Harry Gilmer, a 1993 College Football Hall of Fame inductee from the University of Alabama, passed away Aug. 20. At 90 years old, he was the seventh-oldest living Hall of Fame player.

After starring at Woodlawn High School as an All-State back on its unbeaten 1943 football team, Gilmer joined Alabama as a halfback in 1944. He went on to become celebrated for his "jump pass," and he holds the distinction as the only Alabama player to finish in the top five of Heisman Trophy balloting twice.

As a freshman, he played against Duke in the Sugar Bowl, going 8-for-8 in passing attempts. Despite the Crimson Tide’s loss, famous sportswriter Grantland Rice wrote that Gilmer “was the most amazing back that football can show today.”

Gilmer’s best year came during his sophomore season in 1945 when he led the nation in touchdown passes (13) and ran for nine touchdowns. In the final game of the season, he ran for 116 yards and a touchdown and threw a scoring pass as the Crimson Tide capped a perfect 10-0 season with a 34-14 victory over Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl. Gilmer finished fifth in the Heisman voting, won the SEC Player of the Year Award and earned the Rose Bowl MVP honor.

In 1946, Gilmer led the nation in interceptions and punt-return yards, but he didn't crack the top 10 of the Heisman vote as Alabama finished 7-4, sixth in the SEC and out of the bowl picture.

In 1947, Gilmer led Alabama to seven straight wins after the Tide started the regular season at 1-2, leading to a Sugar Bowl berth, and he again finished fifth in the Heisman voting. Alabama's record during his career was 30-9-2.

At Alabama, Gilmer played for Hall of Fame coach Frank Thomas and coach Harold Drew and alongside Hall of Fame center Vaughn Mancha.

Gilmer held numerous Alabama career records when he left the Crimson Tide, and many of his marks went unbroken for decades. He still holds the record for the highest average for any player with at least five rushing attempts in a game at 36 yards as he ran for 216 yards and two touchdowns on six carries against Kentucky in 1945. Gilmer had a 95-yard touchdown run in that game, the longest in Alabama history until 1991. Gilmer's 216-yard effort is considered the most rushing yards in a game by a Crimson Tide quarterback.

His records for 3,631 all-purpose yards stood until 1987, 52 touchdowns-responsible-for until 2008, 29 touchdown passes until 1978, 1,119 punt-return yards until 2008 and 16 interceptions until 1993. Gilmer is the only player to lead Alabama in passing for four seasons. He also was the Tide's leading punt and kickoff returner every year of his career.

The Washington Redskins selected Gilmer with the first pick in the 1948 NFL Draft. But Gilmer was injured early in training camp and limited to one game as a rookie. He spent much of his remaining seven seasons backing up future Hall of Fame quarterbacks – Sammy Baugh with Washington and, in his final two seasons, Bobby Layne with the Detroit Lions – although he went to the Pro Bowl in 1950 and 1952.

After his playing days, Gilmer became an NFL assistant coach and served as the head coach of the Lions in 1965 and 1966, compiling a 10-16-2 record. Gilmer was elected to the State of Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1973.