USD Football 1995

WAYBACK WHEN ...

ball. A daughte r was a college track ath- lete. Griffin was what he called "a fat lit- tle kid." He goes on to say, "When I played in the line in Little League Football, theycalled me 'Tank.' I played in a 135-pound league. I was close to that when Iwas 11. I weighed more than that at 12." The Griffin family ran a mom 'n pop grocery in their neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio, and it could be said that Archie ate a considerable share of the profits. Not long after the family called him "Butterball," Griffin decided to do something about it. He would put on several layers of warm clothing, even though it was summer, and get into the family's disabled station wagon with the windows rolled up and begin exercising. Eventually, the situps and pushups brought about results. The fat melted away and was replaced by muscle. Archie was still a lineman, even though he wasn't very tall. But one day, In his first junior-high game, Griffin ran for a 50-yard touchdown, but it was called back. Next play, 55 yards for ascore Again, called back. Next play,60 yards and atouchdown. This time it counted. about the time he was in junior high, the coach asked for a fullback. For Archie it was to be a "one-day experi- ment" that lasted through high school, college and the pros. In his firstjunior-high game, Griffin ran for a 50-yard touchdown, but it was called back. Next play, 55 yards for a score. Again, called back. Next play, 60 yards and a touchdown. This time it counted. Archie nevergot close to the line again-except to run through it. He was a running back for good. Verygood. CONTI N UE D

DOES

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C HANC E BROCKWAY

TURNINGBACK THE CLOCK TO 1915 South Vietnam surrendered, ending the Vietnam War. A pound of butter cost 94 cents. The Oklahoma Sooners were college football's national champs. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest won the Oscar for Best Picture. Love Will Keep Us Together won the Grammy for Best Record.

BY JIM CAMPBELL

s a youngster, Archie Griffi n gave no indication that he would ever run successfully with a football under his arm, let alone run well enough to win a H eisman Trophy--or two.

Archie was the fourth of James and Margaret Griffin's seven sons, all of whom would go on to play college foot-