The Buzz: What they're saying about the Heisman finalists

We’ve rounded up a bunch of the buzz and reaction to the announcement of the 2015 Heisman finalists from media, fans and the players themselves:

Derrick Henry

“It is a very special honor for me to be selected as a finalist for the Heisman Trophy,” Henry said following the announcement Monday evening. “First I want to thank God for blessing me with his opportunity. The Heisman Trophy has been a dream of mine since I was a little kid and the chance to go to New York as a finalist is amazing. But none of this would be possible without my coaches and teammates. The offensive line, the quarterback, wide receivers and tight ends have done an unbelievable job all season and our coaches always put us in a position to be successful.”

News & Opinion
Derrick Henry, meet Steve Owens — NewsOK.com
Henry bulls way to top Heisman contender — ABC.com
Sorry Herschel, but Derrick Henry owns the SEC’s greatest rushing season — AL.com
Following in the footsteps of Herschel — Florida Times-Union
Leonard Fournette congratulates Derrick Henry via Twitter — NOLA.com
Derrick Henry is heading to New York City — Roll Tide Roll
The quiet brilliance of Derrick Henry — AL.com

Social Media

Can't stop what God has planned . #LongLive28??
— Derrick Henry  (@KingHenry_2) December 7, 2015

Derrick Henry has averaged 98 more rush yards per game over the last six games than he did the first six games of 2015. #Heisman
— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) December 8, 2015

Christian McCaffrey

“I got a little emotional when I found out. When I heard my name, it was an extremely gratifying moment, a pretty special moment for me.”

“[McCaffrey] has gained more yards this year than anyone who has ever played college football. That’s something you can’t dance around. That’s something you can’t avoid … Looking at this objectively, this was one of the best individual seasons in the history of college football.” – Stanford coach David Shaw

Audio from McCaffrey’s press conference after being named a Heisman finalist.

News & Opinion
David Shaw says McCaffrey is the best player in the country — FoxSports.com
McCaffrey is college football’s most versatile player — Deadspin
Why McCaffrey’s bid is different than Toby Gerhart’s — ESPN
Colorado’s own Christian McCaffrey named Heisman finalist — Fox31 Denver
Stanford uses virtual reality to make pitch for McCaffrey — TechCrunch.com
McCaffrey seeks to end 45-year drought — San Jose Mercury News

Social Media

Deshaun Watson

“This means a lot because I have come a long way from last year. A year ago on Dec. 12, I was recovering from surgery. I remember watching a story about Adrian Peterson and how he suffered from a torn ACL but came back to become the MVP of the NFL that next year. That inspired me to work hard on my rehab. It has been a dream of mine to bring my mom to New York and be a Heisman finalist. We have never been to New York. I am honored to be the first Heisman finalist from Clemson…I plan to represent our team and Clemson and the Clemson family this weekend. This could not have been done without my teammates and our coaches. This is a team award as much as anything. Being undefeated and No. 1 ranked has everything to do with this. I want to give congratulations to the other finalists and I look forward to seeing them next weekend.”

“I am so happy for Deshaun Watson. This is recognition for a great performance on the field and for the hard work he has put in over the last year after suffering a torn ACL. A year ago Saturday night (Dec. 12, 2014) he was in the hospital having surgery. Exactly a year later he will be in New York as a Heisman finalist. I am so proud of him and the way he has led our team, but it is also a tribute to our offensive line, our running backs, our receivers and the entire team. Deshaun Watson is the epitome of what the Heisman Trophy is all about. He has been the leader of the only undefeated team in college football in every way.” — Clemson coach Dabo Sweeney.

News & Opinion
Deshaun Watson is Clemson’s first Heisman finalist — Independent Mail
Watson helped Clemson shed its reputation — NY Times
Watson’s rise to greatness no surprise to fans — Gainesville Times
From surgery to surgical precision — Tigernet.com
Watson releases emotional statement after being named Heisman finalist — FoxSports.com
Tigers Watson is Big Apple bound — Greenville Online

And Watson made the cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated: