The Selma Times-Journal

Pat Sullivan spoke to the Selma Quarterback Club Tuesday night at the group’s last meeting of the year.

Sullivan, a 1971 Heisman trophy winner who played for Auburn University under head coach Shug Jordan, became starting quarterback in 1969. Over the next three seasons, he led the team to a 26-7 record.

Sullivan said there are three important choices you make in life.

The first choice you make is your spiritual choice. Diagnosed with throat cancer three years ago, Sullivan said the first thing “you do is get on your knees.”

The second important choice is to decide where you’ll go to college or where you’ll start your career after high school. “That’s what will carry you for the rest of your life,” he said.

The third is who you choose to marry and raise a family with.

In his career, Sullivan was responsible for 71 touchdowns (53 passing/18 rushing) to tie the NCAA record. In his senior season, Sullivan completed 162 passes on 281 attempts for 2012 yards and 20 touchdowns. Sullivan was named an Academic All-American, then went on to a professional football career with the Atlanta Falcons and the Washington Redskins.

He won the Heisman Trophy in 1971.

“Back when I won, it was totally different than it is today,” Sullivan said. “When I was in school, it was announced on Thanksgiving at halftime of the Georgia-Georgia Tech game. I was getting ready to play Alabama that Saturday … we watched it (on TV) like that Saturday … we watched it (on TV) like everybody else.”

Sullivan said that after it was announced he had won the Heisman Trophy, he went back to the coliseum where his teammates were. “I was able to share it with them. It was something very special,” he said.

Sullivan said he has developed “some wonderful friendships” over the years with other Heisman winners, who are all invited back each year.

The Quarterback Club awarded three $4,000 scholarships Tuesday night to local students. Recipients were Rhett Rhyne of Morgan Academy, Robert Summerville of Morgan Academy and Johnathan Williams of Selma High School.

During the meeting, Bruce Fuller, 2006 captain of the Quarterback Club, turned over duties to Menzo Driskell, the 2007 captain.