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The latest in ESPN’s 30 for 30 Shorts series launches today with “The Throwback,” which tells the story of Gordie Lockbaum – who played both offense and defense for The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. His prowess in multiple positions on the field caught the attention of the national media and ultimately resulted in two runs for the Heisman Trophy.
More about the film, produced and directed by Erin Leyden: There was a time when a football player was asked to play both offense and defense, when a running back might switch over to linebacker, or a safety might transform into a wideout. That was the way it was before unlimited substitution was introduced in the ’60s. It was also a double standard that was revived 20 years later for one very special player. His name was Gordie Lockbaum, and when his coaches at Division 1-AA Holy Cross saw how talented he was, they decided to turn back the clock. In this 30 for 30 Short, Lockbaum and others, including then coach Mark Duffner and sportswriter Rick Reilly, look back on the heady days when he might play in 143 of the Crusaders’ 170 plays, attracted national attention, and became a finalist for the Heisman Trophy – twice, in 1986 and 1987.
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