Derrick Henry Wins Heisman, So What Now?
Well, first things first… I was way off! The last time a Heisman was given to a non-QB was 2009 and that was to running back Reggie Bush, who later returned the prestigious award. For the next five years, it’s been straight quarterbacks from there:
2010: Cam Newton
2011: Robert Griffin III
2012: Johnny Manziel
2013: Jameis Winston
2014: Marcus Mariota
One can never be too sure of the future, but I was 100 and ten percent (and then some) sure that the Heisman would go to Clemson quarterback, Deshaun Watson. After all, Watson is leading the #1 team in the country that is undefeated after the regular season. So, naturally, I thought that might pull his name to the top. Or maybe I’m possibly biased because of my past athletic status in the ACC?
I told the ACC Digital Network Producer, Andy Siegel, that it would be nice to see a different position winning the Heisman seeing that it’s been a five-year streak with a QB. All the while, I was thinking that there was no way it was actually going to happen.
Point being is that not only did Watson lose, but he came in third. Here’s the list of voting results:
- Derrick Henry, Alabama: 1,832 points
- Christian McCaffrey, Stanford: 1,539 points
- Deshaun Watson, Clemson: 1,165 points
At the beginning of the ceremony, Tim Tebow took a few moments to tell everyone of Henry’s work ethic; reminding the world that after Henry carried the ball 46 times in Alabama’s match-up against Auburn, the very next day he was seen in the gym squatting 500 pounds. Tebow put it simply, “the dude is a freak.” I would have to agree.
Once Henry beat out his fellow Heisman candidates for the Maxwell College Player of the Year award and took home both the Doak Walker and the Walter Camp Award earlier this week (making him the only player that night to take home three awards), it should’ve been fairly obvious who was in the front line for the Heisman. Henry now joins Mark Ingram as the only two players from Alabama to win it. Both players were coached by Nick Saban. Saban, of course, might have been thrilled to have his second Heisman winner, but he seemed well aware the season isn’t over yet.
Nonetheless, Derrick Henry is well-deserving of this award as he leads the country in carries (339), rushing yards (1986), and rushing touchdowns (23). However, it's not over till it's over. Alabama takes on Michigan State for the semifinals of the CFB Playoffs at AT&T stadium in Texas on New Year’s Eve. Until then, I only have two questions left for Derrick Henry….
Will he get the “Heisman Curse”? Last year’s Heisman winner, Marcus Mariota caught the curse after winning the award and then losing in the CFP Championship. The higher you rise the farther you have to fall. Henry has some tough competition left, but I trust his work ethic won’t let him stop here.
And last but not least, when is he declaring for the draft? If you missed my last article, I wrote on the current NFL Rookie Stars and which of their former college teammates are coming to join them. Henry is eligible for the draft this year and I assume he won’t announce his decision until after the playoffs. Nevertheless, I’m 100 and ten percent sure that he’ll follow Amari Cooper’s footsteps and declare early as a junior. Not to mention that 11 of the past 12 Heisman winners were drafted in the first round. But who knows? I have been wrong before.
