Sophomore running back Mark Ingram became the first player in Alabama’s long and storied football history to win a Heisman Trophy on Saturday, edging out Stanford Cardinal running back Toby Gerhart in the closest vote in the 75-year history of the award.
Ingram received 1,304 votes – or 28 more than Gerhart – to capture college football’s top honor.
The Flint, Michigan native is the third sophomore in a row – following Florida’s Tim Tebow (2007) and Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford (2008) – to win the award.
Not among the preseason favorites for the Heisman, Ingram pounded his way into consideration by leading the toughest football conference in the nation in rushing – and leading his team to a perfect 13-0 record. He began to emerge as a favorite of Heisman voters after shredding South Carolina’s defense for 246 yards in October, and then put an exclamation point on his season with a three touchdown performance in Alabama’s SEC Championship victory over top-ranked Florida.
Nine out of ten Heisman voters cast their ballots after the conference championships, which obviously helped Ingram.
The closest Heisman vote prior to this year’s balloting was 1985 – when Auburn tailback Bo Jackson won the Heisman over Iowa’s Chuck Long by just 45 points.
Ingram and the rest of Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide will play Texas for the national championship on January 7 in Pasadena.
FOR MORE …
Heisman Trophy (Official Website)
Local Product Mark Ingram Comes Into His Own (Detroit Free Press)
Did Ingram Deserve to Win? (FOX Sports)
Emotional Night For Ingram Family (ESPN)
By Liberty For Me December 13, 2009 at 9:48 am
I think this is the right call…He was tough all year long.
Toby Gerhart would have been intresting..When was the last time a white running back won the Heisman? 1940?
By Bobby December 14, 2009 at 12:28 am
I agree. I think it was the right call. Gerhart had the stats, but Ingram led his team to the national championship. There’s something to be said for winning.
By Don Johnson December 14, 2009 at 9:42 am
I wanted Suh to win. Defensive lineman from Nebraska? That would have been incredible.