Drake University announces statue unveiling for former football player Johnny Bright

Drake University will honor former football player Johnny Bright with a commemorative statue on campus this fall. Athletics director Brian Hardin confirmed that the monument will be unveiled during a public ceremony scheduled for Oct. 16 at 11 a.m. The statue will stand six and a half feet tall on a concrete base located near the southeast gate of Drake Stadium along Forest Avenue. Bright, a standout player for the school, garnered national attention during his 1951 season following a game against Oklahoma State. During that contest, he suffered a broken jaw after being targeted in an incident that later earned a Pulitzer Prize for the photographers who documented the event. Bright completed that season as an All-American and finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

• 8:53 PMYahoo Sports — Drake announces plans to unveil Johnny Bright statue