People said I couldn’t make it here and I should transfer out. “I was known for the longest time as the guy who fumbled twice inside the five (yard line). “Reflecting back, the game against Illinois (freshman year) was pivotal,” George said. He used it as motivation to continue to improve at his craft. However, in a contest against Illinois, George fumbled the ball twice near the goal line, and both times Illinois gained possession and ran it back for a touchdown.Įven though it led to him being benched, he didn’t get down on himself. He came here focused and with the goal of becoming a Heisman winner and he did just that.”Īs a freshman, George showed that he was for real by scoring three touchdowns in a win versus Syracuse University. ![]() “They all figured he would make a great linebacker. “Not many colleges recruited him as a running back,” Cooper said. Ohio State head coach John Cooper was willing to give George the ball instead of typecasting him into being a linebacker. I didn’t want to change and that is why I chose Ohio State. “Growing up, I knew I wanted the ball in my hands and be in a position to carry the ball as much as possible,” George said. George could’ve chosen one of several other schools, but he decided to be a Buckeye for an important reason. They had been a storied football program over the years, but it had been several years since they had last won a bowl game. Soon after arriving in Columbus, Ohio to attend Ohio State, George started to shine for the Buckeyes. Waiting to complete his secondary education allowed him to strut his stuff for college recruiters, and it earned him a scholarship to Ohio State University.Ī Bustling Buckeye (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) He was also a standout track athlete at Fork Union, and he managed to win the state title in the high and low hurdles competitions. In his postgraduate season there, he registered 1,372 yards and 15 touchdowns. He made what seemed like an unusual decision to stay at Fork Union for an extra year after his senior season, but it turned out to be a prudent decision. It was there that George started to emerge as a star running back. After the 10th grade, George transferred to Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia, a private Christian military boarding school that has a strong reputation when it comes to sports. He started pushing for that goal by participating in Pop Warner football for the Abington Raiders, then he moved on to Abington Senior High School. In fact, when George was just 11, he would practice his acceptance speech for winning the esteemed college football award. He idolized Marcus Allen and Herschel Walker, two of the better running backs of the 1980s, and a big reason why was that they both won the Heisman Trophy. George was driven to reach lofty heights even from a very young age. ![]() It was also a vehicle for me to pursue my dreams.” “Growing up in Philadelphia, football was everything,” said George. She used her work ethic to inspire George to put in a sincere effort towards being a productive citizen himself.Īs a young child, George dabbled in theater, ballet and music, but he would find his calling on the football field, and it would quickly become not just his favorite activity, but also his life’s ambition. She had help from her older sister Leslie in raising the younger George.ĭonna George worked several odd jobs to help support her family, including working as a flight attendant at the now-defunct airline Trans World Airlines (TWA) and as a production administrator at Ford Aerospace. ![]() The elder George wasn’t in the picture as far as being a father figure for the younger George, leaving Donna Geroge as his main parent growing up. His height, size and strength made him a formidable opponent for the front sevens of opposing teams during his nine seasons in the league.īack in the day, he played an integral role in revitalizing a dormant franchise and helping it endear itself to a new cadre of fans.Īfter retirement, George has been very active in multiple ventures and has been enjoying a productive second career for himself.Įdward Nathan George Jr. During an era in which National Football League teams often elected to run the ball more than they passed the ball, Eddie George established himself as one of the league’s best running backs.
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