Willie Heston
Workhorse halfback of Michigan's 'Point-a-Minute' teams and College Football Hall of Famer.
Willie Heston was an American football halfback for the University of Michigan, known as the workhorse of the "Point-a-Minute" teams from 1901 to 1904. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954 and was rated by coach Fielding H. Yost as the greatest player of all time.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Halfback
- Team
- University of Michigan (pre-NFL era)
- Hall of fame
- College Football Hall of Fame
- Playing style
- Explosive
- elusive
- powerful runner; open-field threat
- breakaway speed
- offensive catalyst
- Role
- Primary ball carrier
- kick returner
- defensive back on occasion
Lore & Background
Heston played halfback at San Jose State University and the University of Michigan. He was the head football coach for Drake University in 1905 and North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (now North Carolina State University) in 1906. After coaching, he practiced law and served as a state court judge in Michigan. He was selected by the Football Writers Association of America as the halfback for its all-time team for the first 50 years of the sport.
Reader's Guide
In the inaugural Rose Bowl game on January 1, 1902, Heston rushed for 170 yards on 18 carries as Michigan defeated Stanford 49–0. He held the record for most rushing yards in a Rose Bowl game for 59 years.
Did You Know?
- In a 1903 game against Chicago, Heston accounted for 237 of Michigan's 267 rushing yards.
- Heston could regularly beat Olympic gold medalist Archie Hahn in impromptu 40-yard races.
- He was known as a hard, crunching runner who used a powerful stiff arm to ward off tacklers.
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