Eric Crouch Season 1997

Crouch's Honors & Awards

• College Football Hall of Fame (2020)
• 2001 Heisman Trophy Winner
• 2001 Walter Camp Player of the Year
• 2001 Davey O'Brien Quarterback Award Winner
• 2001 Sporting News National Offensive Player of the Year
• 2001 ABC/Chevrolet National Player of the Year
• 2001 First-Team All-American (AP, AFCA, The Sporting News, ABC Sports Online)
• 2001 Football News Offensive Player of the Year Semifinalist
• 2001 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year (Coaches, AP, Kansas City Star, Austin American Statesman, Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star Telegram, San Antonio News Express, Waco Tribune Herald)
• 2001 First-Team All-Big 12 (Coaches, AP, KC Star, AAS, DMN, FWST, SANE, WTH)
• 2001 USAToday.com National Player of the Week (Sept. 24)
• 2001 Co-Guy Chamberlain Award Winner
• 2001 NACDA Pigskin Classic MVP ($5,000 Postgraduate Scholarship)
• 2001 Team Co-Captain
• 2000 Davey O'Brien Quarterback Award Semifinalist
• 2000 Football News Offensive Player of the Year Semifinalist
• 2000 Third-Team All-American (Collegefootballnews.com)
• 2000 Second-Team All-Big 12 (AP, The Sporting News, Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle)
• 2000 Fiesta Bowl MVP vs. Tennessee
• 1999 Big 12 Co-Offensive Player of the Year (Coaches)
• 1999 Co-First-Team All-Big 12 (Coaches)
• 1999 Big 12 Commissioner's Spring Academic Honor Roll
• Eight-Time Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week (2 in 1999, 3 in 2000, 3 in 2001)
• 16-time TV Player of the Game (13 by ABC, 1 by NBC and 1 by Fox Sports Net; 1 by Big 12 Syndicated; 1 in 1998, 6 in 1999, 4 in 2000, 5 in 2001)

Crouch's Records (Note: Records and rankings are based on the end of his career in 2001)

• NCAA record for career rushing TD's by a QB (59)
• 13th player in NCAA history to rush and pass for 1,000 yards in a season (1,115 rushing, 1,510 passing)
• One of three quarterbacks in NCAA Division 1-A history to rush for 3,000 yards and pass for 4,000 yards in a career
• Tied an NCAA scoring record by scoring a TD via run, pass, reception in the same game (vs. Cal, 1999)
• Longest run in NU history (95 yards) at Missouri, Sept. 29, 2001
• Owns Nebraska career record for total-offense yards with 7,915, including a school and Big 12 record for most rushing yards by a quarterback (3,434), while ranking third in career passing (4,481)
• School record holder with 88 total-offense touchdowns
• Regular-season school record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a game (191 yards) at Missouri, Sept. 29, 2001
• Tied school records for most TD passes in a game (5 vs. Iowa, 2000); most rushing TD's in a game by a quarterback (4 vs. Kansas and Iowa State, 2001); and set a QB record for most rushing TDs in a season (20, 2000)
• Set school records for most rushing attempts in a season for a QB (203, 2001); most total-offense yards by a sophomore (2,158); tied school record for most rushing attempts in a game for a quarterback (27 vs. KSU, 1999)

In his final year as one of the best option quarterbacks in college football history, Eric Crouch won three major national awards, including the Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Player-of-the-Year award and the Davey O'Brien quarterback award. Crouch led Nebraska to the Bowl Championship Series national title game in the Rose Bowl against Miami. Against the Hurricanes, the All-American capped his career with 114 yards rushing on 22 carries to lead all rushers, while adding 62 yards on five completions through the air. Crouch played the bowl game with his degree in hand after graduating in December 2001.

He went on to be drafted as a wide receiver in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams with the 95th overall pick. Crouch led Nebraska on the field as one of five team captains, the first quarterback to earn the honor in a decade. He also shared the Guy Chamberlin Trophy with Tracey Wistrom for play, contributions and dedication to the Nebraska football team.

Crouch ended his NU career by holding 32 school records. He was one of three quarterbacks in NCAA history to rush for 3,000 yards and pass for 4,000 yards in a career, while becoming just the 13th quarterback in NCAA history to rush and pass for 1,000 yards in the same season in 2001.

The consumate leader, Crouch was one of five team captains as a senior, the first quarterback to earn that honor in a decade. He was drafted as a wide receiver in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams with the 95th overall pick.

On March 11, 2020, Crouch was selected for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Career Stats

Rushing
Year	G/S	Att.	Gain	Loss	Net	Y/A	Y/G	Long	TDs
1998	8/5	96	544	85	459	4.8	57.4	59 vs. UAB	5
1999	12/10	180	1,026	137	889	4.9	74.1	62 vs. A&M	16
2000	11/11	169	1,119	148	971	5.7	88.3	62 vs. ND	20
2001	12/12	203	1,261	146	1,115	5.5	92.9	95 vs. MU	18
Totals	43/38	648	3,950	516	3,434	5.3	79.9	95 vs. MU	59

Passing
Year	G	Att.	Cmp.	Int.	Pct.	Yds.	Y/A	Y/G	LP	TD	Eff.R.
1998	8	101	49	4	48.5	601	5.95	75.1	45	4	103.65
1999	12	160	83	4	51.9	1,269	7.93	105.8	70	7	127.93
2000	11	156	75	7	48.1	1,101	7.06	100.1	52	11	121.66
2001	12	189	105	10	55.6	1,510	7.99	125.8	78	7	124.31
Totals	43	606	312	25	51.5	4,481	7.39	104.2	70	29	121.14

 

Total Offense
Year	G	Att.	Yards	Y/A	Y/G	TDs
1998	8	197	1,060	5.4	132.5	9
1999	12	340	2,158	6.3	179.8	23
2000	11	325	2,072	6.4	188.4	31
2001	12	392	2,625	6.7	218.8	25
Total	43	1,254	7,915	6.3	184.1	88

Points Scored - 368 (43 games); 30 in 1998; 102 in 1999; 120 in 2000; 116 in 2001
Points Per Game - 8.6; 3.8 in 1998; 8.5 in 1999; 10.9 in 2000; 9.7 in 2001
Receiving - 3-109-2; 63-yard TD vs. Oklahoma, 2001; 60-yard TD vs. California, 1999

Bowl Game Statistics (not included in career stats, per NCAA policy)
1998 Holiday Bowl vs. Arizona: Rush 15-28-0; Pass 28-12-2-193-2
2000 Fiesta Bowl vs. Tennessee: MVP, Rush 17-64-0; Pass 15-9-0-148-1
2000 Alamo Bowl vs. Northwestern: Rush 15-90-2; Pass 13-5-1-91-2
2002 Rose Bowl vs. Miami: Rush 22-114-9; Pass 15-5-1-62-0