Alabama’s Mark Ingram was the last running back – and only Crimson Tide player – to win the Heisman Trophy when he did so in 2009.
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The three Heisman Trophy finalists were announced on Monday, and the players invited to NY are Alabama running back Derrick Henry, Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey, and Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson.
As versatile as McCaffrey has been as the only FBS player since 1996 to compile 1,500 rushing, 500 receiving and 1,000 kickoff return yards in a single season, his TD total (13) is alarmingly low for someone wishing to win the Heisman.
Henry, considered the favorite for the trophy, set a Southeastern Conference record with 1,986 yards and had 23 touchdowns.
There are arguments against McCaffrey: He doesn’t play in the SEC (who cares; the Pac-12 has great teams and great athletes, too; that’s such a “2012 stance”); he’s not as big as Henry, nor does he lead the nation’s No. 1 ranked team like Watson.
The 2015 Heisman Trophy will be handed out on Saturday night in one of the most anticipated evenings of the college football season. The 6-2, 210-pounder was named the ACC Player of the Year as No. 1 Clemson – the nation’s only undefeated team – recorded its best season since 1981. He finished the season by throwing for at least 275 yards in his last six games (three 300-yard games) and rushed for at least 100 yards in four of his final five games. He gained 887 yards and scored 11 more touchdowns on the ground. In fact, because a minimum of three finalists are always named, we don’t know for sure if the third-place vote-getter is even close to No. 2. With a passing game that has been inconsistent, the Tide has leaned heavily on Henry in its biggest games. His size makes him hard to stop and he has the endurance to take more than 40 carries in a game.
Miles says not winning the Heisman or finishing as a Heisman finalist will likely motivate Fournette to have an even better year next season. He held a lead in ESPN’s Heisman Predictor for weeks, although Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey is now in front there after a dynamic performance in the Pac-12 title game.
The Heisman selection show is certainly a gaudy, exasperating affair for viewers, but it means the world to the players selected to attend. After two easy wins over Wofford and Appalachian State, Watson and the Tigers went on the road for a Thursday night showcase expected to display their skills.
Henry has blazed through school and SEC records in 2015, his first season as the primary running back.
So who should win and who will win? So why is Henry more Heisman-worthy?
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PRO PROSPECTS: A junior, Henry is widely regarded as the second-best running back who could be available in the 2016 draft behind Ohio States Ezekiel Elliott.
