Alabama Crimson Tide players take home several major college football awards

While Alabama prepares for Monday’s national championship game against the state of Ohio, five Carmine Red Tide players were individually honored Thursday at the prize-giving ceremony of the University of the Depot House.

As expected, Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith received the Fred Biletnikoff Award (highest receiver), while quarterback Mac Jones (Davey O’Brien), left tackle Alex Leatherwood (Outland), defenceman Najee Harris (Doak Walker) and center Landon Dickerson (Rimington) were honored for their excellent seasons.

Smith also won the Maxwell Award, given to the best player in the country, and became the first non-quartermaster to win this award since Alabama’s Derrick Henry in 2015, where he also won the Heisman.

Here is the list of the individual awards of which the winners have been announced on Thursday:

The Davey O’Brien Award: Jones, a first-team member of the Associated Press All-American, threw for 4,036 yards with 36 touchdowns and only four interceptions. The other finalists were Trevor Lawrence of Clemson, who finished ahead of Jones in the Heisman Trophy vote, and Kyle Trask of Florida.

Fred Biletnikoff Award: It is fitting that Smith, who became the first center receiver to win the Heisman since Desmond Howard played for Michigan in 1991, also won the Biletnikoff. The other two finalists were Ole Miss Elijah Moore and Kyle Pitts from Florida. Smith took 105 passes for 1,641 yards and 20 touchdowns and the championship game is not over yet.

Maxwell Award: Smith’s award with the Heisman, Maxwell and Biletnikoff guarantees that his 2020 season will be remembered as one of the best for several recipients in the history of university football. The other Maxwell finalists were teammates Jones and Clemson Lawrence.

The Doak Walker Award: Harris ran for 1,387 yards (6.1 yards per carry) with a national record of 24 touchdowns. He had a total of 303 yards in the last two victories of Alabama, against Florida in the SEC-championship game (178) and against Notre Dame in the semifinals of the school soccer game (125). The Iowa State Brace Hall, the best long-distance runner in the country, and Travis Etienne de Clemson were also finalists.

Overseas Trophy: Lederhout is the third Crimson Tide member to win the Outland Award since 2016, after Quinnen Williams (2018) and Cam Robinson (2016). Cotterwood, one of the best left tackle in the NFL, defeated Liam Eichenberg of Notre Dame and Davion Nixon of Iowa. Last season’s winner, Pena Sewell of Oregon, dropped out before the start of the season.

Rimington Trophy: Dickerson, who was unanimously selected as an All-American, defeated Tyler Linderbaum of Iowa State and Josh Myers of Ohio State to win the trophy for the best center of the nation.

Chuck Bednarik Award: Zaven Collins of Tulsa won the award for best defender in the country for Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah of Notre Dame and Patrick Surtain II of Alabama. In eight games, Collins had 53 tackles, 11.5 loss packages, four bags and four samples. Collins also received the Bronko Nagurski award two weeks ago.

Lou Groza Award: Jose Borregales from Miami was named the country’s top scorer after an almost perfect season. He converted 20 of the 22 field goals – including 2 of more than 50 yards – and converted all 37 extra point attempts. The other finalists were Will Reichardt (Alabama) and Jake Oldroyd (BYU).

Ray Guy Award: Georgia Tech’s Pressley Harvin III made history by being the first African-American to win the nation’s best player award. He took an average of 48.0 yards per kick and 18 of his 45 shots came within the opponent’s 20-yard line. He beat Jake Camarda from Georgia and Lou Headley from Miami.

The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award: TCU security Trevon Moehrig, who announced Saturday his entry into the NFL draft, won the award for the best defensive back in the country. He was part of the first ESPN All-American team and defeated Richie Grant of UCF and Alabama Surtain to win.

John Mackey Award: Florida Pitts, also a Biletnikoff finalist, was named best player of the national team after catching 43 passes for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns. The other finalists were Charlie Kolar from Iowa State and Jalen Weidermeyer from Texas A&M.