TSU Heffner gets win, and girl in Southern Heritage Classic

Ex-Melrose QB scores twice, then proposes

Antonio Heffner made his final college appearance in his hometown a memorable one. Football had something to do with it. The former Melrose star ran for one touchdown and threw for another, and Tennessee State defenders returned two of three interceptions for touchdowns in a 41-18 rout of Jackson State in the 19th Southern Heritage Classic Saturday night before 50,794 at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

TSU and JSU draws another large crowd (50,794) to the Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis, TN, Sept. 13, 2008 and a world-wide audience on the Armed Forces TV Network.

But moments after winning the game's Offensive MVP award for the third straight year, he dropped to one knee at midfield and proposed to longtime girlfriend Angel Parker, a nurse at Methodist University Hospital. The stats showed he was 11-of-16 for 137 yards in the passing department. Make that 12-of-17 -- Parker said yes. "I knew I was going to do this all week. Told my teammates I was going to," Heffner said. "When I got on the field I was focused on that. But when they took me out after the third quarter, that's when I started to think about it."

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Attendance: 50,794 (81.4%) at Liberty Bowl, Memphis, TN (Capacity: 62,380).

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Heffner stars for TSU both on, off the field

Tigers quarterback is one of OVC's best in classroom, too

On the football field, Antonio Heffner keeps opponents guessing with his ability to run or pass. Away from it, he's as predictable as death and taxes. If he's not pestering offensive coordinator Fred Kaiss with an idea to improve the scheme, the Tigers quarterback is most likely in his room watching television or studying. "Heff don't ever go anywhere," said tight end Antonio Graham. "He's always in the house watching TV, watching sports."

It's that mundane lifestyle that makes Heffner, who is carrying a 3.7 grade point average with a major in criminal justice, a bit of a rarity among college football players. It's also a routine that has helped him become a role model for his teammates and overcome frustrating injuries and other setbacks to become the premier quarterback in the Ohio Valley Conference. He has a steady girlfriend who lives in Memphis...

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