Former football player Jim Stillwagon in 1971.John Maiola/The Globe and Mail
Jim Stillwagon, who helped Ohio State win two U.S. college football titles before playing five seasons with the CFL's Toronto Argonauts, has died at the age of 68.
Mr. Stillwagon died on Sunday, the CFL team announced Monday. The cause of death wasn't divulged.
"We are saddened by the passing of All-Time Argo Jim Stillwagon," the Argos said in a statement. "On behalf of the entire organization, and our fans, we extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to Jim's friends and family."
James (Wagon) Stillwagon was born in Mt. Vernon, Ohio on Feb. 11, 1949. He enjoyed a solid career at Ohio State, where he was a member of the Buckeyes' "super sophomores." His class finished its collegiate tenure with a 27-2 record.
Mr. Stillwagon was a three-year starter with the Buckeyes, helping them go undefeated in capturing the '68 American college football title. The defensive tackle was a consensus All-American selection in both his junior and senior seasons.
In 1970, he became the first U.S. college player to win both the Outland Trophy (for the best college football interior lineman) and the Rotary Lombardi Award (for the best college football lineman or linebacker) in the same season. But the six-foot, 220-pound Mr. Stillwagon wasn't deemed big enough to play in the NFL. He was a fifth-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in 1971, but the team wanted to use him at linebacker, so he joined the Argos instead.
He was a three-time league all-star over five seasons in Toronto before injuries cut short his CFL career. Mr. Stillwagon was named the East Division's top defensive player in 1972 and recognized in 2009 as an All-Time Argo, a distinction awarded to only 24 of the team's alumni. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1991.