Alabama RB Derrick Henry Wins Heisman Trophy

Heisman Trophy finalists, from left, Alabama’s Derrick Henry, Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey and Clemson’s Deshaun Watson pose for a photo with the Heisman Trophy before the start of the award presentation show, Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015, in NY.

The Heisman Trophy race lacked numerous surprises traditionally associated with college football’s top individual award.

Henry is the first running back to win the Heisman since Alabama’s Mark Ingram won in 2009.

Henry finished with 1,832 total points in the final balloting, McCaffrey finished with 1,539 total points and Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson finished with 1,165.

Overall, he led the nation in all-purpose yards by over 1,000, and his 2,387 yards from scrimmage topped the nation and were 300 yards greater than the next-best player, who happened to be Henry.

Before taking home the award, Henry actually accomplished another feat by breaking the Southeastern Conference record of Herschel Walker for yards rushing, producing 1,986 in his career.

Butch Dill-USA TODAY SportsAlabama Crimson Tide running back Derrick Henry (2) celebrates with head coach Nick Saban following their win over the Florida Gators 29-15 in the 2015 SEC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome.

Clemson (Watson and defensive end Shaq Lawson), Stanford (McCaffrey and guard Joshua Garnett) and Ohio State (safety Vonn Bell and tackle Taylor Decker) each had two players on the first team. “I thought I was going to have a heart attack”, he said. And now you can add the Heisman Trophy to the list of SEC hegemony.

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.

Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield finished fourth and Navy’s Keenan Reynolds was fifth.

He’s known as one of college football’s best, but Saban played a little basketball with a recruit this week. “I have a lot to improve on, but it’s an honor to be mentioned with those names”. Most of the ballots are cast by media members (870) while 58 previous Heisman winners also vote.

“The year of the running back is what they call it this year”, Stanford running back and Heisman Trophy runner-up Christian McCaffrey said during a Heisman presser on Friday. Ingram and Alabama and Newton and Auburn did the double in back-to-back seasons, and Winston and FSU followed three years later. He literally put Alabama on his back during several occasions in 2015 and is arguably the greatest RB in Crimson Tide History.

CBS actually began Henry’s campaign this year during its prime-time telecast of the Alabama-LSU showdown on November 7. Even if the “88 Heisman victor did it in two fewer games, the fact remains that no one had come close to his mark until McCaffrey’s smashing season”.

To other voters, that definition means the most valuable player.