3t. Andrew Luck, 5. Matt Barkley |
| ESPN | 1. Robert Griffin, 2. Trent Richardson, 3. Andrew Luck, 4. Montee Ball, 5. Tyrann Mathieu |