Alabama football: Heisman Trophy was never more perfect than for Tide's DeVonta Smith
There have been deserving winners of the most famous 25-pound hunk of bronze — think Florida’s Tim Tebow in 2007 and Barry Sanders from Oklahoma State in 1988. Georgia’s Herschel Walker deserved it well before 1982, same with Auburn’s Bo Jackson in 1985.
And there have been curious claimants of the Downtown Athletic Club’s annual award — players like Miami’s Gino Torretta in 1992, Nebraska’s Eric Crouch in 2001 and Notre Dame’s Paul Hornung in 1956 come to mind.
DeVonta Smith? Ever since he first burst on the national stage by being on the receiving end of the most famous 2nd-and-26 in college football history, Smith simultaneously felt destined for the Heisman Memorial Trophy and to play second banana throughout his storied Alabama career.
Smith was always the “other” receiver with the Crimson Tide, from that unforgettable night against Georgia in Atlanta even to Tuesday night. Four years ago, Smith was just another in a long line of talented receivers looking up at Calvin Ridley. Later on, it was Hall in the back seat behind Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy. Even Tuesday night, the Heisman ceremony itself was nearly outshined in Alabama by news that Jaylen Waddle was back at practice after missing 4 months due to a broken ankle.
Through it all, Smith quietly developed an unforgettable spot in Alabama lore. And Tuesday night, he became both the 3rd Heisman Trophy winner in school history and the 1st wide receiver to hoist Mr. Stiff Arm since Michigan’s Desmond Howard did it in 1991.
Tuesday night, finally, Smith both became the unquestioned WR1 in Alabama history and writ his name — indelibly — in Crimson flame.
Nicknamed the “Slim Reaper,” Smith ascended to the pinnacle of college football simply by doing the work. Although Tide quarterback and fellow finalist Mac Jones garnered a lot of Heisman hype in 2020, the 6-1, 175-pound Smith just went about the business of torching defenses week after week. Having decided to forego a shot at going to the NFL after his junior season, Smith set the SEC and Alabama career record for receiving touchdowns with 40, passing the previous mark of 31 held by Alabama’s Amari Cooper (2012-14) and Florida’s Chris Doering (1992-95). And Smith’s 3,750 career receiving yards are the most in school history.
Smith’s 2020 season was undeniably unforgettable all by itself — as he caught 105 passes for 1,641 yards and 20 touchdowns — tied for the most in SEC history. Smith also returned punts whenever teams were foolish enough to kick it at him, tallying 9 returns for 219 yards and an 84-yard touchdown against Arkansas that proved to be his Heisman Moment.
Smith has already collected plenty of awards for his 2020 efforts, ranging from consensus All-American to the Biletnikoff Award to the AP College Football Player of the Year — the only wide receiver to win the honor.
But the Heisman is a completely different piece of hardware.
The Downtown Athletic Club has historically spurned Alabama through the years until running back Mark Ingram broke through in 2009 and Derrick Henry won it in 2015. Ten Alabama players have been finalists, the most players from one program since the award presentation began inviting finalists in 1982. Oklahoma with 11 has more appearances as Heisman finalists than Alabama, but the Sooners have had players who were invited more than once. Alabama’s Heisman finalists have been David Palmer in 1993, Jay Barker in 1994, Ingram in 2009, Trent Richardson in 2011, AJ McCarron in 2013, Amari Cooper in 2014, Henry in 2015, QB Tua Tagovailoa in 2018, and Jones and Smith in 2020.
Notably, too, 100% of Alabama Heisman winners have also helped lead the Tide to a national championship. Ingram and Alabama downed Texas in the 2009 BCS title game in the Rose Bowl, and Henry helped the Tide to the 2015 CFP title in Arizona. It is now on Smith to carry that torch Monday against Ohio State.
From a tiny town like Amite City, La., (population 4,141) to the top of the college football world (population 80), Smith never forgot where he came from even as he stands as tall as he likely ever will.
“To come from a small place like Amite, you have to work every day, day in and day out,” Smith said after hoisting the Heisman for the first time. “Nobody else might believe in you, but you have to believe in yourself.”
“With team success comes individual success, and without my teammates, I wouldn’t be where I am today. And to all the kids who aren’t the biggest or the strongest, you can do it. Just keep pushing. I’m not the biggest or the strongest, and never have been. If you put your mind to it and believe in God, you can get to wherever you want to be.”
It is said that winning the Heisman Trophy becomes the first line of your eventual obituary. That’s a strange tag to hang on a 22-year-old, but that’s what the Heisman means.
Surrounded by teammates and with a tiny town’s worth of family and friends socially distanced behind him Tuesday night, DeVonta Smith finally was recognized the Most Outstanding Player in College Football.
A Heisman moment? Absolutely. A Heisman-worthy winner? Without question.
Najee should have been #4 ahead of trask
Congratulations DeVonta Smith. The place that you came from is a long way from the place that you are going.
Actually the Heisman was not intended for players on de facto NFL teams. I don’t think anyone from Alabama should have won the Heisman because Alabama is essentially an NFL team playing in the NCAA. With their plethora of talent, you cannot truly tell whether anyone in particular is exceptional.
Go blow it out of your @ss. You would not know class if it was tattooed on your @ss. Go give your finalist a reach around.
If they are essentially an NFL team, all of the players must be good, since they good play in the pros. Including Mac Jones, and Devonta Smith. Honestly, this just means they should get it even more because they are good enough to be playing on an “NFL team.”
So you’re saying Trask should have won…because Florida would have sucked without him? Sure that’s news to Pitts and the rest of his receiving corps that’s considered the best in the SEC outside of Tuscaloosa.
The best players are the ones who accomplish more with less. That excludes all Alabama players, as their team is essentially an NFL team. Brett Favre comes to mind. Did you rubes know he never played with a single Hall of Famer on offense? Kyle Trask too. He had no running game and and opposing defenses knew he was going to throw on practically every down. That’s what makes all the passing records he broke this season all the more amazing. DeVonta Smith was good of course, but defenses had to defend against Alabama’s superior offensive line and superior running game. Those weren’t factors when teams played Florida.
Another factor that YOU are not keeping in play is the fact that sometimes, Devonta was double covered or in coverage with the teams best corner. Stingley comes to mind. He was touted on the season as the best in coverage, yet Devonta roasted him and everyone else. Because of Waddle’s injury, teams were able to focus on the true WR1 of Devonta, yet they couldn’t contain him. That’s true greatness.
The biggest dumba$& is the person that copy and pastes the same ignorant comment across multiple articles..
This comment was stupid the first time I had to read it but the second time I think it actually killed some brain cells. Go be salty elsewhere you big baby.
Starting to think this is Trash himself.
Now that’s funny.
That’s like saying Cincinnati or Iowa State were the best teams this year because they managed to “accomplish more with less.”
I mean it goes both ways. Sure trask did more with lesser talent around him but the fact that he throws every single down is gonna automatically pad his stats. REAL TALK how many more TDs would Jones have had if we hadn’t handed off to Najee all those plays inside the 5-10 yd line. When Kyler Murray won over Tua, I congratulated him on an outstanding season. But you…You’re just an ignorant hater with no grasp on the game. Happy New Year and Roll Tide!!
He threw to 2 All Americans. Both of those All Americans are considered 1st round. Pitts is rated as top ten. Yeah, Trask did more with less is BS. What did he do with the scout team? Ahh, 3 ints and another loss.
So it should be the player who does more with less…what did Trask do in the final game when his primary targets weren’t there? And what did Smith do when arguably WR1 went down in October? I remember the “experts” announcing the Alabama offense was done without Waddle.
Trask had a great season and should be remembered as one of the best QBs out of UF. That being said, you can’t take away from the accomplishments of Smith this season. And he didn’t have a Heisman hype PR campaign pushing his name all season either. Najee Harris deserved more love as well considering his efforts all year.
Congrats to you, young man. Richly deserved. Now one more college football game before you become a millionaire.
Well scribe with that logic I guess Tebow shouldn’t have won the heisman & burrow shouldn’t won have last year..
@editlor Tebow won the Heisman when the Gators had 3 regular season losses. Then they lost their bowl game, for 4 losses. They weren’t that good.
Well deserved reward for your tireless efforts. Congratulations, and I wish you the best at the next level.
Congratulations young man. Well deserved Heisman Winner. Great player, hopefully the giants draft him!!! Lol
It’s incredible with receivers like Julio, Amari, Ridley, Riggs, and Jeudy, that a little guy from a small Louisiana town could surpass them all. It’s like the old saying it’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog. Snotty will never be the biggest or the strongest but he has the most heart.
Well deserved win. Congrats to this fine young man.
Imagine when ed finishes his wall around the state of Louisiana and the Travis Etiennes and Devonta Smiths of the world stay home and play for the bayou bengals…
I told you we are building a wall around Louisiana and Alabama is going to pay for it!
Roll Tide! Way to go Devonta!!!
I wonder how many Heisman Trophy winners can say they played on gunner on the punt team.
Well deserved. The young man is an amazing player and more importantly, seems like a great young man. Go win one more game now.
Congrats to Smith it was clear he was the best player in college football and deserved it. Not that it matters but I think it’s complete BS that Tlaw was second Mac and Trask were both way better
Congrats to Bama and Smith. Was actually surprised that Jones wasn’t second.
Smith is the first LEGITAMATE Heisman winner bammer has had… the others were media creations.
I am sure that is a surprise to the other 2. I mean Ingram has had a 10 year career in the NFL, and Henry is probably on his way to the HoF. He just exceeded 2,000 yards rushing and led the NFL in rushing for the second straight year. Personally I think you are a dumb@ss.
How Heisman winners do in the NFL has NOTHING to do with whether or not they deserved to win the trophy… from your statement, it CONFIRMS that you are the dumbass…