People > Players 1940s-1950s > Paul Governali
Paul Governali, CC 1943, Ed.D. 1951
Two years after Sid Luckman's departure, Paul Governali took over the role of star quarterback for the next three years. A consensus All-American, Governali was the 1942 recipient of the Maxwell Award for College Player of the Year and the first runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. At quarterback, he threw for 1,442 yards in nine games that season, had 19 passes for touchdowns – collegiate records at the time – and completed 52 percent of his passes. Governali went on to play four years in the NFL, two with the New York Giants. After receiving his doctorate in education from Columbia in 1951 (while serving as an assistant coach), he became a coach and later professor of physical education at San Diego State College.