NEW YORK (AP) – Alabama’s Derrick Henry and Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey are hoping to return to the Heisman Trophy to the running backs. Can’t wait to head up to NYC. The 200-pound sophomore broke Barry Sanders’ NCAA record for all-purpose yards in a season with 3,496.
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Henry leads the nation with 1,986 rushing yards and 23 rushing touchdowns for Alabama, which is 12-1 and the No. 2 seed in the College Football Playoff. A white running back at the college level and higher has become a rarity in recent years, although Stanford’s Toby Gerhart, also white, was a Heisman finalist in 2009 when he finished runner-up to Alabama’s Mark Ingram.
But even as locals celebrate McCaffrey’s achievement, a new talking point has emerged in the run-up to the naming of the Heisman victor.
This years Heisman trophy race has no clear favorite and the three finalists all have compelling reasons for why each of them should win the Heisman.
His signature “Heisman moment” came in early November when he won the duel of SEC running backs against LSU’s Leonard Fournette in romping for 210 yards and three TD’s on 38 carries against the Tigers.
The only knock on the Cardinal running back is his lack of touchdowns. However, running the football isn’t McCaffrey’s only contribution to the team.
On the other side of the argument, it is impossible to ignore that Fournette’s worst statistical performances came at the absolute most inopportune time.
Deshaun Watson led Clemson to an undefeated record, throwing for 3,512 yards, 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while completing 69.2 percent of his passes. He ran for 189 yards and a touchdown on 44 carries in the Crimson Tide’s Southeastern Conference championship-game victory over Florida on Saturday.
The Heisman Trophy ceremony will happen on Saturday at 8 p.m. “Looking at this objectively, this was one of the best individual seasons in the history of college football”.
“[McCaffrey] has gained more yards this year than anyone who has ever played college football”, coach David Shaw said. Ole Miss didn’t put up big rushing numbers, but they were able to do it enough to keep Alabama honest and they didn’t quit on the idea of getting at least some yards on the ground, majority on the outside.
Many believe that the multitalented McCaffrey, who contributed on offense and special teams, is most deserving of an award that is supposed to crown the most “outstanding player” but that Henry will win based on the way he carried the best team in the best conference on his back.
There are 929 Heisman voters, including 145 media representatives from each of six sections, plus 58 former winners and one vote that’s given to the public on an online ballot.
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Saban said he hasnt coached many players that actually set a better example to affect other people.. That tells you what observers saw all year – it was nearly a cruel joke – so often, McCaffrey did the dirty work, clearing the way and leading the Cardinal to the doorstep, only for someone else to walk in and score.
