Heisman Season for the Ages
Fifty years later, Jim Plunkett continues to impact Stanford football
By David Kiefer
It’s been 50 years since Plunkett collected the Heisman Trophy, emblematic as college football’s finest player, at New York City’s Downtown Athletic Club. The achievement stands tall as one of the greatest in Stanford’s illustrious sports history.
Plunkett led Stanford to a thrilling 27-17 upset over previously undefeated Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, capping a 9-3 season that included a Pacific-8 Conference championship and was deemed the best in what was dubbed “The Year of the Quarterback,” with QBs taking five of the top six spots in the Heisman voting.
Here is a chronicle of Plunkett’s Heisman season:
Sept. 12 (Little Rock, Ark.): Stanford 34, Arkansas 28
In the days when national television appearances were rare, Stanford sports information director Bob Murphy convinced Roone Arledge, the president of ABC Sports, to televise the game against the No. 4 Razorbacks and make it the Game of the Week, knowing that Plunkett would receive national exposure. Indeed, Plunkett's star was born.
Plunkett completed eight third-down passes and audibled for Stanford’s first two touchdowns as the team built a 27-0 second-quarter lead. Arkansas, however, staged a furious comeback and reached the Stanford 5-yard line in the final minute while facing a third-and-2. But Jeff Siemon and Mike Simone made tackles on successive plays, the latter on a fourth-down QB sprintout option, to prevent the first down and secure the victory.
In the era of the wishbone, veer, and other run-heavy offenses, Plunkett offered a different way to attack a defense and against Arkansas hit 21 of 38 passes for 255 yards and one touchdown.
Wrote Sports Illustrated’s Dan Jenkins: “There were times when no quarterback, ever, could have looked better. He devoured a good defensive football team—and sometimes a great one—mainly with short, dump passes out to the side and over the middle to his backs, and with flares and screens, exhibiting his remarkable ability always to find the ‘hot’ receiver.”
Sept. 19 (Stanford, Calif.): Stanford 34, San Jose State 3
In barely over a half, Plunkett completed 17 of 29 passes for 302 yards, while breaking the Pac-8 career total offense record. A 36-yard TD pass to Randy Vataha highlighted the outing.
“I wish we had that San Jose kid who got away,” San Jose State coach Joe McMullen said. “That’s one of the finest quarterbacks I’ve ever seen.”
Sept. 26 (Eugene, Ore.): Stanford 33, Oregon 10
After Stanford went scoreless in the first half, Plunkett steered Stanford to touchdowns on their first five possessions of the second half against an Oregon team with QB Dan Fouts, a future Pro Football Hall of Famer, in his first start.
After going 9-for-25 for 81 yards in the first half, Plunkett was 9-for-13 for 169 in the second. Plunkett passed for three touchdowns – breaking the Pac-8 record for career touchdown passes -- and ran for a fourth.
Oct. 3 (Stanford, Calif.): Purdue 26, Stanford 14
Plunkett was due for a mulligan. He threw five interceptions, fumbled once and was sacked five times. Still, coach John Ralston, who once considered moving Plunkett to defensive end, had faith in his third-year starting QB.
After Plunkett’s third interception, Ralston said, “That’s all right. Keep throwing.” He said the same after No. 4 and No. 5.
Oct. 10 (Stanford, Calif.): Stanford 24, USC 14
After a tie against UCLA in 1969, Plunkett and nine other Stanford juniors realized they had not beaten either L.A. school in a varsity game. They pledged in that locker room to beat USC and UCLA as seniors. USC had beaten Stanford 12 consecutive times, including on the final play in 1969.
Plunkett found tight end Bob Moore on a 50-yard pass to open the scoring and the defense stopped the Trojans twice on goal-line stands. Plunkett completed 19 of 31 passes for 275 yards – with 10 completions for 124 yards to Vataha. The Rose Bowl seemed more realistic than ever.
Oct. 17 (Spokane, Wash.): Stanford 63, Washington State 16
By this time, Plunkett was known around campus by the nickname “HTC,” for Heisman Trophy Candidate. On a play in which he became college football’s all-time total offense leader, Plunkett threw a 96-yard touchdown pass to Randy Vataha. It was the longest in Stanford annals. Plunkett completed 10 of 14 passes for 224 yards, and scored on a 39-yard run off the option.
“The kid could throw any kind of pass,” said Washington State coach Jim Sweeney in Plunkett’s autobiography, The Jim Plunkett Story. “And he was strong. I’ve seen him hold off pass rushers with one arm and complete the pass. I’ve seen him audibilize three times on the same call and get the play off in time. When the going got tough, he was the toughest.”
In the week after this game, Bob Murphy launched a Heisman publicity campaign, believed to be the first of its kind. He felt that many were predisposed to vote for Mississippi’s Archie Manning before the season began and set out to alert them that Stanford had a pretty good candidate too.
Murphy left nothing to chance in getting the word out. His relationship with broadcaster and 1940 Heisman winner Tom Harmon allowed Harmon to provide names, addresses, and phone numbers for all the Heisman voters. Murphy contacted each and mailed them a four-page flyer produced by student assistant Gary Cavalli listing Plunkett's accomplishments and stats. Murphy's Heisman campaign cost $500, including postage.
Among the quotes in the brochure: “Thus far, I believe, Jim Plunkett is the best college quarterback I have ever seen,” said legendary former Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkerson.
Oct. 24 (Los Angeles, Calif.): Stanford 9, UCLA 7
Stanford was denied the end zone in a pivotal Pac-8 game at the L.A. Coliseum, but Plunkett connected with Vataha for 44 yards to set up the winning 30-yard field goal by Steve Horowitz with 5:01 left. Plunkett completed 18 of 37 for 262 yards and the seniors lived up to their vow of an L.A. season sweep.
Oct. 31 (Stanford, Calif.): Stanford 48, Oregon State 10
Plunkett threw three touchdown passes, including a 70-yarder to Jack Lasater to open the scoring, and Stanford erupted for 31 second-half points to break open a close game. Plunkett completed 13 of 26 passes for 210 yards as Stanford closed to within one victory of clinching the Pac-8 title and a Rose Bowl berth.
Nov. 7 (Stanford, Calif.): Stanford 29, Washington 22
Plunkett threw four touchdown passes, including a 14-yarder to Vataha for the go-ahead touchdown, and Stanford clinched its first Rose Bowl berth in 19 years. Plunkett broke the NCAA career passing record in the game, and completed 22 of 36 passes for 268 yards.
When Washington, led by star QB Sonny Sixkiller, was thwarted on its final drive, Stanford fans ran on the field and pulled down the south goal posts, with seconds still on the clock. The game resumed with one set of goalposts. When it finally was over, the north goalposts were the next to go down.
Nov. 14 (Air Force Academy, Colo.): Air Force 31, Stanford 14
A week after clinching a Rose Bowl berth, Stanford suffered a hangover on an icy field. Plunkett got off to a good start, guiding Stanford to a halftime lead and completed 17 of 35 passes for 182 yards, but it was a dismal team performance.
Nov. 21 (Berkeley, Calif.): California 22, Stanford 14
Stanford stumbled into the Rose Bowl by dropping their second straight game and watched helplessly as the Golden Bears carried off the Axe.
“That was one of my worst experiences at Stanford, understanding the meaning of the Big Game when it was too late,” Plunkett wrote in his autobiography.
By this time, the Heisman votes already were tabulated, which Plunkett felt was fortunate, given the way Stanford ended the regular season. Archie Manning’s chances were damaged by an arm injury, but Joe Theismann was having a fine year for Notre Dame. At the behest of Notre Dame’s publicity director, Theismann changed the pronunciation of his last name for the cause. Rather than THEEZE-man, it now rhymed with Heisman.
On the same day of Stanford’s Big Game loss, Ohio State manhandled Michigan, 20-9, in a battle of unbeaten rivals to earn a trip to Pasadena. After the game, Ohio State’s star running back John Brockington was asked about Stanford.
“Stanford?” he responded. “We’re not worried about Stanford.”
Rose Bowl
Jan. 1 (Pasadena, Calif.): Stanford 27, Ohio State 17
In late November, Plunkett was in New York to tape a special for the Kodak All-American show when announcer Chris Schenkel pulled him aside to give him the news that he won the Heisman.
“I was happy, but didn’t jump up and down and get all excited,” he wrote in his autobiography.
Plunkett was rushed to the Downtown Athletic Club for a news conference. He returned to New York for the Heisman dinner on December 3, and was awarded the trophy. Plunkett borrowed a suit from tight end Bob Moore. The trophy eventually found its way to the San Jose home of Jim’s mother, Carmen Plunkett.
Stanford? We’re not worried about Stanford.
Ohio State running back John BrockingtonNo. 2 Ohio State, with a 27-1 record for the past three years, was a 13-point favorite to win the Rose Bowl. Coach Woody Hayes felt it was his best team, one that featured six first-team All-Americans. Stanford had one: Plunkett.
The tone was set on the game's opening drive. Ohio State moved downfield to the Stanford 39, where the drive stalled. Facing a fourth-and-1, the Buckeyes went for it, but Greg Sampson stuffed quarterback Rex Kern for a two-yard loss. Moments later, Stanford's Eric Cross took the ball on a reverse and ran 41 yards to set up a short touchdown run by Jackie Brown. Ohio State was in for a battle.
Ralston and his staff worked overtime to think of wrinkles to throw the Big Ten power off its game. Though Plunkett threw 30 times (completing 20 for 265 yards), he also became a runner, carrying on options and draw plays.
"People asked John why he didn't do that a lot before then," Plunkett said. "He said it was a long season and they were saving it for that big game. It paid off big time because it caught them totally by surprise."
With Ohio State up 17-13 on the strength of two Brockington TD runs, the Buckeyes sought to put Stanford away, gambling on another fourth-and-one, this time at the Stanford 20 on the opening play of the fourth quarter. But linebacker Rod Kadziel hit Brockington head-on for no gain on the game's pivotal play.
Stanford followed with a drive of its own, but found itself facing 3rd-and-15 at the Buckeyes' 37. Moore often stayed to block on passing downs, but as they broke the huddle, Plunkett told Moore to go out.
Plunkett dropped back, but was forced to scramble to his right by a heavy rush. On the run, he spotted Moore downfield and threw. Moore leaped between two defenders along the sideline to make a spectacular catch at the 2 for a 35-yard gain. It set up a Jackie Brown 1-yard TD run for the lead, culminating an 80-yard drive in which Plunkett went 5-for-5 passing.
Having to play catchup, Ohio State was forced uncharacteristically to the air, playing into Stanford's hands. Safety Jack Schultz intercepted a Kern pass to set up the clinching score, a 10-yard pass from Plunkett to Randy Vataha with 8:18 left and Stanford pulled out a remarkable victory before 103,389 at the Rose Bowl.
"Maybe some guys would be happy just to get here," said Plunkett, the game's Most Valuable Player, in the locker room afterward. "But we were planning on winning, too."
Stanford drew me out as a person ... One of the great things about the school isn’t what you learn from books, but what you learn from others.
Jim PlunkettAs great as a Heisman Trophy was for Jim Plunkett and all of his football accomplishments, a Stanford degree may have been the biggest in the eyes of his father, William Gutierrez Plunkett, who passed away before Jim earned either of those honors. Plunkett, a native of East San Jose, was the first in his family to graduate from college.
“Stanford drew me out as a person,” he wrote. “One of the great things about the school isn’t what you learn from books, but what you learn from others.”
Plunkett established a lifelong connection to Stanford, which partly can be explained through a situation he faced in 1966, as described in a 2010 story in Stanford Magazine by Mike Antonucci:
Jim Plunkett's Stanford career nearly ended before it began. A month before his enrollment, Plunkett was told by doctors that the lump he had felt at the base of his neck was cancerous. In a call with Rod Rust, the assistant coach who had recruited him, Plunkett relayed his fears. The surgery required to remove a malignant tumor would end his football playing days. Rust didn't hesitate: We will honor your scholarship, he said.
Rust remembered making that promise impulsively, confident that Stanford would back him up. Rust's mother had gone blind, and he related so strongly to the Plunkett family's closeness that he had moved beyond any concern about what Plunkett could contribute to Stanford. "I worried more about Stanford being good enough for Jim Plunkett," he said.
The tumor turned out to be benign, but Plunkett has never forgotten the generosity shown by Rust. It foretold the enduring intensity of Plunkett's relationship with Stanford. Only his family means more, and even in that context, there is a special rapport. "Stanford is in both our hearts," said Gerry Plunkett, Jim's wife, "because I see how very much it means to him."
The effect of that 1970 season continues to impact Stanford football. Stanford had outstanding quarterbacks over the years, beginning with Frankie Albert, the first 'T' Formation quarterback, and continuing with Gary Kerkorian, Bobby Garrett, John Brodie, and Dick Norman. But it was Plunkett who began a true revival of the idea that Stanford was the cradle of quarterbacks.
His success ignited a golden age at the position that cemented Stanford's reputation. Following Plunkett were Don Bunce, Mike Boryla, Mike Cordova, Guy Benjamin, Steve Dils, Turk Schonert, John Elway, and John Paye. The string of years in which the position was manned by a future pro went uninhibited from 1968 to 1986.
But even more than that, the 1970 season proved that Stanford, with its first Rose Bowl victory in 30 years, could achieve success in modern football and still be loyal to its strict academic requirements. That model continues to drive the program today.
Plunkett completed 191 of 358 passes for 2,715 yards in 1970, and he ran for another 183, giving him 2,898 yards of total offense for a school and Pac-8 record. He finished his career with an NCAA-record 7,887 yards in total offense.
Plunkett went on to become the No. 1 NFL Draft pick by the New England Patriots, earning Rookie of the Year honors. He played 16 NFL seasons, with the Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, the franchise he led to two Super Bowl titles, and was named MVP of Super Bowl XV in 1982.
In 1991, Plunkett's No. 16 became the second number retired in Stanford history. He is a member of the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame and the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame. But it’s his 1970 Heisman season that will be recalled at Stanford forever.
A previous version of this story included Stanford’s 1970 nickname of “Indians.” Upon review, however, the athletics department will no longer use “Indians,” even in reference to Stanford teams of previous eras. Moving forward, “Stanford” will be used in all references before the current nickname of “Cardinal” was adopted in 1972.