We are 35 Days Away From College Football Kickoff. Only 5 more Saturdays without college football! Also, Happy Birthday to Walter Payton. You will read more about him tomorrow. Today, we have Doc Blanchard and Alan Ameche. Be sure to check back tomorrow for #34 in our countdown to kickoff. Enjoy!
Doc Blanchard (35) Days Away From College Football Kickoff
“Mr.Inside”
Doc Blanchard won Army’s first Heisman Trophy after helping the Black Knights secure their second consecutive national title. He was also the first junior to win the Heisman.
Blanchard received football offers from Army, Fordham, Notre Dame, and other schools, but he decided on North Carolina. One reason was that the coach, Jim Tatum, was his mother’s cousin. At that time, NCAA rules kept freshmen off the varsity team, so Blanchard played with the freshman squad.
In 1943, Blanchard enlisted in the United States Army. He served in a chemical-warfare unit in New Mexico before enrolling at West Point in July 1944.
During his three years playing football at West Point, Army went undefeated with a 27–0–1 record and won three national championships.
Blanchard was a versatile athlete. He played as a placekicker and punter, as well as an offensive fullback and defensive linebacker. Alongside Glenn Davis (our #41 on the countdown to kickoff), he formed one of football’s most effective rushing duos. Over three seasons at West Point, Blanchard scored 38 touchdowns, gained 1,908 yards, and earned the nickname “Mr. Inside.” Davis was known as “Mr. Outside,” and in November 1945, both appeared on the cover of Time magazine.
As a sophomore, Blanchard finished third in the Heisman voting. He rushed for 335 yards and five touchdowns, and caught three passes for 96 yards and three more scores. Army went undefeated and won the national title that year.
As a junior, Blanchard scored 17 touchdowns, rushing for 722 yards and 16 touchdowns with a 7.1-yard average. He also caught four passes for 166 yards and another touchdown. Army stayed undefeated and won another national title. Blanchard won the Heisman, while Davis finished second, marking the only time teammates have finished first and second in Heisman voting.
In 1946, Blanchard missed the first two games because of a knee injury, but still had a strong season with 613 rushing yards and 10 total touchdowns. He finished fifth in the Heisman voting, while Davis won the award.
In 1947, Blanchard and Davis appeared as themselves in the movie “The Spirit of West Point.”
Besides football, Blanchard competed on the Army track and field team. He won a shot put championship and ran a 10-second 100-yard dash in 1945.
Blanchard graduated from West Point in 1947 and became a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force. He coached Army’s freshman football team in the 1950s, but chose a military career over playing professionally, even though he was picked third overall in the 1946 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
As a fighter pilot, Blanchard received a commendation for bravery in 1959 after steering his failing plane away from a village. He later flew 113 missions during the Vietnam War and retired from the Air Force as a colonel in 1971. Afterward, Blanchard served as commandant of cadets at the New Mexico Military Institute, a junior college that prepares students for service academies.
Another Great #35, Alan Ameche, Wisconsin
Alan Ameche won Wisconsin’s first Heisman Trophy thanks to his tough, physical playing style, which earned him the nickname “The Iron Horse.” He is one of only two fullbacks ever to win the Heisman.
When Ameche was being recruited for college, Fred Miller, the owner of Milwaukee’s Miller Brewing Company, strongly encouraged him to attend Notre Dame. However, Wisconsin fans threatened to boycott Miller beer if Ameche chose Notre Dame. Facing this pressure, Miller stepped back, and Ameche decided to sign with Wisconsin.
Due to the Korean War, freshmen were allowed to play, so Ameche started right away in 1951. He set a new Wisconsin single-season rushing record with 774 yards and made the All-Big Ten team. In 1952, he broke his own record by rushing for 946 yards as the Badgers reached the Rose Bowl. He ran for 133 yards in their 7-0 loss to USC.
In 1953, rule changes required Ameche to play both offense and defense. He played defense with such intensity that he was on the field for at least 55 minutes each game, which helped earn him his nickname. That year, Ameche finished sixth in the Heisman voting as a junior.
Ameche earned All-American honors for the third time as a senior, rushing for 641 yards and nine touchdowns while again playing both ways. He finished his career as the NCAA’s all-time leading rusher with 3,345 yards and was awarded the Heisman Trophy over Kurt Burris of Oklahoma and Howard Cassady of Ohio State.
After being drafted by Baltimore, Ameche turned down a high-paying offer to join a pro wrestling tour and signed with the Colts. He led the NFL in rushing during his first season and was named Rookie of the Year. Ameche played fullback for the Colts from 1955 to 1960, then started Gino’s, Inc., where he served as Corporate Secretary and board member.
Ameche was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters from St. Joseph’s College. He also served as Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Trustee of Malvern Prep, and Corporations Chairman for the United Negro College Fund.
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: West Point
