Nebraska's Crouch wins Heisman

NEW YORK -- Eric Crouch almost quit the team, now the Nebraska quarterback is the Heisman Trophy winner in one of the most unpredictable races in the history of the award.

Crouch, who briefly left the team three years ago when he lost the starting job, capped a sensational career by keeping the Huskers in the national title race all season. A 62-36 loss to Colorado two weeks ago ended Nebraska's run at a perfect season.

Crouch won the award Saturday night, beating out Florida quarterback Rex Grossman.

Crouch, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound senior from Omaha, Neb., ran for 1,115 yards and 18 touchdowns, passed for 1,510 yards and seven scores and even caught a 63-yard TD pass in a big win over Oklahoma. He's one of only three major college quarterbacks to run for 3,000 yards and pass for 4,000 yards in a career.

Grossman was second, with Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey third and Oregon quarterback Joey Harrington fourth in the fourth-closest race in the Heisman's 67-year history.

In winning college football's ultimate individual prize, Crouch edged Grossman by 62 points, 770-708. Dorsey was next with 638 points and Harrington had 364 points in the balloting. The winning point total was the smallest since Oregon State's Terry Baker won in 1962.

The Heisman ceremony was held at a midtown hotel, the first time it's been away from the Downtown Athletic Club. The club was damaged in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The closest Heisman vote was Bo Jackson's 45-point victory over Chuck Long in 1985. Other than the first Heisman, when there were just 65 voters, the tightest three-man race was a 93-point margin in 1956, when Paul Hornung won over Johnny Majors and Tom McDonald.

Voters list three choices on their ballots, and players are awarded 3 points for first place, 2 for second and 1 for third.

Crouch, the first true option quarterback to win the award, had 162 first-place votes, 98 second-place votes and 88 third-place votes.

Grossman, who passed for 3,896 yards and 34 touchdowns, had 137 first-place votes, 105 for second and 87 for third.

Dorsey, who led Miami to an 11-0 record and a spot in the national title game, had 109 first-place votes, 122 for second and 67 for third.

Harrington, who threw for 2,414 yards and 23 TDs in leading the Ducks (10-1) to the Pac-10 title and the best regular-season record in school history, had 54 first-place votes, 68 for second and 66 for third.

With the race wide open the past two weeks, voters were looking for one of the four finalists to produce a breakout game. It never happened. Nebraska and Florida lost, and Miami and Oregon won close games. In the end, Crouch's season won out.

Fresno State quarterback David Carr was fifth, followed by Indiana quarterback Antwaan Randle El, Oklahoma safety Roy Williams, Miami left tackle Bryant McKinnie, Syracuse defensive end Dwight Freeney and North Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers.