Michigan football's Aidan Hutchinson misses out on Heisman Trophy

Only a month ago Aidan Hutchinson hadn’t received much consideration as a Heisman Trophy hopeful.

But a late-season surge carried the Michigan football pass rusher all the way to New York, where he hoped to become the first defensive player to claim the coveted award since Wolverines star Charles Woodson won it in 1997.

The momentum behind his candidacy stopped Saturday, when Hutchinson and the rest of the nation learned Alabama quarterback Bryce Young was the recipient of college football’s greatest individual prize. The Michigan standout, meanwhile, finished a distant second in the final balloting.

Still, the outcome couldn’t dim a dazzling year for Hutchinson, who set a single-season school record with 14 sacks, led the Wolverines to their first College Football Playoff berth and began to stock his trophy case. Just in the last two weeks, Hutchinson was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and won the Rotary Lombardi Award, given to the nation’s best lineman or linebacker.

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“Defied all expectations,” Hutchinson said last Saturday.

He was speaking about his team. But he could have been referring to himself.

After all, Hutchinson’s trajectory was unclear heading into the Sept. 4 opener against Western Michigan. The potential was certainly there, and the NFL was intrigued enough by his natural ability that one prominent scouting service gave him a preliminary first-round grade. Yet the second-generation Wolverine, whose father was an All-American, struggled to distinguish himself on the field for one reason or another in past years. As his college career progressed, he was often overshadowed by the Wolverines’ other top pass rushers, whether it was Chase Winovich, Josh Uche or Kwity Paye.

Then, last season, he suffered a major setback, fracturing his right ankle in a November loss to Indiana. Hutchinson, who had only 4½ sacks at that point in his career, missed the remaining games and watched the Wolverines crash to a 2-4 record.

After evaluating his pro prospects, Hutchinson eventually decided to return to school and help lift a program that sunk to its lowest point during Jim Harbaugh’s tenure.

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What came next was an improbable revival, as Hutchinson and the Wolverines ascended together. Playing a different position in a new system implemented by first-year defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, Hutchinson transformed into one of college football’s best players. He produced 5½ sacks in his first four games while helping Michigan launch a magical season. Converted from a 4-3 end to a stand-up edge player, Hutchinson bullied the offensive linemen in his way by either plowing through or zipping around them on his way to the quarterback.

"The overall scheme, just how it was built, was built perfectly for me to produce and flourish," Hutchinson said Saturday before the ceremony. "It let me have a lot of freedom to really just do what I want and be a playmaker. I am super blessed coach Harbaugh hired (Macdonald) this offseason, because I don't know if I would be here without him."

Still, Hutchinson’s exploits initially didn't generate much national buzz, which was odd considering Michigan's reputation for creating “September Heisman” winners.

As it turned out, Hutchinson’s Heisman candidacy didn’t begin until November. During a taut road victory over Penn State, Hutchinson rose to the occasion. He collected three sacks, forced a fumble and rattled Nittany Lions quarterback Sean Clifford. The remarkable performance helped the Wolverines win a hugely consequential game, and prompted Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis to sing Hutchinson’s praises.

“Aidan is the absolute best player in college football,” Gattis said. “There is no doubt in my mind, the impact that he brings to this team … He’s a guy that’s a true difference-maker. I think he should be in the discussion for the Heisman.”

Two weeks later, many began to agree with Gattis’ opinion after watching Hutchinson terrorize Ohio State and lead Michigan to its first victory over the Buckeyes since 2011. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound dynamo generated a whopping 15 pressures and sacked C.J. Stroud three times in the 42-27 win.

“There have been some awfully good players that have played for Michigan that haven't done what Aidan Hutchinson has done,” Harbaugh said.

That was true. Hutchinson established a new single-season school record for sacks in the win over Ohio State. He then became Michigan’s first Big Ten championship game MVP after the Wolverines secured their first conference title since 2004 in a 42-3 rout of Iowa last Saturday.

As they celebrated their feat, Hutchinson’s teammates clapped and chanted, “Hutch for Heisman.”

But it wasn't meant to be.

Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @RainerSabin. Read more on the Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans and sign up for our Big Ten newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football's Aidan Hutchinson doesn't win Heisman Trophy