Although being selected for the College Football Hall of Fame is considered the biggest honor a former player or coach can receive, here are the top awards Alabama players have won over the years:

1. Heisman Trophy: Mark Ingram (2009)

Although by Alabama standards it had been 117 yards in the making, maybe the best thing about Mark Ingram wining the 2009 Heisman Trophy was his acceptance speech.

“I’m a little overwhelmed right now,” he said after finally reaching the stage of the Nokia Theater. “I’m just so excited to bring Alabama their first Heisman winner.”

While the roars were heard throughout the theater, and back in both Alabama and his hometown of Flint, Michigan, the sophomore running back couldn’t contain the emotions after seeing the tears flood out of his mother’s eyes.

Ingram proceeded to thank everyone he could think of, from his coaches and teammates down to the support staff and teachers. The seemingly impossible had happened and he wasn’t going to miss anyone.

“I’m very excited,” he said.

Adding to the drama was that the vote turned out to be the closest in Heisman history, with Ingram topping Stanford running back Toby Gerhart by just 28 points. Previously, the narrowest margin was 1985, when only 45 points separated Auburn running back Bo Jackson from runner-up Chuck Long of Iowa, which was also the last time a Southeastern Conference running back won the trophy.

With the Heisman using a 3-2-1 point system, and a first-place vote worth three votes, second two and third one, Ingram finished with 1,304 points, just edging Gerhart’s 1,276, Texas quarterback Colt McCoy’s 1,145, and Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh’s 815 (the most points ever for a fourth-place finisher).

Ingram had the most first-place votes, 227, compared to Gerhart’s 222, and won every region except the West (Gerhart) and Southwest (Suh), where he was third in both. He topped the South with 254 points compared to McCoy’s 176 and Gerhart’s 165.

Ingram tallied 1,648 rushing yards to set the Alabama single-season record, and 1,992 all-purpose yards while scoring 20 touchdowns. He had nine 100-yard games, including a season-high and Bryant-Denny Stadium record 246 yards against No. 22 South Carolina on October 17.

Previously, David Palmer had the Tide’s best Heisman finish, third in 1993. The following year Jay Barker placed fifth, the last time Alabama had a finalist invited to New York.

“You know I really wasn’t aware until Mark was in the thick of all this that that was really the case,” said Coach Nick Saban, who never had a Heisman finalist before. “You don’t really think about things like that. It made this an even greater opportunity from a big-picture standpoint.”

For an encore, Ingram, who was also named the Sporting News player of the year, helped lead the Crimson Tide to a 37-21 victory over Texas in the BCS Championship Game at the Rose Bowl.

2. William V. Campbell Award: Barrett Jones (2012)

Although it’s had more than one name over the years, the William V. Campbell Trophy is essentially considered the academic Heisman Trophy.

“It’s pretty heavy,” Jones said after being presented the 25-pound bronze trophy at the National Football Foundation’s annual awards banquet in New York City, where the College Football Hall of Fame also inducted its latest class.

Although Jones was in a walking boot due to a foot injury sustained in the SEC Championship Game, he then quickly proceeded to thank his coaches, teammates and parents.

“I hope I’ve made him proud,” he said specifically about his father.

Jones was one of 15 players named to the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class in October, who made up the field of Campbell finalists, and received an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship. For winning he also received another $7,000 in postgraduate funds for a total scholarship of $25,000.

Jones was the first player from Alabama to win the Campbell, formerly known as the Draddy Award, and just the sixth to be a National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete, joining Johnny Musso (1971), Randy Hall (1974), Steadman Shealy (1979), DeMeco Ryans (2005) and Greg McElroy (2010).

Jones also had the unique experience of winning the Outland Trophy for best interior lineman when he played left tackle during he 2011 season, and the Rimington Award for the nation’s best center in 2012, in addition to the ACA Sportsmanship Award.

After defeating Notre Dame in the BCS Championship Game Jones disclosed that his foot issue was actually a lisfranc ligament injury that would require surgery and have a prolonged recovery time.

“They had to help me out tonight because I really wasn’t 100 percent,” Jones said about his fellow offensive linemen. “They did a great job of rallying around me and helping me get through this because I was in a lot of pain.

“There was no way I was missing this one.”

3. Maxwell Award: AJ McCarron (2013)

Although Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston beat him out for the Davey O’Brien Award for best quarterback, and the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, AJ McCarron won the biggest honor at the 2013 Home Depot College Football Awards Show when he was presented with the Maxwell Award as the game’s most outstanding player.

“Super surprised,” the stunned McCarron said when he finally got on stage to accept the trophy.

Former Syracuse player Don McPherson, the Maxwell winner in 1987, presented the award and the other finalist was Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, whom McCarron had squared off against twice.

“This is an honor to be here,” McCarron said. “This is awesome. I cannot thank my teammates enough. They made this all possible.”

McCarron ended up 36-4 as a starting quarterback and set Crimson Tide career records for passing yards (9,019), touchdown passes (77), total offense (8,969), and completions (686). He was on pace to set the record for highest completion percentage (67.0), and set the Southeastern Conference record for best interception per attempt ratio.

While he averaged an interception every 68.4 pass attempts, Tim Tebow had the previous league record at 62.2 (2006-09), Fresno State’s Billy Volek holds the national record at 77.8 (1997-99).

Overall, he won three national championship rings, two as a starter. His senior season he completed 226 of 336 passes (67.3 percent), for 3,063 yards and 28 touchdowns, with and seven interceptions.

McCarron also won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, but finished second to Winston in Heisman voting.

“It’s an honor,” McCarron said. “Not many people can say they are Heisman finalist and finished No. 2. Second best in school history, which is pretty cool, with all the great players how played here. I had fun.”

4. Biletnikoff Award: Amari Cooper (2014)

Although Alabama has had some terrific wide receivers over the years, Amari Cooper redefined the position this season.

His single-season statistics of 115 receptions for 1,656 yards and 14 touchdowns were all Crimson Tide records, as were his career numbers of 219 catches for 3,392 yards and 29 touchdown receptions – with potentially two games yet to play in the playoffs.

Cooper also set the Alabama single-game record of 224 receiving yards not once, but twice, at Tennessee and vs. Auburn when he was wearing a brace to help support a bruised knee.

In the SEC Championship Game he surpassed Vanderbilt’s Jordan Matthews for most receptions in a season in SEC history, and the most catches in the league title game with 12 (Reidel Anthony of Florida, 11 in 1996).

Consequently, the SEC Offensive Player of the Year, was thought to be a huge favorite to win the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s outstanding college receiver, the first Crimson Tide player and second from the SEC, to receive the prestigious award, and was a Heisman Trophy finalist.

“The thing that was so impressive about Amari Cooper was that he came to our summer camp before his senior year (in high school) and the guy was … I think maybe, and we’ve had some good receivers that have been through our camps all these years, he may have been the most impressive to me in terms of his ability, his ability to change direction and get out of a break, the quickness, acceleration, the speed, good hands, hard worker,” Coach Nick Saban said. “I walked away from that camp saying ‘You know this guy may be the best receiver we’ve ever had in our camps,’ and we’ve had some really good ones.”

During his senior season, Saban used words like “outstanding” and “phenomenal.”

5. Butkus Award: Derrick Thomas (1988)

It was still considered a new award, but one the first recipients of the Butkus Award had a lasting impact.

In 1988, Derrick Thomas barely edged Broderick Thomas of Nebraska as the nation’s outstanding college linebacker.

At the time the Butkus was selected by a 12-member panel. Derrick Thomas received four first-place votes and a total of 22 points. Broderick Thomas had three first-place votes and 20 points. Mike Stonebreaker of Notre Dame was third, followed by Keith DeLong of Tennessee and Percy Snow of Michigan State.

“I just want to thank God for blessing me with some athletic talent and letting me play for the University of Alabama,” Thomas said after winning the fourth Butkus ever awarded.

He also finished tenth in voting for the Heisman Trophy.

For his career Thomas was credited with 204 tackles, 74 tackles for loss, 10 forced fumbles, two safeties and nine blocked kicks. He also had 52 sacks, which is the Southeastern Conference career record, and 27 his final year.

However, Thomas isn’t listed among the NCAA’s all-time sacks leaders because it didn’t start including defensive categories in the official statistics until 2000 even though most conferences and schools had started keeping track by 1982.

Thus, Terrell Suggs of Arizona State (2000-02) has the official career record with 44, and Arizona’s Tedy Bruschi (1991-85) has the single-season mark of 27.

Since Thomas took his last snap with the Crimson Tide, no SEC player has had more than 36 career sacks (Georgia’s David Pollack, 2001-04), and even Tennessee legend Reggie White only had 32 (1980-83). Among Alabama players, Kindal Moorehead (1998-2002) is distant second on the program’s all-time list with 25. The most by a player during the Nick Saban era is Wallace Gilberry with 10 in 2007.

6. Disney Spirit Award (2011)

One of the highlights of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show is the presentation of the Disney Spirit Award, which goes to college football’s most inspirational player, team or figure.

In 2011, long-snapper Carson Tinker accepted on behalf of the Crimson Tide for its efforts to aid victims and help rebuild the Tuscaloosa community following the devastating tornado(s) that impacted both the area and state in April.

“This award does not represent me, it represents our team, our university and the Tuscaloosa community,” Tinker said. “Everyone reached out and pulled together as a family in the face of this tragedy. The tornado took so much from us, but with a spirit of hope and a lot of hard work, we have begun the healing process. I am very proud of how this team and this community rallied together after such a devastating storm.”

Tinker and his girlfriend Ashley Harrison had taken refuge in a closet when a tornado destroyed the house in which he lived. She was killed while he sustained numerous injuries, but was able to recover in time for the season.

Alabama went on to bring much needed hope to the area by securing a spot in the BCS National Championship Game, where it defeated LSU 21-0 for the title.

7. Doak Walker Award: Trent Richardson (2011)

Although running back Trent Richardson having slightly better numbers than Mark Ingram in 2009 wasn’t enough to win the Heisman Trophy, it did land Alabama’s first Doak Walker Award as the nation’s best running back.

With an extra game in hand Ingram finished with 1,658 rushing yards, 334 receiving, 1,992 total and 20 touchdowns, which worked out to an average of 118.4 rushing yards and 142.3 total yards per game. With his final game yet to be played Richardson has 1,583 rushing yards, 327 receiving, 1,910 total and 23 touchdowns, for an average of 131.9 rushing yards and 159.2 total yards.

Richardson was also consider complete running back who can do everything well, from catch passes to being a good pass-blocker who picked up blitzes well.

Nevertheless, he placed third in the Heisman voting behind Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck.

“He shouldn’t get pigeon-holed into being a bruising back because to me he’s so much more,” Coach Nick Saban said. “He’s a great leader on our team. He’s a hard worker and sets a great example. He cares about the other players on the team. He’s certainly a very productive and competitive guy, who has been as good of a player as I have had the opportunity to coach in terms of the whole package. I think bruising back would be an insult to all that he is, even though he does that too because he’s really tough and physical.”

8. Lombardi Award: Cornelius Bennett (1986)

Two years before Derrick Thomas won the Butkus Award, Cornelius Bennett was the 17th recipient of the Lombardi Award as college football’s outstanding lineman.

He was the first linebacker and first player from the Southeastern Conference to win the award.

“I’ll never forget this,” Bennett said. “I’ll remember this until the day I die and I’ll pass it on to my kids.”

After the award was presented by the Houston Rotary Club the local story was that Oklahoma junior linebacker Brian Bosworth didn’t win. The other finalists were senior defensive tackle Jerome Brown of Miami, and junior linebacker Chris Spielman of Ohio State.

The three-time All-American also finished seventh in Heisman Trophy voting and was named the SEC player of the year. During his four seasons with the Crimson Tide he was credited with 287 tackles, 21½ sacks – including “The Sack” against Notre Dame quarterback Steve Beuerlein in 1986 — and three fumble recoveries.

The second-overall selection of the 1987 NFL Draft had a 14-yard pro career that included five Super Bowl appearances.

9. Butkus Award: Rolando McClain (2009)

Of all the awards Alabama players have won no one may have been more unsuspecting than linebacker Rolando McClain in 2009. He received a phone call on a Monday night asking him to be at the football building the next morning for a meeting with Coach Nick Saban followed by an interview session with media. He was also told to dress up.

“I was thinking, ‘Why do I need to wear slacks and a collared shirt?'” McClain said. “We don’t do media like that.”

He still didn’t realize something was up until reaching Saban’s office when Dick Butkus walked in carrying his namesake trophy, which annually goes to the nation’s best linebacker.

“I had no idea,” McClain said. “I’m really a loss for words. I didn’t expect it. Individual awards are great, but my main focus is to get my team ready for the national championship.”

He later added: “Obviously I’m real excited for the award. I’m sure my mom will be proud.”

“He was really surprised,” Saban said. “It was a lot of fun.”

It was the second national honor on consecutive days for McClain, who was named the winner of the Jack Lambert Award as the nation’s top linebacker by the Touchdown Club of Columbus (Ohio).

10. Outland Trophy: Chris Samuels (1999)

The 1999 Crimson Tide, which won the SEC title, was primarily known for the tandem of running back Shaun Alexander running through holes created by left tackle Chris Samuels.

The All-American Samuels had started 42 straight games without yielding a sack or pressure, but didn’t play in his final game, the Orange Bowl, due to injury concerns.

He was the third-overall draft pick by the Washington Redskins in 2000, named All-Pro in 2001 and to six Pro Bowls before revealing that he played his entire NFL career knowing that he had a spinal condition which put him at risk of paralysis with every hit to the head.

“A lot of people, they’ve been praying for me to receive a miracle, but they really don’t realize that I received my miracle when I got up off the field in North Carolina,” Samuels said when announcing his retirement in 2010. “It’s going to be hard to walk away from the game I love, but it’s the best thing for me and my family.”

He subsequently got into coaching.

Honorable mentions:
Jim Thorpe Award: Antonio Langham (1993)
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award: Jay Barker (1994)
ESPN Football Academic All-American of the Year: Greg McElroy (2010)
Butkus Award: C.J. Mosley (2013)
Lott Trophy: DeMeco Ryans (2005)
Outland Trophy: Andre Smith (2008)