DaytonDailyNews.com

COLUMBUS — Former Ohio State great Archie Griffin didn't have to wait for the Heisman Trophy ceremony to learn he won the award in 1974 and '75. In those simpler times, he was informed before leaving for New York.

OSU's Troy Smith won't learn until Saturday whether he's become the first pure quarterback in Big Ten history to win the Heisman, but his play this season seems to have made that announcement a mere formality. And Griffin has advice for the Buckeye star: Say goodbye to the status quo.

"He no longer will just be Troy," Griffin said Wednesday. "He'll be Troy Smith, Heisman Trophy winner. Or Heisman Trophy-winner Troy Smith. That alone will change is life. With that title, he'll be highly in demand, and he'll get opportunities he wouldn't have gotten before."

As a former winner, Griffin will be at the ceremony and wouldn't be surprised if Smith becomes one in long line of players who become choked up during the acceptance speech.

"One of the guys from the Downtown Athletic Club who was showing me around said, 'Archie, sometimes guys get emotional when they get up there, and don't let that bother you,' " Griffin said. "I'm thinking, 'I'm not going to get emotional.' But I couldn't get five words out of my mouth before tears started flowing.

"It could possibly happen with Troy if he starts thinking about how he got to where he is. He got pretty emotional at the (team) banquet Sunday. It's either all out of him or it could happen again."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2125 or dharris@DaytonDailyNews.com.