Derrick Henry was inducted into college football’s most exclusive and most prestigious fraternity, the brotherhood of Heisman Trophy winners.
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Running back Derrick Henry snapped a five-year streak of quarterback winners when he won the Heisman Trophy – the coveted award given to the top American football college player – late Saturday.
Stanford’s do-it-all running back Christian McCaffrey was the runner-up, making it four second-place finishes for Cardinal players in seven seasons.
Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey finished second in the balloting, followed by quarterback DeShaun Watson of Clemson. The voting was the closest since Ingram won by the slimmest margin ever, but it still was a comfortable victory for Henry. He received 1,832 points, 293 more than McCaffrey (1,539). Deshaun Watson got 1,165.
Mark Ingram, Alabama, 2009: The sophomore had 1,992 yards from scrimmage (1,658 rushing) and scored 20 touchdowns (17 rushing) for the Crimson Tide, who went 14-0 and beat Texas in the BCS National Championship Game.
Henry was born to teenage parents and raised with the strong influence of his grandmother, Gladys, in the small north Florida country town of Yulee, just outside of Jacksonville. Below the top three was a huge gap down to Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield (334) and Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds (180).
1,335 days later, Henry had to hold back tears as that dream finally was realized.
Mark Ingram, who is now with the NFL’s New Orleans Saints, and Henry are the only University of Alabama players to win the award. Gladys Henry has been hospitalized for weeks with heart and respiratory problems.
“I know that our entire organization is really happy, happy, happy for Derrick Henry tonight, winning the Heisman Trophy”, Saban said.
Reggie Bush, USC, 2005: The junior amassed 2,218 yards from scrimmage (1,740 rushing) and scored 19 touchdowns (16 rushing, two receiving, one on special teams) for the Trojans, who lost to Texas in the BCS National Championship Game.
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“I love you so much”, he said. Henry will try to do the same. The Tide faces Michigan State in a College Football Playoff semifinal on December 31.
