Detroit Lions halfback Doak Walker shown on Dec. 1954. (Associated Press)

Doak Walker, 170-pound back for Southern Methodist University, is stopped as he returned a punt in the third quarter of the hard-fought SMU-Texas A&M game at College Station on November 10, 1945. Texas A&M won 3-0. (Associated Press)

Doak Walker of Southern Methodist, selected by sportswriters and broadcasters as winner of the Heisman Memorial Trophy as the nation's outstanding college football player, holds award in New York on December 7, 1948. (Associated Press)

Southern Methodist University's Doak Walker poses in Dallas, Tex., on Nov. 11, 1948. (AP Photo/Carl E. Linde)

Running back Doak Walker #37 of the Detroit Lions poses for a publicity photo during training camp in 1954 in Detroit, Michigan. (National Football League)

Running back Doak Walker of the Detroit Lions jumps over a tackler in a 24 to 19 loss to the New York Giants on December 11, 1955 in Detroit, Michigan. (National Football League)

Doak Walker, right, Southern Methodist University All-America back, receives the Maxwell Club's Award as the outstanding football player of 1947 in at Philadelphia, Jan. 13, 1948. Presenting the award is Bert Bell, president of the Maxwell Club. (Associated Press)

Detroit Lions half back Doak Walker poses in this 1950 photo. Walker, the 1948 Heisman Trophy winner, starred on two NFL championship teams. (Associated Press)

Detroit Lions' Doak Walker carries the ball for a five yard gain against the New York Yanks while getting a little help from teammate Ollie Cline (30), in the second quarter of a game played in Detroit on Nov. 23, 1950. Getting set to make the tackle are Yanks Joe Domnanovich (34) and Sherman Howard (46). No. 50 is New York's John Yonakor. Lions won 49-14. (AP Photo/Preston Stroup)

Detroit Lions halfback Doak Walker lunges at a pass from Bobby Layne but manages only to plant a thumb print on the ball in Cleveland on Dec. 27, 1954 as his Lions lost to the Cleveland Browns in a National Football League playoff game. (Associated Press)

Detroit Lions' Doak Walker breaks through an opening in first quarter of a game with the Chicago Bears on Nov. 11, 1951 in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles E. Knoblock)

Detroit Lions' Doak Walker (37) is trapped behind the line of scrimmage for a two yard loss by Norm Standlee (72) and Jim Powers in the first quarter of a game in San Francisco on Dec. 16, 1951. The San Francisco 49ers upset the Detroit Lions 21-17. (AP Photo/Robert H. Houston)

Doak Walker, star Southern Methodist back, looks over Heisman Memorial Trophy in New york December 7, 1948. Picked as the nation's outstanding college football player by sportswriters and broadcasters walker formally was presented with the award later in the day at a dinner in the downtown Athletic Club. (Associated Press)

Doak Walker, Southern Methodist star back, during practice in Dallas, Tex., on November 11, 1948. (Associated Press)

Southern Methodist University Head Coach Hayden Fry, center, and former SMU football stars Kyle Rote, left, and Doak Walker, give a V for victory sign and expressed hope their team will win over Georgia in their Cotton Bowl game, Saturday, Dec. 30, 1966, Dallas, Tex. Rote and Walker starred the last time Southern Methodist University participated in the Cotton Bowl classic and sparked their team to a 21-13 win over Oregon in 1949. (AP Photo/Ted Powers)

Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Doak Walker at the NFL Pro Bowl, a 28-24 NFC victory on February 2, 1986, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. (National Football League)

Former Detroit Lions great Lou Creekmur, left, holds his bust with presenter Doak Walker after Creekmur's induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Saturday, July 27, 1996, in Canton, Ohio. (AP Photo/Phil Long)