5 early influences who helped define Archie’s ethos

Margaret and James Griffin Sr. 

I grew up with six brothers and a sister. We were blessed with great parents who loved us and set a great example for us. My mom was a tough lady who had to handle eight kids. She was the disciplinarian and made sure we were doing the things that needed to be done. She was with us most of the time because my father worked from sunrise to midnight. My dad was the hardest working man I ever met. We had a lot of mouths to feed, and he worked three jobs to put food on the table for his family. I saw the importance of hard work every day through the simple eloquence of his example.  

My mother and father gave all of us priorities to live by. Trusting God was No. 1. And they taught the importance of treating people right. They always wanted to make sure that we’d act and try to do the right things in any situation. Those were part of the lessons that I learned from my folks. 

Bob Stuart 

Our football team at Eastmoor High School (now Eastmoor Academy) wasn’t very big, but we still won two Columbus City League championships because of Coach Bob Stuart. He was a great motivator. His mantra, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog,” made an impression on me, impacted my way of thinking, truly made a difference. It told me that the size of the heart, not the size of the person, is what really counts. When I went to Ohio State, a lot of people said I’d never really get a chance to play because Coach Hayes liked big running backs. But I thought about Coach Stuart’s saying about heart, about how much effort I’d be willing to make.  

I knew that’s what was going to make the difference for me.  

Coach Stuart was witty, too. He’d loosen us up, make the atmosphere a little better. He was a great competitor, but he’d allow us to have a good time. You’ve got to have fun. 

Oscar Gill 

Oscar was my guidance counselor at Linmoor Junior High, where I was president of a student council called HELP (Helpers Engaged in Linmoor’s Progress). As our advisor for that organization, he was the one who first talked about the three D’s: Desire, Dedication and Determination. Desire is the goal. Dedication is the commitment to achieving the goal. Determination is being willing to overcome the obstacles in your path.  

Oscar always told us that if you use those three D’s, in essence, what you’ve done is give a total commitment and nobody can ask you to do more. It really hit home with me. I knew then if I committed myself to be the best I could be, I could always feel good about myself. I didn’t have to be ashamed of my effort.  

Those three D’s stuck with me. They’ve been a huge, foundational part of my life. I’ve talked about them to others whenever I’ve had an opportunity. And I’ve tried to apply the three D’s in every situation that I’ve come across, even in retirement. 

Woody Hayes 

My old coach and mentor had a profound impact on me. Woody served as a Naval commander in the Pacific theater in World War II and really had what we now call a foxhole leadership style. That means building teamwork by treating everyone the same and getting folks to buy into the larger goal by giving them a sense that we are all in this together. That’s how you motivate a group to overcome great obstacles. 

He had a wonderful way of motivating you to work together. You wanted to do it for him because you knew that he was a man who was dedicated to the university, to the coaches and to the players who played for him. You knew the type of effort he put into it.  

Coach Hayes had guidelines, rules and regulations, and he enforced them. You loved the fact that he was honest, up front with you, told you the truth. You knew that he cared and that he would do the best he could to help you.

Ohio State teammates and coaches 

I’ve always looked at the Heisman Trophy as a team honor because, believe me, I did not get anything done on the football field alone. Football is 11 on 11 at a time. It’s not something you can do alone. You need help, and I had all the help that anybody could ever want during my time at Ohio State University. 

I had some of the greatest teammates and coaches you could ever ask for. I played with some outstanding athletes. We had quite a crew, and we had great coaches leading us. It was a good mix, and it made all the difference in the world. 

We played in four straight Rose Bowls and won four Big Ten championships. We were a special group. When you recognize me, you’re really recognizing the teams I played on. The guys I played with, and the coaches we played for, made it happen. I’m very thankful for the fact that I was in the right place at the right time with the right people.