Odds don’t favor Winston winning a second Heisman Trophy

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston has the opportunity to accomplish what only one other player has achieved — win the Heisman Trophy twice.

Twenty-three underclassmen have won the award, but Ohio State running back Archie Griffin was the only one to pull off the feat.

He is shocked that he remains the lone double winner since the award’s inception in 1935. Until recently, the majority of winners were seniors or juniors that could turn pro. But five of the last seven winners have been sophomores or redshirt freshmen.

Griffin, the Heisman trophy winner in 1974 and 1975, believes it is more difficult to win the award in back-to-back years than it was 40 years ago. For him, the off-the-field distractions were more stressful than any defense.

“I’ll never forget that I was trying to do everything for everybody and (coach) Woody (Hayes) called me into his office,” Griffin said. “He told me, ‘You know what? It’s going to make you soft. You can’t do everything for everybody.’ ”

But unlike Griffin, who admitted it was a goal, Winston said he hasn’t even thought about a second Heisman. Winston said he is more concerned with a second national championship.

“I’m going to be great, even better than I was last year,” Winston said. “I’m going to continue to be myself.”

Coach Jimbo Fisher said he and Winston have talked about the award, but not about winning another.

“I do (talk to him) from the point of the responsibility that goes with it with your character and the things you do,” Fisher said. “Not about winning another one. If he just goes and plays well, that will take care of itself.

“He never thought about winning a Heisman going into last year. You can’t worry about that.”

Winston made few public appearances during the offseason. He was the closer on the baseball team, finishing with a team-best 1.08 ERA, and accepted a handful of football awards. Winston was honored in his hometown of Bessemer, Alabama, and his Hueytown High School jersey was retired. There was also a trip to the ESPYs.

The Florida State signal-caller said he has learned to be more guarded, but still loves having “all eyes on me.”

Winston was able to handle what Fisher described as distractions during the national championship run. Winston was investigated for an alleged sexual assault, but wasn’t charged by the attorney general.