Najee Harris had the Best Game, Mac Jones Won his Showdown, but DeVonta Smith has been Alabama's Best Player in 2020
When the national awards are eventually given out for this college football season, here's the entire list of Alabama offensive players who know they won't be getting one:
John Metchie III.
Seriously, he's it.
The sophomore wide receiver has had a breakthrough season, helped ease the loss of injured standout Jaylen Waddle, and made a heads-up play to force a fumble following an interception Saturday night.
But he won't be part of the Home Depot Awards Show on Jan. 7.
Every other offensive starter could be making the banquet tour (if it happens), that's how good the Crimson Tide has been during the 2020 season. Florida was the latest to learn the hard way during the 52-46 shootout in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta.
"This is the absolute best, 'cause I absolutely love this team," Saban said during a postgame interview on the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The Gators had their hands full with possible Davey O'Brien Award winner Mac Jones, Doak Walker Award contender Najee Harris and Fred Biletnikoff Award favorite DeVonta Smith, as the best receiver in college football.
Moreover, the offensive line is a very strong candidate for the Joe Moore Award, which we're going to contend that the tight ends can share.
It could be a clean sweep of hardware, the likes of which no one has seen before, and that's not including numerous other honors ranging from the Outland Trophy for best interior lineman, to the Maxwell Award for most outstanding player and, of course, the Heisman Trophy.
With Florida quarterback Kyle Trask finishing with back-to-back losses, Alabama clearly has the top two frontrunners for college football's most prestigious award, with a third in the mix as well.
Barring something extreme in the election (and no, we're not going there), the Crimson Tide will have its third winner in 12 years.
The question is who? Who should get it?
"I'd say the whole team," sophomore safety Jordan Battle replied.
In a way the whole team will, especially since the No. 1 Crimson Tide has three legitimate, and outstanding, candidates who could give Alabama a win, place and show finish.
That probably won't happen due to Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, but it would be fitting considering how well undefeated Alabama has handled all the wild and crazy distractions of 2020. Nevertheless, 1-2-4 or 1-2-5 seems extremely plausible.
With voters putting three names down on their ballots, the tougher decision may be deciding whom gets left off.
Saturday night, Harris had 245 total yards and five touchdowns (two rushing and three receiving) to be named the game MVP. He'll head into the playoff with 1,278 rushing yards this season, as Alabama's all-time leading rusher, and only Tim Tebow has scored more touchdowns in league history.
"I can't thank the line enough for making this happen," Harris said. "To make those holes they should be up there too."
Jones had five touchdown passes and not only is way out in front to be the NCAA's passing champion, which is determined by a quarterbacks' passing-efficiency rating, but he's challenging Joe Burrow's single-season record set last year.
How could anyone vote for one and not the other?
As for Smith, who "only" had 184 receiving yards (200 total yards) and two touchdowns against the Gators, he's became Alabama's all-time leader in receiving yards (breaking Amari Cooper's mark of 3,463 yards) and is closing in on the SEC record.
He set the SEC Championship Game record with 15 receptions, two weeks after torching the school that likes to call itself DBU for a second straight year (L-S-shoe).
Maybe they can split the Heisman three ways or figure out a unique custody arrangement.
Here's how unusual it is for one team to dominate the Heisman hype:
Overall, just 14 Heisman winners were joined by a teammate in the top 10 of the voting.
Only three times in the last 50 years have two teammates finished in the top five together with one placing first. The last time three teammates landed votes for the Heisman was Ohio State in 1973 only they finished 2nd, 4th and 5th.
As for a first and second finish, that's only happened once.
In 1945, Notre Dame fullback Doc Blanchard edged halfback Glenn Davis for the award.
The following year, Davis won while Blanchard placed fourth, and quarterback Arnie Tucker was right behind him in fifth. Even more amazing was that Davis and Blanchard were also second and third in 1944, although it needs to be noted that a lot of programs weren't playing during World War II.
This time around, it was the coronavirus pandemic that thinned the competitive field, but that shouldn't take anything away from what Alabama (11-0 has done this season.
The guess here is that Jones will win because he plays the position that most voters seem to hold in the highest esteem, quarterback.
Although the Heisman used to be dominated by running backs, it's recently been taken over by the guys behind center. Since 2005, the only running backs to pick it up were both at Alabama, Mark Ingram II and Derrick Henry.
Harris won't get enough credit for the other parts of his game, blocking and receiving, even though he's third on the Crimson Tide in receptions.
"I've been catching the ball since birth," Harris quipped.
"I feel like the two guys we have up there is good enough."
Alabama Athletics
Smith also does a lot of other things well, including blocking. He was leading the way on one of Harris' biggest plays, plus also had a fumble recovery and fielded the onside kick.
The first time he touched the ball in the second quarter, Smith nearly broke a punt return. He still went 20 yards before getting up and making the international gesture for "missed it by that much" with his fingers.
“I don’t think there’s anyone that’s done more for their team than he’s done for ours," Saban said during an interview leading up to Saturday.
However, only two wide receivers have won the award, Desmond Howard and Tim Brown, plus two ends (Larry Kelley and Leon Hart), and one defensive player, although Charles Woodson also returned kicks and was an occasional wide receiver for Michigan in 1997.
Regardless, this Crimson Tide team will make history again when the Heisman winner is announced on Jan. 5. Everyone will have to wait to see exactly how.
Top Heisman Finishes by Teammates
Year Team Players (with position) Heisman Finish
1936 Yale: Larry Kelley (E), Clint Frank (QB) 1st, 5th
1938 TCU: Davey O’Brien (QB), Ki Aldri (C) 1st, 8th
1943 Notre Dame: Angelo Bertelli (QB), Creighton Miller (HB), Jim White (T) 1st, 4th, 9th
1944 Army: Glenn Davis (HB), Doc Blanchard (FB), Doug Kenna (QB) 2nd, 3rd, 8th
1944 Navy: Don Whitmire (T), Bob Jenkins (HB) 4th, 7th
1945 Army: Doc Blanchard (FB), Glenn Davis (HB) 1st, 2nd
1946 Army: Glenn Davis (HB), Doc Blanchard (FB), Arnie Tucker (QB) 1st, 4th, 5th
1949 Notre Dame: Leon Hart (E), Bob Williams (QB), Emil Sitko (HB) 1st, 5th, 8th
1952 Oklahoma: Billy Vessels (RB), Tom Catlin (C) 1st, 10th
1952 UCLA: Don Moomaw (LB), Paul Cameron (RB) 4th, 6th
1955 Navy: George Welsh (QB), Ron Beagle (E) 3rd, 7th
1956 Oklahoma: Tom McDonald (WR), Jerry Tubbs (C-LB) 3rd, 4th
1957 Michigan State: Walt Kowalczyk (RB), Dan Currie (RB) 3rd, 8th
1964 Notre Dame: John Huarte (QB), Jack Snow (WR) 1st, 5th
1966 Notre Dame: Nick Eddy (RB), Terry Hanratty (QB) 3rd, 8th
1966 UCLA: Gary Beban (QB), Mel Farr (RB) 4th, 7th
1967 Tennessee: Bob Johnson (C), Dewey Warren (QB) 6th, 8th
1969 Ohio State: Rex Kern (QB), Jim Otis (FB), Jack Tatum (S) 3rd, 7th, 10th
1970 Ohio State: Rex Kern (QB), Jack Tatum (S) 5th, 7th
1971 Oklahoma: Greg Pruitt (RB), Greg Mildren (QB) 3rd, 6th
1972 Nebraska: Johnny Rodgers (WR), Rich Glover (DT) 1st, 3rd
1973 Ohio State: John Hicks (OT), Archie Griffin (RB), Randy Gradishar (LB) 2nd, 4th, 5th
1973 Arizona State: Woody Green (WR), Danny White (QB) 8th, 9th
1974 Oklahoma: Joe Washington (RB), Rod Shoate (LB) 3rd, 7th
1975 Oklahoma: Joe Washignton (RB), Lee Roy Selmon (DT) 5th, 9th
1977 Notre Dame: Ken McAfee (TE), Ross Browner (DE) 3rd, 5th
1979 Southern California: Charles White (RB), Paul McDonald (QB) 1st, 6th
1982 Nebraska: Dave Rimington (C), Mike Rozier (RB) 5th, 10th
1983 Nebraska: Mike Rozier (RB), Turner Gill (QB) 1st, 4th
1989 Notre Dame: Tony Rice (QB), Raghib Ismail (WR) 4th, 10th
1990 Virginia: Shawn Moore (QB), Herman Moore (WR) 4th, 6th
1991 Florida State: Casey Weldon (QB, Terrell Buckley (CB) 2nd, 8th
1992 Miami (Fla): Gino Torretta (QB), Michael Barrow (LB) 1st, 7th
1992 Florida State: Marvin Jones (LB), Charlie Ward (QB) 4th, 6th
1994 Penn State: Ki-Jana Carter (RB), Kerry Collins (QB) 2nd, 4th
1994 Nebraska: Lawrence Phillips (RB), Zach Wiegert (OT) 8th, 10th
1995 Ohio State: Eddie George (RB), Bobby Hoying (QB) 1st, 10th
2001 Miami (Fla): Ken Dorsey (QB), Bryant McKinnie (OT) 3rd, 8th
2002 Miami (Fla): Willis McGahee (RB), Ken Dorsey (QB) 4th, 5th
2003 Southern California: Matt Leinart (QB), Mike Williams (WR) 6th, 8th
2004 Southern California: Matt Leinart (QB), Reggie Bush (RB) 1st, 5th
2004 Oklahoma: Adrian Peterson (RB), Jason White (QB) 2nd, 3rd
2004 California: J.J. Arrington (RB), Aaron Rodgers (QB) 8th, 9th
2008 Texas Tech: Graham Harrell (QB), Michael Crabtree (WR) 4th, 5th
2010 Stanford: Andrew Luck (QB), Owen Marecic (FB-LB) 2nd, 10th
2011 Wisconsin: Montee Ball (RB), Russell Wilson (QB) 4th, 9th
