Sophomore running back Christian McCaffrey has been awarded the 2015 Paul Hornung Award, given to the most versatile player in college football.
McCaffrey, who is also a finalist for the Heisman Trophy and was a finalist for the Walter Camp, Doak Walker and the Maxwell Awards as well, broke Barry Sanders’ 27-year-old record of 3,250 all-purpose yards in a season during Stanford’s victory over USC in the Pac-12 Championship and will have a chance to extend his lead atop the record books in Stanford’s Jan. 1 matchup with Iowa in the Rose Bowl.
He demonstrated unparalleled versatility this season, finishing second in the nation with 1,847 rushing yards and also second among running backs in receiving yards this season with 540. He was also the nation’s second-leading kickoff returner with 1,042 yards on 36 returns. He was also 2-of-3 as a passer with two touchdown passes — good for second on the team.
He remarked on the ESPN College Football Awards Show on Thursday night that the one thing he wished he could have done this season was return a punt for a touchdown — seemingly the only disappointing stat of his remarkable season was 67 yards on his 14 punt returns.
Running back Derrick Henry of Alabama swept the Doak Walker, Maxwell and Walter Camp Awards. McCaffrey and quarterback Deshaun Watson of Clemson were both finalists for the Maxwell Award, rounding out the identical group of finalists (including Henry) that will take the stage for the Heisman Trophy in New York on Saturday. The group of finalists was also nearly the same for the Doak Walker, but instead of Watson, LSU’s Leonard Fournette was a finalist.
In addition to those trio, Desmond King of Iowa and Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma were the other finalists for the Walter Camp.
The other finalists for the Hornung Award were Adoree’ Jackson of USC, Robert Nkemdiche of Ole Miss and Jabrill Peppers of Michigan.
Contact Do-Hyoung Park at dhpark ‘at’ stanford.edu.