Yesterday we highlighted a Massachusetts native that played quarterback at Boston College in the 80s. Now today for day 21, we highlight an electric player from the late 80s, early 90s.
Desmond Howard was born in Cleveland, Ohio and attended St. Joseph High School in Cleveland. Howard earned three varsity letters at St. Joseph in football, basketball, and track and field.
Howard decided to play for the Michigan Wolverines from 1989 to 1991. In the 1989 season, Howard played in twelve games where he caught nine balls for one hundred and thirty six yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for eleven yards on five careers.
The following year in 1990, Howard played in twelve games and caught sixty three passes for just north of a thousand yards. He also reeled in eleven touchdowns and rushed for fifty eight yards.
1991 was Howards breakout season. He caught sixty two balls for nine hundred and eighty five yards and nineteen touchdowns while also rushing for two touchdowns.
In the famous Ohio State vs Michigan football game in 1991, Howard scored and wanted to celebrate by doing a backflip but ultimately decided not to. Instead, Howard struck a very famous pose, the Heisman.
Maybe his celebration was a little bit of foreshadowing as he went onto win the Heisman trophy along with the Sporting News Player of the Year, UPI Player of the Year, the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Award, and was an Unanimous All American.
He was taken forth overall in the 1992 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins and bounced around the league in his career.
Tomorrow as we finish up the twenties, we’ll be highlighting a running back that played college ball in Memphis.