1995 Walter Camp Player of the Year and former NFL All-Pro Eddie George (The Ohio State University) is the recipient of the 2017 Walter Camp “Alumni Award.”
George joins a distinguished list of former “Alumni Award” winners, including Alan Page (Notre Dame), Bo Jackson (Auburn), Tony Dorsett (Pittsburgh), Herschel Walker (Georgia), Mark May (Pittsburgh), Tim Brown (Notre Dame), Doug Williams (Grambling State) and last year’s recipient Orlando Pace (The Ohio State University).
The Walter Camp “Alumni of the Year” award is bestowed on a worthy individual who has distinguished himself in the pursuit of excellence as an athlete, in his personal career and in doing good works for others. He must be an individual who has exhibited dedication and good moral conduct in achieving success. He must be a compassionate and unselfish person who contributes his time and assistance in helping to encourage and comfort fellow human beings less talented and less fortunate than himself. He must be an individual who takes pride in having been a Walter Camp All-American.
“We are delighted to recognize Eddie George with the Walter Camp Alumni Award,” Foundation president Michael Madera said. “Eddie’s exploits on the football field were legendary, but his extraordinary talents have extended into the business and entertainment world, truly making him a renaissance man.”
Born in Philadelphia, Pa., George played prep school football at Fork Union Military Academy before attending Ohio State. George excelled in his final two collegiate seasons (1994 and 1995). As a senior, he rushed for 1,927 yards and 24 touchdowns and was a unanimous All-American and was named the Walter Camp Player of Year and Heisman Trophy winner.
Selected in the first round (14th overall pick) of the then-Houston Oilers (now Tennessee Titans) in the 1996 NFL Draft, George earned NFL Rookie of the Year honors his first professional season. He proceeded to make four Pro Bowl appearances, and led the Titans to Super Bowl XXXIV. George never missed a start over eight seasons, and accumulated 10,441 career rushing yards and 68 touchdowns. George also played for the Dallas Cowboys before officially retiring in 2006.
Following his playing career, George was inducted in to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011, and then earned an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and has become an entrepreneur through his company, George Enterprises. In 2016, he even appeared on Broadway in the play Chicago, showcasing his acting abilities.
George, along with the 128th annual Walter Camp All-America team and other award winners, will be honored at the organization’s 51st national awards banquet on Saturday, January 13, 2018, at the Yale University Lanman Center in New Haven. For more information, visit www.waltercamp.org
Walter Camp, “The Father of American Football,” first selected an All-America team in 1889. Camp – a former Yale University athlete and football coach – is also credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side. The Walter Camp Football Foundation – a New Haven based all-volunteer group – was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All-America team.
Walter Camp Alumni Award Recipients
2017 – Eddie George, The Ohio State University
2016 – Orlando Pace, The Ohio State University
2015 – Doug Williams, Grambling State
2014 – Chad Hennings, U.S. Air Force Academy
2013 – Ken Huff, North Carolina
2012 – Derrick Brooks, Florida State
2011 – Chris Spielman, Ohio State
2010 – Tedy Bruschi, Arizona
2009 – David Fulcher, Arizona State
2008 – Tim Brown, Notre Dame
2007 – Ray Guy, Southern Mississippi
2006 – Mike Rozier, Nebraska
2005 – Cornelius Bennett, Alabama
2004 – George Rogers, South Carolina
2003 – Mark May, Pittsburgh
2002 – Dave Casper, Notre Dame
2001 – Herschel Walker, Georgia
2000 – Don McPherson, Syracuse
1999 – Bo Jackson, Auburn
1998 – Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh
1997 – Jim Plunkett, Stanford
1996 – Lee Roy Selmon, Oklahoma
1995 – Jim Covert, Pittsburgh
1994 – Ed Marinaro, Cornell
1993 – Archie Griffin, The Ohio State University
1992 – Kellen Winslow, Missouri
1991 – Steve Owens, Oklahoma
1990 – Thomas L. Jackson, Louisville
1989 – Dr. Tom Casanova, Louisiana State
1988 – Alan Page, Notre Dame
1987 – Mike Reid, Penn State
1986 – Joe Greene, North Texas
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