W. J. Voit Memorial Trophy

The W. J. Voit Memorial Trophy was awarded by the Helms Athletic Foundation from 1951 to 1978 to the outstanding college football player on the Pacific Coast. The recipient was determined based on votes cast by West Coast football writers and later broadcasters as well. Award recipients include College Football Hall of Fame inductees, O. J. Simpson, Mike Garrett, Jim Plunkett, Joe Kapp, Craig Morton, Billy Kilmer, and Anthony Davis.

History

The trophy was named after German American entrepreneur William J. Voit, the founder of the W.J. Voit Rubber Company. In the 1950s and 1960s, a representative of the Voit organization presented the trophy at a banquet preceding the Rose Bowl game. In 1969, a Los Angeles Times columnist wrote the following about the Voit Trophy tradition:

"Jim Plunkett was in Pasadena Monday to receive the 19th Annual Voit Memorial Trophy, which goes to the Pacific Coast's top player. The trophy stands nearly as high as most men who receive it, but Plunkett dwarfed the thing.... The Voit Trophy, though, is an accurate mirror of later success in professional ball. Three of the NFL's top quarterbacks -- Joe Kapp, Billy Kilmer and Craig Morton -- all won it, as did such other pro players as Mike Garrett, Gary Beban and O. J. Simpson. Since the award was instituted in 1951, only one winner has failed to play pro ball of some sort."

In addition to the notable NFL players to win the Voit Trophy, the runners-up in the Voit voting included such Hall of Fame players as John Brodie, Mel Renfro, and Hugh McElhenny.
Unlike the Pop Warner Trophy, awarded each year to the top senior football player on the West Coast, the Voit Trophy was open to underclassmen. Accordingly, three players received the Voit Trophy in multiple years. The multi-year winners of the award are USC Trojans running back Jon Arnett, Stanford Cardinal quarterback Jim Plunkett, and USC tailback Anthony Davis.
USC and Stanford athletes won the Voit Trophy more than those at any other school, with USC athletes taking the trophy nine times and Stanford athletes doing so six times.
In 1975, the Pac-10 Conference began awarding its own Player of the Year award, diminishing the significance of the Voit Trophy. The award of the trophy was discontinued shortly thereafter.

Recipients

Recipients of the Voit Trophy are as follows:

Year	Recipient	Position	School	Points	Runners-up	Source
1951	Bill McColl	End	Stanford	31	Hugh McElhenny, Washington, Ollie Matson, USF
1952	Jim Sears	Halfback	USC	53	Donn Moomaw, UCLA, Elmer Wilhoite, USC
1953	Bobby Garrett	Quarterback	Stanford	78	Paul Cameron, UCLA, Paul Larson, QB, California
1954	Paul Larson	QB	California	50	George Shaw, Oregon, Jack Ellena, UCLA
1955	Jon Arnett	Back	USC
1956	Jon Arnett	Back	USC	72	John Brodie, Stanford, John Witte, Oregon St.
1957	Dick Wallen	End	UCLA	60	Bob Newman, Wash. St., Joe Francis, Oregon St.
1958	Joe Kapp	Quarterback	California	117	Dick Bass, College of the Pacific, Chris Burford, Oregon St.
1959	Bob Schloredt	Quarterback	Washington	110	Chris Burford, Stanford
1960	Billy Kilmer	Tailback	UCLA		Roy McKasson, Washington, Marlin McKeever, USC
1961	Hugh Campbell	Wide receiver	Wash. St.	59	Terry Baker, Oregon St., Bobby Smith, UCLA
1962	Terry Baker	Quarterback	Oregon St.	133	Hal Bedsole, USC
1963	Vern Burke	Split end	Oregon St.	57	Mel Renfro, Oregon, Craig Morton, California
1964	Craig Morton	Quarterback	California	96	Mike Garrett, USC, Bob Berry, Oregon
1965	Mike Garrett	Tailback	USC	147	Gary Beban, UCLA, Ray Handley, Stanford
1966	Pete Pifer	Fullback	Oregon St.	102	Gary Beban, UCLA, Mel Farr, UCLA
1967	Gary Beban	Quarterback	UCLA	153	O. J. Simpson, USC, Bill Enyart, Oregon St.
1968	O. J. Simpson	Tailback	USC	180	Bill Enyart, Oregon St., Gene Washington, Stanford
1969	Jim Plunkett	Quarterback	Stanford	128	Dennis Shaw, San Diego St., Jimmy Gunn USC
1970	Jim Plunkett	Quarterback	Stanford	158	Dennis Dummit, UCLA, Sonny Sixkiller, Washington
1971	Don Bunce	Quarterback	Stanford	81	Bernard Jackson, Wash. St., Jeff Siemon, Stanford
1972	Anthony Davis	Tailback	USC	107	Charle Young, USC ; Dan Fouts, Oregon
1973	Kermit Johnson	Halfback	UCLA
1974	Anthony Davis	Tailback	USC
1975	Chuck Muncie	Halfback	California	109	John Sciarra, UCLA, Ricky Bell
1976	Ricky Bell	Tailback	USC	120	Jeff Dankworth, UCLA, Duncan McColl, Stanford
1977	Guy Benjamin	Quarterback	Stanford		Warren Moon
1978	Charles White	Tailback	USC