Heisman winners and their high schools

Most die-hard college football fans have no problem rattling off the names of the Heisman winners who played for their favorite school. But what about before they came to college? Where did they go to high school?

There’s a good chance your favorite Heisman Trophy winner graduated from high schools in one of three states: California, Ohio or Texas. Combined, schools from these states have produced 33 of the 78 trophies that have been awarded. The Golden State leads the way with 13 selections, including nine from the roughly 120-mile corridor that separates Los Angeles and San Diego. Two of them (John Huarte and Matt Leinart) hailed from Santa Ana’s Mater Dei High.

Ohio high schools are second with 11 trophies (two of them to Archie Griffin). The city of Columbus is tied with San Diego and Dallas for the most Heisman high schools (3). Texas high schools have produced nine trophies, including two of the past three.

Oklahoma, Georgia and Pennsylvania high schools have each had four Heisman winners.

The state with the best ratio of Heisman winners to overall population is Nebraska, which has two winners — one for every 934,000 people.

Location of Heisman high schools
California — 13
Ohio — 11
Texas — 9
Oklahoma, Georgia, Pennsylvania — 4
Alabama, New Jersey, Massachussetts — 3
Michigan, Louisiana, Illinois, Iowa, Florida, Nebraska, Minnesota, New York — 2
Indiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, Oregon, Wisconsin, Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia, Kansas — 1