60 Years Later - Davis' Heisman Season Inspires
12/6/2021 11:36:00 AM | Football
They called him "The Elmira Express." Ernie. Davis became the first African-American and the only SU player to win the Heisman trophy.
Davis was awarded the honor on Dec. 6, 1961 – sixty years ago today – at the conclusion of his senior season that saw him raise the bar at the institution known for phenomenal running backs.
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Davis, a superbly-conditioned 6-foot-2 inch, 205-pound halfback, played a key role in SU's drive to its only football national championship -- and he was only a sophomore at the time.
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The year was 1959 and Davis rushed for a team-high 686 yards (an SU-record 7.0 yards per carry, that to this date has only been surpassed by his 1960 season) and scored 10 touchdowns to power Coach Floyd (Ben) Schwartzwalder's Orange to a 10-0 record, the nation's No. 1 ranking and a Cotton Bowl showdown with No. 2-ranked Texas.
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With the collective eyes of the college football world focused on Dallas, Texas, Davis captured MVP honors, scoring two touchdowns -- one on an 87-yard halfback option pass from SU captain Ger Schwedes -- and setting up a third to spark a 23-14 Orange triumph.Â
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In 1960, Syracuse finished 7-2 as Davis rushed for a team-high 877 yards and scored 10 touchdowns to earn All-America accolades.
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Davis led the Orange to a 7-3 record in 1961, rushing for a team-high 823 yards and scoring 15 touchdowns.
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He then rushed for 140 yards on 30 carries and scored SU's first touchdown as the Orange rallied from a 14-0 halftime deficit to nip Miami (Fla.), 15-14, in the Liberty Bowl.
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By season's end, Davis had set eight new SU career, season and single-game football records, including most net rushing yards (2,386), touchdowns (35) and points scored (220) in three years. He is currently 12th on Syracuse's career rushing yards record list with 2,386 yards.
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A unanimous selection for his second All-America honor, Davis was then honored as the 1961 Heisman Trophy winner, becoming the first black athlete to capture the coveted award.
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Hoping to team the talented Davis with his SU backfield predecessor and NFL rushing king Jim Brown, Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell traded star receiver Bobby Mitchell to the Washington Redskins in return for the NFL draft rights to Davis. Modell selected Davis as the first overall selection in the annual draft.
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But before the former Orange stars could ever suit up together, Davis contracted leukemia and died on May 18, 1963. He was 23.
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In the fall of 1979, Ernest R. Davis, who had taken the greatness of SU's No. 44 from Jim Brown and passed it on to Floyd Little, was a posthumous induction into the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame. He was named to Syracuse University's All-Century team in November 1999.
In 2008, the blockbuster film 'The Express' was released based on the life of Davis.
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Davis was awarded the honor on Dec. 6, 1961 – sixty years ago today – at the conclusion of his senior season that saw him raise the bar at the institution known for phenomenal running backs.
Â
Davis, a superbly-conditioned 6-foot-2 inch, 205-pound halfback, played a key role in SU's drive to its only football national championship -- and he was only a sophomore at the time.
Â
The year was 1959 and Davis rushed for a team-high 686 yards (an SU-record 7.0 yards per carry, that to this date has only been surpassed by his 1960 season) and scored 10 touchdowns to power Coach Floyd (Ben) Schwartzwalder's Orange to a 10-0 record, the nation's No. 1 ranking and a Cotton Bowl showdown with No. 2-ranked Texas.
Â
With the collective eyes of the college football world focused on Dallas, Texas, Davis captured MVP honors, scoring two touchdowns -- one on an 87-yard halfback option pass from SU captain Ger Schwedes -- and setting up a third to spark a 23-14 Orange triumph.Â
Â
In 1960, Syracuse finished 7-2 as Davis rushed for a team-high 877 yards and scored 10 touchdowns to earn All-America accolades.
Â
Davis led the Orange to a 7-3 record in 1961, rushing for a team-high 823 yards and scoring 15 touchdowns.
Â
He then rushed for 140 yards on 30 carries and scored SU's first touchdown as the Orange rallied from a 14-0 halftime deficit to nip Miami (Fla.), 15-14, in the Liberty Bowl.
Â
By season's end, Davis had set eight new SU career, season and single-game football records, including most net rushing yards (2,386), touchdowns (35) and points scored (220) in three years. He is currently 12th on Syracuse's career rushing yards record list with 2,386 yards.
Â
A unanimous selection for his second All-America honor, Davis was then honored as the 1961 Heisman Trophy winner, becoming the first black athlete to capture the coveted award.
Â
Hoping to team the talented Davis with his SU backfield predecessor and NFL rushing king Jim Brown, Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell traded star receiver Bobby Mitchell to the Washington Redskins in return for the NFL draft rights to Davis. Modell selected Davis as the first overall selection in the annual draft.
Â
But before the former Orange stars could ever suit up together, Davis contracted leukemia and died on May 18, 1963. He was 23.
Â
In the fall of 1979, Ernest R. Davis, who had taken the greatness of SU's No. 44 from Jim Brown and passed it on to Floyd Little, was a posthumous induction into the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame. He was named to Syracuse University's All-Century team in November 1999.
In 2008, the blockbuster film 'The Express' was released based on the life of Davis.
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