Darren McFadden News
Running back finishes second in Heisman voting for second year
NEW YORK -- In finishing second to Ohio State's Troy Smith in the 2006 Heisman voting, it appeared as if Arkansas running back Darren McFadden was simply waiting his turn to etch his name onto the list of winners.
But once again, a quarterback squashed McFadden's Heisman hopes as Florida's Tim Tebow took home the hardware on Saturday.
McFadden became the first player since 1949 to finish second in consecutive years. It was not the kind of history he was looking to make and it leaves Southern California's Reggie Bush (2005) as the only running back this decade to win the award.
"Last year there was a clear-cut winner, but this year it was kind of up for grabs so it was a little nerve-racking," said McFadden on awaiting the announcement.
Last year, McFadden became only the seventh underclassman in the 72-year history of the Heisman to finish as one of the top two vote getters. Entering the season it was assumed that, barring injury or a major decline in output, this year would be Arkansas running back's year to grasp college football's most prized individual accolade.
Health was not an issue and McFadden's junior season yielded his best statistical output yet, but still McFadden had to settle for second best.
"I was here with two quarterbacks last year, and now I'm back with three others," said McFadden, the lone running back to be invited to this year's ceremony. "I'm just glad to have been invited back."
Once again, he was second best to a quarterback that did nearly as much damage with his feet as with his arm. McFadden's junior year numbers were all that one could ask for from a starting tailback.
He ran for 1,725 yards (143.75 per game), many of which came during a grueling SEC schedule. He scored 16 touchdowns (15 rushing, one receiving).
The Razorbacks' all-time leading rusher (4,485 yards) and all-purpose yardage leader (5,743), McFadden is the only player since Georgia's Herschel Walker to run for 1,000 yards as a freshman, sophomore and junior.
However, Walker won a Heisman and unfortunately for McFadden, Tebow was responsible for a staggering 51 touchdowns this season.
Perhaps even more eye-opening is that Tebow scored nearly as many touchdowns on the ground (22) as in the air (29), and he did it within the same conference that McFadden did his damage in.
"Darren is a great player and I'm honored to have met him over the past three days, said Tebow of the runner-up. "He will be one of the first guys picked in the NFL draft."
But if he leaves for the NFL early, he won't go to the NFL as a Heisman winner.
[More at nationalpost.com ]
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