Heisman Winner Salaam Says So Long to Colorado for Pro Career

To the surprise of few, Rashaan Salaam, Colorado’s Heisman Trophy winner, has decided to forgo his final season and make himself eligible for the pro draft.

Salaam made the announcement shortly after his team’s impressive 41-24 victory over Notre Dame in Monday’s Fiesta Bowl.

He scored three touchdowns, but was also held to 83 yards rushing in 27 carries, an uncharacteristic 3.1-yards-per-carry average for a running back who led the nation with a average of 186.8 yards a game and was only the fourth player in NCAA history to surpass 2,000 yards rushing in a season.

“I’ve talked to my mom and a lot of my friends,” he said in a postgame news conference, “and I’ve decided that this was my last game at CU.

“This decision was real tough. It’s hard leaving my teammates, but then, this was a season that was a college football dream come true. Anybody in their right mind knows that you can’t rush for 2,000 yards in back-to-back seasons.

“Mostly, I gotta do what I gotta do.”

Salaam was an unknown quantity coming out of high school because his mother, Khal, demanded he stress education rather than athletics. Salaam, who ended up playing eight-man football at LaJolla Country Day, said he will return to college eventually to get his degree.

He said he decided to turn pro a couple of days ago and said that, in the end, the departure of Coach Bill McCartney did affect his decision.

“I guess Coach McCartney and I will go out together now,” he said.