Heisman Trophy 2015: Finalists announced

The 2015 Heisman Trophy finalists have been announced

Candidacy for the Heisman Trophy is one of the most fragile things in all of college football. The Heisman is without question the most coveted individual award in the sport, largely because of what it rewards. Incredible stats alone don’t just get the job done; instead, it takes a sustained level of success from both the individual and his team. On Monday night, three players got one step closer to being named the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner.

The three finalists for the 2015 Heisman Trophy were announced on Monday night on ESPN by 1998 Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams and, despite the incredible performances that have been put forth throughout the year, it was hard to argue with the three players chosen:

Running back Derrick Henry of the Alabama Crimson Tide has been just wildly dominant all season and has been the driving force in the offense of the second-ranked team in the nation. He’s rushed for 1,986 yards on 339 carries this season while making 23 trips to the end zone as well.

Then there’s Clemson Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson who has been at the helm for the undefeated No. 1 Tigers all year and performed phenomenally. He’s created 4,399 yards of total offense this season to go along with 30 passing touchdowns and 11 rushing touchdowns, making his case for the Heisman unavoidable.

However, there’s been no one all season who can hold a candle to Stanford Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey in terms of all-purpose yardage. As a back, receiver, kick-returner, and even passer at times, McCaffrey has racked up 1,847 yards rushing, 540 yards receiving, 1,042 yards as a returner, and has amassed 15 total touchdowns on the year for the Pac-12 champions.

This is undoubtedly going to be one of the tightest Heisman races in recent memory with so many viable candidates for the award and the debate will undoubtedly rage on until the announcement is made on Saturday, Dec. 12 about who should go down in history as the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner.