“I have 99 problems but a b…..”. No, that’s not it. “99 bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beer…” No, no, that still isn’t it. Oh, wait, here we go, we are officially 99 days away from college football kickoff. Also, known as JJ Watt Days Away from college football kickoff. Lets kickoff this countdown to college football and tasty tailgate treats.
JJ Watt Days Away From College Football Kickoff
On Wisconsin
While at Wisconsin, Justin James Watt, also known as JJ, wore jersey number 99. Hence, how we got here, he was born and raised in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Watt had an illustrious career on and off the field in high school. His first year, he attended Central Michigan for one season he played all 14 games in the tight end position. Watt always had dreams of being a Badger, so he left his full scholarship behind to walk on as a defensive lineman at Wisconsin. He eventually earned a scholarship. As a Badger, JJ was a Lott Impact Trophy Winner, Associated Press and Sports Illustrated Second-Team All-American, as well as a consensus first-team All-Big Ten, and Academic All-Big Ten.
Watt was the 11th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. He played 10 seasons with the Houston Texans and two with the Arizona Cardinals before retiring after the 2022 season. While he was with the Texans in 2017, Houston was hit by Hurricane Harvey, which devastated the city. JJ started a fundraiser with a goal of $200,000 to help the residents of Houston. He ultimately raised 41.6 million dollars. These funds were used to help residents and businesses rebuild after the mass devastation of Harvey.
In 2010, JJ founded the Justin J. Watt Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) organization. It helps middle schools that lack sufficient funding for after-school athletic programs. As well as schools with no after-school athletic activities.
Watt was inducted into the University of Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2023.
Another Great #99 Jay Berwanger, University of Chicago, Heisman Trophy Winner
As we continue our 99 days from college football kickoff. We find the VERY FIRST winner of the Heisman Memorial Trophy; however, it was called the Downtown Athletic Club Trophy when he won it in 1935.
Before college football teams had an offense and a defense, Berwanger was known as “The One Man Team” and “Genius of The Gridiron”. He earned these nicknames because of his ability to run, pass, call plays, and punt. Berwanger kicked off, kicked extra points, and returned punts as well as kickoffs. He also blocked and tackled.
While reading his Heisman Profile, this informational nugget stood out. ‘Berwanger was the only Heisman recipient who was ever tackled by a future president of the United States–Gerald Ford, during a 1934 game between Chicago and Michigan. “When I tackled Jay in the second quarter, I ended up with a bloody cut, and I still have the scar to prove it,” Ford recalled.’
Besides being the first Heisman Trophy winner, Berwanger was also the first player chosen for the first-ever NFL Draft in 1936. The Philadelphia Eagles signed him. He never played in the NFL due to a salary dispute. Berwanger ended up taking a job as a foam-rubber salesman. He also refereed college football games and wrote a sports column for The Chicago Daily. Berwanger was even a football coach at Chicago from 1936 to 1939. He was even an actor; he had a small part playing himself in the 1936 movie “The Big Game.”
Berwanger became a naval officer during World War II. In 1949, he founded Jay Berwanger, Inc., which specialized in foam and sponge rubber strips for cars and trucks. JBI is still in business today.
Editor’s Note: The countdown to college football kickoff has been a series on the Last Word on College Football social media platforms for the past 9 years. They consisted of a photo and a small blurb for each player, with the jersey corresponding to the number of days until kickoff. The rank of the players is sourced from articles by Bleacher Report, Fox Sports, and The Athletic. There are also some favorite players of the Last Word on College Football writers. Their bios are sourced from multiple online sources, including but not limited to the College Football Hall of Fame, their Heisman profiles, and school websites.
Main Photo: David Stluka, UW Badgers dot com
