Jim Harbaugh was a finalist for the 1986 Heisman Trophy. And when Vinny Testaverde was announced as the winner, Harbaugh was nearly 6,000 miles away.Harbaugh did not attend the ceremony at New York City's Downtown Athletic Club because Michigan had a game at Hawaii. Harbaugh finished third in the balloting behind Testaverde, the Miami quarterback, and Temple running back Paul Palmer.Harbaugh said on Friday that the experience did not shatter him. He moved on quickly. And he expects Andrew Luck won't spend any time dwelling on it, either.
Luck, the Stanford quarterback and Harbaugh's protege, was announced Saturday as the runner-up -- again. Last year, Cam Newton won the award as college football's outstanding player. This time, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III was selected.Prior to the announcement, Harbaugh said he would not be disappointed if Luck did not win the Heisman because Luck has a chance to accomplish greater things with another BCS bowl victory and for many years to come in his NFL career.
"It's an individual award in a team sport that I don't think is going to change Andrew's life one way or the other," Harbaugh said. "He's certainly had a tremendous career and certainly is worthy of winning individual awards and the Heisman Trophy is one of them."I know that he wouldn't be that disappointed. He understands it's a team game. Individual awards, the spotlight isn't something that is all-encompassing or even very important to Andrew Luck."
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