Heisman Trophy candidate Toby Gerhart

After two back to back stellar performances against Oregon and USC, Stanford running back Toby Gerhart is getting some legitimate consideration for the Heisman Trophy award. Here are the latest numbers as they have been collected by the Stanford football athletic department:

HEISMAN TROPHY CANDIDATE
Toby Gerhart
Running Back
Stanford University
6-1 / 235 / Senior
Norco, Calif.

Last Game

Rushed for 178 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries in Stanford's 55-21 win over 11th-ranked USC on Nov. 14…it was his third-highest rushing total of his career behind a 223-yard effort vs. Oregon and a 200-yard performance against Washington earlier this season.

Cardinal Rising

Stanford, 7-3 overall and 6-2 in the Pac-10 Conference, is currently ranked 14th in the nation by Associated Press and 17th in the USA Today Coaches' Poll.

Season to Date

* Toby currently leads the Pac-10 Conference and ranks third nationally in rushing average at 139.5 yards per game…was named to Sporting News' Midseason All-America team…one of 16 semifinalists for the Maxwell Award…one of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award…has rushed for a Stanford single-season record 1,395 yards and 19 touchdowns in 10 games this season this season, breaking his own single-season rushing record of 1,136 yards set last season…is averaging a national-best 200.3 yards per game against ranked opponents this season…ran for a Stanford single-game school record 223 yards on 38 carries to go along with three touchdowns in Stanford's 51-42 win over seventh-ranked Oregon on Nov. 7…was named the Walter Camp Foundation National Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts…also earned Pac-10 Player of the Week accolades…has nine, 100-yard game to his credit this season and has rushed for 100 or more yards 17 times in his career…his 17, 100-yard games are school record, breaking the old mark of 16 held previously by Stanford's all-time leading rusher Darrin Nelson.
* Has rushed for 100-yards or more 17 times in his last 23 games dating back to the 2007 season and is averaging 116.1 yards a game (2,671 total) during that stretch.
* Averaging 5.3 yards per carry this season and 5.5 yards per rushing attempt (484 total) over his last 23 games dating back to the 2007 campaign.

Where the Experts Rank Toby in the Heisman Race

http://heismanpundit.com/

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/heisman

http://espn.go.com/college-football/heisman09/index

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2009-heisman-watch.htm

Read All About It - Toby in the News

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/18/SPER1AM2F5.DTL

Toby Talk

"Gerhart has really generated a lot of Heisman buzz during the past month, and I have him at No. 2 this week. He has run for more than 400 yards combined in the past two weeks as Stanford has upset consecutive top-10 teams Oregon and USC. That's huge. But in reality, he's been superb all season, with six other 100-yard games and 19 rushing touchdowns on the season. I'm not sure he can overtake Ingram unless the Alabama running back and his team stumble. However, in my eyes, Gerhart has a shot." Bruce Feldman, ESPN.com

"There's plenty of season left, but if I had to do it (vote for the Heisman Trophy) right now, I'd probably put at the top of my ballot Toby Gerhart." Tom Keegan, Sports Editor, Lawrence Journal-World.

"Their running back maybe as good as there is in the country. He's a different kind of running back. He's not going to try to make you miss many times as some of the elusive guys do. He's powerful and tough to bring down as any back I've seen in college football in some time." UCLA Head Coach Rick Neuheisel

"If he needs to go around you, he will. If he needs to go through you, he will. Willpower - and talent - is the essence of Toby Gerhart, who might just be the nation's best running back." Brian Murphy, KNBR Radio

Running Against the Best

In three games this season against Top 25 teams, Toby is averaging 200.3 yards per game (601 total), which is the best single-game average in the nation among backs against Top 25 competition. Gerhart rushed for 200 yards and one TD against Washington on Sept. 26, 223 yards and three TDs vs. No. 7 Oregon on Nov. 14 and 178 yards and three TDs vs. No. 7 USC last Saturday. Dating back to last season, Toby is averaging 153.8 yards in five games against Top-25 teams.

A Model of Consistency

Toby has rushed for 100 or more yards in eight of Stanford's 10 games this season, including two games of 200-yards or more. He has rushed for at least 100 yards in 17 of his last 23 games dating back to the 2007 season and is averaging 116.1 yards per game during that stretch.

Touchdown Toby

With three rushing TDs against USC, Toby increased his season total to 19, which ranks second on Stanford's all-time career list, one behind leader Tommy Vardell. His 19 rushing touchdowns rank second in the nation, trailing only Ricky Dobbs (22) of Navy. He has rushed for at least one touchdown in 15 of his last 17 games and has rushed for two or more TDs 11 times in his career.

All About Toby

* Currently leads the Pac-10 Conference and ranks third nationally in rushing average at 139.5 yards per game.
* Named to Sporting News' Midseason All-America team.
* One of 16 semifinalists for the Maxwell Award.
* One of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award.
* Carries a cumulative 3.25 grade point average as a management, science and technology major…two-sport athlete will graduate in less than four years.
* Has rushed for a Stanford single-season record 1,395 yards and 19 touchdowns in 10 games this season this season, breaking his own single-season rushing record of 1,136 yards set last season.
* Rushed for 178 yards and three touchdowns in Stanford's 55-21 win over 11th-ranked USC on Nov. 14…marked his ninth, 100-yard game this season and the 17th of his career…earned Pac-10 Player of the Week honors for a second straight week.
* Is averaging a national-best 200.3 yards per game against ranked opponents this season.
* Ran for a Stanford single-game school record 223 yards on 38 carries to go along with three touchdowns in Stanford's 51-42 win over seventh-ranked Oregon on Nov. 7…was named the Walter Camp Foundation National Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts…also earned Pac-10 Player of the Week accolades.
* Has nine, 100-yard game to his credit this season and has rushed for 100 or more yards 17 times in his career…his 17, 100-yard games are school record, breaking the old mark of 16 held previously by Stanford's all-time leading rusher Darrin Nelson.
* Has rushed for 100-yards or more 17 times in his last 23 games dating back to the 2007 season and is averaging 116.1 yards a game (2,671 total) during that stretch.
* Averaging 5.3 yards per carry this season and 5.5 yards per rushing attempt (484 total) over his last 23 games dating back to the 2007 campaign.
* Currently ranks second on Stanford's all-time career rushing list with 3,046 yards…trails only Darrin Nelson (4,033) on Stanford's all-time rushing list.
* Has rushed for at least one touchdown in 15 of his last 17 games and now has 35 rushing touchdowns for his career, which currently ranks second on Stanford's all-time career list…needs two more to equal Tommy Vardell's school record of 37.
* Rushed for 125 yards on 27 carries in against an Arizona State defense that ranked first in the Pac-10 and second nationally in rush defense (57.8 per game).
* Opened the season with a 121-yard, two touchdown effort at Washington State…ripped off a career-long 39-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.
* Tallied 113 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries in Stanford's 42-17 win over San Jose State.
* Rushed for a then career-best 200 yards on 27 carries in Stanford's 34-14 win over Washington…the performance ranked as the eighth-best single-game effort in school history…ripped off a career-best 60-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
* Finished with 141 yards and three touchdowns in Stanford's 24-16 win over UCLA…three TDs fell one short of his career-high of 4, set last year against Washington State.
* Tallied 123 yards on 28 carries with two touchdowns in a 43-28 loss at Arizona.
* Earned second team All-Pac-10 honors as a junior after establishing a single-season Stanford record by rushing for 1,136 yards in 12 games, breaking the previous mark of 1,084 set by Tommy Vardell in 1991…became the fifth Stanford running back to reach the 1,000-yard plateau, joining Darrin Nelson (1977, '78 and '81), Brad Muster ('86), Jon Volpe ('89) and Vardell.
* Recorded a Pac-10-best eight, 100-yard games in 2008.