LSU's only Heisman winner — famous for the Halloween punt return that remains the greatest play in SEC history.
William Abb Cannon Jr. was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi in 1937. He attended Louisiana State University and won the Heisman Trophy in 1959 — the only Heisman winner in LSU history. His defining moment came on October 31, 1959 — Halloween — when he fielded a punt in his own end zone with Ole Miss leading 3-0 with minutes remaining and returned it 89 yards, breaking 11 tackles, for the game-winning touchdown in a 7-3 LSU victory. The run is known simply as the Halloween Run and is considered the greatest play in SEC history. It contributed significantly to his Heisman campaign. His three-year LSU career produced 1,867 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns. Los Angeles Rams selected him first overall in the 1960 NFL Draft, but he signed with the Houston Oilers of the newly-formed AFL instead — one of the early significant AFL recruiting victories that helped legitimise the rival league. He won two AFL championships with Houston. He was convicted of counterfeiting in 1983 and served time in federal prison. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
Heisman Trophy (1959)
Career Honours
- Heisman Trophy (1959)
- SEC champion
- AP All-American
- Halloween Run vs Ole Miss