*If you hadn’t heard – until you saw our headline – that Louiville‘s Lamar Jackson had won the 2016 Heisman Trophy award, we’re sure you’re not surprised. Actually it would’ve been a shock if he hadn’t.
OK, having said the preceding, Saturday night (12-10-16) Jackson, 19, became the first Louisville player to win the Heisman Trophy, beating out preseason favorite Deshaun Watson of Clemson despite some late-season struggles.
Watson, who finished third last season, was a distant second. Baker Mayfield finished third and Oklahoma teammate and fellow finalist Dede Westbrook was fourth. Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers was fifth.
Jackson said he could feel his heart pounding in his chest right before his name was announced. He barely held it together while giving his acceptance speech, with the former Heisman winners standing behind him on stage.
“I almost cried,” Jackson said. “I never get emotional, but to have my name called and see all those great players …”
Early in the season, Jackson leapt over a loaded field of Heisman contenders that included five of the top seven vote-getters from 2015 to become the front-runner. By the time he slowed down nobody could catch him.
Jackson accounted for 51 touchdowns and averaged 410 yards per game in total offense in his first season as Louisville’s full-time starter.
“He surpassed everything I thought he could do,” Louisville coach Bobby Petrino said.
You can read the rest of this story on Lamar Jackson winning the Heisman Trophy at Fox (Sports) News
See more photos of Jackson and other Heisman finalists at Twitter.
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