An Archie Griffin statue is coming to the Horseshoe.
In memory of the 50thth To mark the 50th anniversary of Griffin’s first Heisman Trophy-winning season, Ohio State will unveil a statue of the running back on Aug. 30, one day before the Buckeyes’ season opener against Akron. Griffin will dot the “i” when the Ohio State Marching Band plays “Script Ohio” during halftime of the game.
Ohio Stadium has stood for 102 years, and no Buckeye — not Chic Harley, not Woody Hayes, not any other OSU legend — has ever been so honored. To Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork, it makes sense that Griffin, a Columbus native, would be the first.
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“Archie is clearly one of many,” Bjork told The Dispatch on Saturday. “Nobody else has ever won two Heismans, so he’s one of many. That’s obviously a very special thing.”
But Bjork said Griffin’s status as the only two-time Heisman winner is just one reason he deserves a statue.
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“It’s easy to list the stats, numbers and 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 goes, ‘He’s a better young man than a football player, and he’s the best football player I’ve ever seen.'”
Griffin rushed for 5,589 yards and 26 touchdowns for Ohio State before beginning a seven-year NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals. He later served as OSU’s assistant athletic director and president of the OSU Alumni Association.
A statue of Griffin was unveiled at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, with Bjork and Griffin in attendance. Griffin joins Jackie Robinson, former UCLA football coach Terry Donahue, women’s soccer icon Brandi Chastain and legendary sportscaster Keith Jackson as the only people honored with statues at the Rose Bowl.
Bjork said this was the impetus for placing a replica of the Griffin statue at Ohio Stadium.
“From what I understand, they planned the Rose Bowl statue a few years ago,” said Bjork, who succeeded longtime athletic director Gene Smith in July. “The Rose Bowl started a campaign to raise money for various projects around the stadium.
“I think they approached some people at Ohio State and said we want to put a statue in the Rose Bowl, but we could also put one in Columbus at the stadium.”
The sculptures are by the famous Brian Hanlon, the official sculptor of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Hanlon’s sculpture of legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden stands in front of the Pauley Pavilion.
Bjork said the griffin statue will be located near the stadium’s rotunda, adding that details of the ceremony would be announced soon.
