Along with McCaffrey, Henry was trying to become the first running back to win the award since fellow Alabama’s Mark Ingram in 2009. Sanders’ record for total yardage (rushing, receiving, special teams) stood until this season and was broken by Stanford sophomore Christian McCaffrey, who finished second in this year’s Heisman voting. McCaffrey, who led college football in all-purpose yards, finished with 1,539 points while Clemson quarterback had 1,165.
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Henry thanked his grandmother for making him the person he is today in an emotional acceptance speech. “This was another event that I was invited to and blessed to be here, but the real, main goal is to win a national championship, and that’s still in front of us”. “Them two guys were great contenders for the trophy”. Watson led Clemson to an undefeated regular season and a No. 1 ranking.
The 81st Heisman victor was announced on December 12.
‘My heart was about to bust out my chest. I’m going to be motivated (for the playoff) regardless if I had won it or not. The voting was the closest since Ingram won by the slimmest margin ever, but it still was a comfortable victory for Henry. McCaffrey received 290 first-place votes.
Henry was the nation’s top rusher, finishing with 1,986 rushing yards, almost 100 more than Herschel Walker’s 1981 SEC record.
Henry has been Alabama’s workhorse. “People I’ve learned from growing up who helped me get to this moment, man. God is so good, and if you pray to him, he’ll hear you and he’ll prepare everything that you asked for”. Before the Heisman came a dose of humility. He also got to spend Friday and Saturday taking in the sights and sounds of his first trip to the Big Apple, like Central Park and Times Square. “I had dreams and aspirations [when I was young] of winning this trophy one day”. I’ve also been privileged to see Doug Flutie and Tim Tebow and Peyton Manning, just to name a few memorable stars on opposing teams.
Henry came to Alabama as a five-star recruit, but he was a backup on a crowded depth chart as a freshman and thought about transferring.
Henry experienced the trip with his mother, Jastacia Veal, his father Derrick Sr., his school coach Bobby Ramsey and two other coaches Pat Dunlap and J.T. Medley along with their families and Alabama officials. This season, he completed 46-of-84 attempts for 964 yards and six touchdowns, while throwing just one pick.
Bo Jackson, Auburn, 1985: The senior had 1,859 yards from scrimmage (1,786 rushing) and scored 17 times on the ground for the Tigers, who went 8-4, including a loss to Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl. The Crimson Tide’s Predator. “Stanford won the Pac-12 title”. Henry will try to do the same. The victor will advance to the national championship game on January 11 to face either Alabama or Michigan State.
Just as he did all season long, Henry deflected praise for his exceptional season in the same way that he shook off would-be tacklers en route to the end zone.
Alabama has placed its championship hopes on Henry’s broad shoulders and he has delivered.
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“This is like a dream of mine”, said the 21-year-old Henry, a 6-foot-3, 242-pound battering ram with breakaway speed.
