2018 Awards Tracker - Murray Becomes Second Straight Oklahoma QB To Win Heisman

December 9, 2018 by CFP Staff

Bill Clark of UAB was announced today (Thursday, December 13) as the winner of the Eddie Robinson Award as Coach of the Year. UAB won the Conference USA title, just two years after returning to the field from a 2-year hiatus. Football was eliminated following the 2014 season for budgetary reasons, but Clark led the fight to get community and school support to re-start the program. Despite the unusual situation, Clark was able to guide the Blazers to a record of 8-5 in 2017 (6-2 in CUSA) and a mark of 10-3 (7-1, CUSA) this season.

Junior Kyler Murray on Saturday night (December 8) became the second consecutive Heisman winning quarterback from Oklahoma, edging out two other top collegiate QB's - Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa and Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins.

He becomes the first player to win the Heisman the year after taking over for another Heisman winner, Baker Mayfield. His victory also marks just the fourth time a school has won consecutive Heismans.

This yrear's vote was considerably tighter than 2017. Last year, Mayfield won by more than 1,000 points over Stanford RB of Bryce Love while this year's race was decided by 296 points.

"This is crazy. This is an honor," said Murray from the podium after being announced as the winner. "It’s something I’ll never forget. Something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life."

He’s the seventh Sooner to win the Heisman, joining Billy Vessels (’52), Steve Owens (’69), Billy Sims (’78), Jason White (’03), Sam Bradford (’08) and Mayfield (’17).  That total ties Notre Dame and Ohio State for most Heisman wins.

The 5-10, 195-pounder from Allen, Texas, threw for 4,054 yards and 40 touchdowns, with another 892 yards and 11 scores on the ground while leading the Sooners to a 12-1 record, the Big 12 title and a berth in the College Football Playoff. His passer rating of 205.72 is the best in Heisman history, eclipsing the mark of 203.76 set by Mayfield in 2017.

Ballots were emailed to 870 media personnel across the nation plus 58 Heisman winners and one fan ballot, for a total of 929 electors. The ballots were received and tabulated by the independent accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP. Murray polled 2,167 points to capture the award over Tua Tagovailoa of Alabama (1,871 points), and Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins (783 points). The point total is reached by a system of three points for a first place vote, two for a second and one for a third.

The top six vote-getters this year were all quarterbacks as opposed to 2017 when 4 of the top 6 were running backs.

UCF QB McKenzie Milton and Wisconsin RB Jonathan Taylor are the only two in this year's top 10 to have also made the top ten list in 2017. Milton was 8th last year and 6th this season. Taylor was 6th last season and 9th this year.

Murray will be officially inducted into the Heisman family at the 84th annual Heisman Memorial Trophy Dinner Gala on Sunday evening, December 9, 2017, at the Marriott Marquis in New York.

For more information, visit the official Heisman Trophy website.

Heisman Voting

Place	Player	School	Pos	Class	1st	2nd	3rd	Total Pts
1.	Kyler Murray	Oklahoma	QB	JR	517	278	60	2,167
2.	Tua Tagovailoa	Alabama	QB	SO	299	431	112	1,871
3.	Dwayne Haskins	Ohio State	QB	SO	46	111	423	783
4.	Will Grier	West Virginia	QB	SR	4	17	80	126
5.	Gardner Minshew II	Washington State	QB	SR	6	15	74	122
6.	McKenzie Milton	Central Florda	QB	SO	4	4	19	39
7.	Travis Etienne	Clemson	RB	SO	0	6	17	29
8.	McKenzie Milton	UCF	QB	SO	1	4	16	27
9.	Jonathan Taylor	Wisconsin	RB	SO	1	2	19	26
10.	Darrell Henderson	Memphis	RB	JR	0	3	15	21

All-time Heisman Trophy winners

Multiple individual awards in college football were handed out Thursday night. Highlights of the evening included Tagovailoa capturing the Maxwell Award for top player, but the Davey O'Brien Award for top quarterback went to Murray.

Alabama's Jerry Jeudy nabbed the Biletnikoff Award for top receiver, and Kentucky LB Josh Allen won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy for top defensive player. Texas A&M's Braden Mann was named top punter and received the Ray Guy Award from the Augusta Sports Council.

NOTE: CollegeFootballPoll.com's Dave Congrove is a:
- member of the Football Writers Association of America
- member of the National Football Foundation & College Hall Of Fame
- voting member for the College Football Hall Of Fame
- voting member for the Vince Lombardi Award
- voting member for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award
- voting member for the Ray Guy Award
- voting member for the Fred Biletnikoff Award
- voting member for the Lombardi Award
- voting member for the Maxwell Award
- voting member for the Bednarik Award
- voting member for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award
- nominating member for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy
- nominating member for the Outland Trophy
- nominating member for the FWAA All-America Team

Here are all of the 2018 major individual award winners:

AP Coach Of the Year: Brian Kelly, Notre Dame

Home Depot Coach Of the Year: Brian Kelly, Notre Dame

AP Player Of the Year: Kyler Muray, QB, Junior, Oklahoma

Chuck Bednarik Award (defensive player): Josh Allen, LB, Senior, Kentucky
Congrove's vote: Christian Wilkins, DL, Senior, Clemson

Fred Biletnikoff Award (receiver): Jerry Jeudy, WR, Sophomore, Alabama
Congrove's vote: Andy Isabella, WR, Senior, Massachusetts

Frank Broyles Award (assistant coach): Mike Locksley, OC, Alabama (hired by Maryland as head coach November 4).

Dick Butkus Award (linebacker): Devin White, LB, Junior, LSU

Walter Camp Award (top player): Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Sophomore, Alabama

Lou Groza Award (placekicker): Andre Szmyt, PK, Freshman, Syracuse

Ray Guy Award (punter): Braden Mann, P, Junior, Texas A&M
Congrove's vote: Braden Mann, P, Junior, Texas A&M

Paul Hornung Award (versatile player): Rondale Moore, WR/RS, Freshman, Purdue

Vince Lombardi Award (player of the year in performance, character, leadership, resiliency): Ugochukwu Amadi, Oregon, S

John Mackey Award (tight end): T.J. Hockenson, TE, Sophomore, Iowa

Robert W. (Tiny) Maxwell Award (top player):  Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Sophomore, Alabama
Congrove's vote: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Sophomore, Alabama

George Munger Coach of the Year:
Congrove's vote: Bill Clark, UAB

Bronko Nagurski Trophy (defensive player): Josh Allen, LB, Senior, Kentucky
Congrove nominated: Ben-Burr Kirven, LB, Senior, Washington

Davey O'Brien Award (quarterback): Kyler Murray, QB, Junior, Oklahoma

Outland Trophy (interior lineman): Quinnen Williams, DL, Sophomore, Alabama
Congrove nominated: Clelin Ferrell, DE, Junior, Clemson

Dave Rimington Trophy (center): Garrett Bradbury, C, Senior, N.C. State

Eddie Robinson Coach Of the Year: Bill Clark, UAB
Congrove's vote: Bill Clark, UAB

Jim Thorpe Award (defensive back): Deandre Baker, DB, Senior, Georgia

Johnny Unitas Award (senior, or 4th-year junior, quarterback): Gardner Minshew III, SR, Quarterback, Washington State

Doak Walker Award (running back): Jonathan Taylor, RB, Sophomore, Wisconsin