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Welsh was a standout quarterback for Navy, where he finished third in the 1955 Heisman Trophy balloting after leading the nation in passing and total offense as a senior. Below is a table showing the top 10 finishers for the Heisman Trophy that year.
| Place |
Name |
School |
Class |
Position |
1 |
Howard Cassady |
Ohio State |
Sr. |
HB |
2 |
Jim Swink |
Texas Christian |
Jr. |
HB |
3 |
George Welsh |
Navy |
Sr. |
QB |
4 |
Earl Morrall |
Michigan State |
Sr. |
QB |
5 |
Paul Hornung |
Notre Dame |
Jr. |
QB |
6 |
Bob Pellegrini |
Maryland |
Sr. |
C-NG |
7 |
Ron Beagle |
Navy |
Sr. |
E |
8 |
Ron Kramer |
Michigan |
Jr. |
E |
9 |
Bo Bolinger |
Oklahoma |
Sr. |
G |
10 |
Calvin Jones |
Iowa |
Sr. |
G |
George led Navy to a 21-0 upset over heavily favored Mississippi in the 1955 Sugar Bowl.
Born August 26, 1933 in Coaldale, Pa., Welsh played his early football at Coaldale High School and Wyoming Seminary Prep. He was appointed to the Naval Academy in 1952. When he was not quarterbacking the Navy football team, he was an infielder for the baseball team. Welsh won a total of six varsity letters before graduation in 1956 and was awarded the Thompson Trophy Cup as the midshipman who had done the most for the "promotion of athletics at the Naval Academy."
Assigned to the USS Des Moines after graduation in 1956, Welsh played football one year for the Norfolk (Va.) Naval Base Tars, but torn knee ligaments before the 1957 service season ended his active playing career. After 32 months on the Des Moines and a tour on the staff of Commander, Cruiser Division 4, Welsh returned to the Naval Academy in 1960. He assisted with the football program in 1960–61 under Wayne Hardin, helping the Midshipmen to the 1960 Orange Bowl.
Welsh left the academy for a tour aboard the destroyer USS Fletcher in 1962. He left the service with the rank of lieutenant in July of 1963 and joined Rip Engle's Penn State football coaching staff a month later.
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