John William Heisman (October 23, 1869 - October 3, 1936) was a player and coach of American football, baseball, and basketball, as well as a sportswriter and actor. He served as the head football coach at Oberlin College, Buchtel College (now known as the University of Akron), Auburn University, Clemson University, Georgia Tech, the University of Pennsylvania, Washington & Jefferson College, and Rice University, compiling a career college football record of 186-70-18. In 1917, Heisman's Georgia Tech Golden Tornado were recognized as the national champion. Heisman was also the head basketball coach at Georgia Tech, tallying a mark of 9-14, and the head baseball coach at Buchtel, Clemson, and Georgia Tech, amassing a career college baseball record of 199-108-7.

Heisman's 1910 team went 5-3, and relied on the jump shift for the first time. Hall of Famer Bob McWhorter played for the Georgia Bulldogs from 1910 to 1913, and for those seasons Georgia Tech loses to Georgia as well as Auburn.  In 1910, Georgia Tech was also beaten by SIAA champion Vanderbilt 22-0. Though Vanderbilt was held scoreless in the first half, Ray Morrison starred in the second half and Bradley Walker's officiating was criticized throughout. Tackle Pat Patterson was selected All-Southern. The 1911 team featured future head coach William Alexander as a reserve quarterback. Pat Patterson was team captain and selected All-Southern. The team played Alabama to a scoreless tie, after which Heisman said he had never seen a player "so thoroughly imbued with the true spirit of football as Hargrove Van de Graaff."  The 1912 team opened the season by playing the Army's 11th Cavalry regiment to a scoreless tie. The team also lost to Sewanee, and quarterback Alf McDonald was selected All-Southern. The team moved to Grant Field from Ponce de Leon Park by 1913, and lost its first game there to Georgia 14-0. The season's toughest win came against Florida, 13-3, after Florida was up 3-0 at the half. Heisman said his opponents played the best football he'd seen a Florida squad play.  The independent 1914 team was captained by halfback Wooch Fielder and went 6-2. The team beat Mercer 105-0 and the very next week had a 13-0 upset loss to Alabama. End Jim Senter and halfback J. S. Patton were selected All-Southern.

Did he do anything different than other teams at the time