Toby Gerhart: A Stanford Legend's Collegiate Career

Toby Bo Gunnar Gerhart, born on March 28, 1987, is an American former professional football player who achieved significant success as a running back, both in college and the National Football League (NFL). His college football career at Stanford University was particularly noteworthy, earning him unanimous All-American honors and solidifying his place in Stanford's athletic history. This article delves into Gerhart's remarkable college statistics, highlighting his achievements and contributions to Stanford football.

Early Life and High School Career

Gerhart was born in Norco, California, where he established himself as a football prodigy at Norco High School. He had a record-breaking career at running back, setting a California state record for rushing yards with 9,662 yards in his career. As of December 2009, Gerhart held the third-highest career total of running yards in national high school football history. He led Norco High School to the CIF Division 5 Southern Section football championship on December 9, 2005. Gerhart was named the Gatorade High School Player of the Year for the state of California and was named California's Mr. Football by Cal-Hi Sports. Gerhart's high school statistics garnered him interest from many top college football programs.

Arrival at Stanford and Early Years

Gerhart's journey at Stanford began with a transition period. In his freshman year, Gerhart backed up Anthony Kimble at the halfback position, starting one game. He also showcased his athletic versatility by joining the Stanford baseball team.

Breakout Season in 2008

In 2008, Gerhart had a breakout season under the direction of then-running backs coach Willie Taggart. He set the Stanford single-season rushing record with 1,136 yards, breaking Tommy Vardell's school record of 1,084 yards. Gerhart was the fifth player in Stanford history to run for 1,000 yards or more in a season, after Darrin Nelson, Brad Muster, Jon Volpe, and Vardell. He scored 15 rushing touchdowns, then the second highest single season total in Stanford history. His eight games with 100 or more rushing yards were a Stanford record. He tied a Stanford record with four rushing touchdowns against Washington State.

Dominant Senior Season: 2009

Gerhart's senior season in 2009 was nothing short of spectacular. He rushed for over 100 yards in 11 of his 13 games. On September 26, 2009, he became only the sixth person in Stanford history to rush for 200 yards in a game, with 200 yards on 27 carries against Washington. On November 7, 2009, Gerhart recorded his second 200-yard game of the season, running for 223 yards against the 7th-ranked Oregon Ducks, breaking the Stanford single-game rushing record previously held by Jon Volpe. On November 28, Gerhart ran for 205 yards and three rushing touchdowns in a 45-38 win over Notre Dame. This was his third 200-yard game of the season. Gerhart again tied the school record for rushing touchdowns in a game by running for four touchdowns against Cal.

Gerhart helped lead Stanford to an 8-5 record and its first bowl berth in eight years.

Accolades and Recognition

Gerhart's outstanding performance in 2009 earned him numerous accolades:

Unanimous 2009 First-team All-America selection.
Named the 2009 Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year.
One of five finalists for the 2009 Heisman Trophy, finishing in second place behind Mark Ingram II by 28 points, the slimmest margin in the trophy's 74-year history. He received 1,276 points in the Heisman voting, coming in second to Mark Ingram II, who received 1,304 points; the 28-point margin is the closest vote in Heisman history.
Winner of the 2009 Doak Walker Award as the best running back in the nation.
Winner of the Jim Brown Trophy presented to the top running back in college football by the Touchdown Club of Columbus.
CBS Sports Offensive Player of the Year.
Touchdown Club of Columbus's Archie Griffin Award winner as the nation's most valuable player.

Baseball Career at Stanford

In addition to his football prowess, Gerhart was also a talented baseball player. He was a starting outfielder for the baseball team. As a Sophomore in 2008: Got off to a slow start while recovering from surgery on his left knee… procedure was necessitated by a season-ending injury suffered during the 2007 football campaign…however, rebounded to hit .240 (29-for-121) with eight doubles, one triple, seven home runs and 21 RBI in 56 games (29 starts)…was also one of only four Cardinal players to record at least a .400 on-base percentage, reaching that number exactly (24 walks and a team-high nine hit-by-pitches)…was one of five Pac-10 players to log a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage, handling all 69 total chances without an error…started 20 games in left field, six in right field and three as the designated hitter…belted four of his seven home runs and collected 12 of his 21 RBI in Pac-10 play, while batting .279 (12-for-43) in 19 conference games (11 starts)…after his average stood at .143 on April 25, batted .323 (21-for-65) with 20 runs, six doubles, one triple, six home runs and 18 RBI over his final 27 contests (14 starts)…had a .723 slugging percentage and a .457 on-base mark over the span…had his first career multi-homer game on April 26 against USC, finishing 2-for-2 with two home runs and a career-high five RBI…went 9-for-29 (.310) with four doubles, two home runs and five RBI in 11 NCAA Tournament games (seven starts)…was named to the Stanford Regional all-tournament team after going 5-for-9 with three runs scored and three RBI in a pair of elimination-game victories over Pepperdine…he established his career high for hits in the first contest, going 4-for-5 with three runs scored, three doubles, a home run and two RBI…turned in a 3-for-4 performance with three runs scored and a solo homer in Stanford's 16-5 victory over Florida State in the College World Series opener…he also added an RBI-double in an 8-3, elimination game triumph over Miami. As a Freshman in 2007: Had a solid rookie season despite missing more than seven weeks after suffering a fractured right forearm in a game at Texas on February 17…did not return to action until a game against Nevada on April 10…finished the season with a .289 batting average (33-for-114), two home runs, 12 RBI and three stolen bases in 30 games (23 starts)…added 23 runs scored and four doubles…handled all 36 of his defensive chances successfully for a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage…made his collegiate debut on Feb. 4 at Cal State Fullerton, finishing 1-for-5…posted a career-best eight-game hitting streak from April 21-May 5, with four of those eight contests two-hit games…had four multiple-hit games over his last six contests…spent much of the early and late portions of the season as a starter on both sides of his injury, making 20 of his starts in the outfield (15 LF, 4 RF, 1 CF) and three at designated hitter…had a .286 batting average (16-for-56) in 16 Pac-10 games (11 starts), hitting one homer with five RBI in conference play.

At Stanford: Power-hitting outfielder is the latest in a tradition of two-sport stars at Stanford, as he set the school's single-season record with 1,136 rushing yards for the Cardinal football team in 2008…fully healthy, he is poised for a breakout season on the diamond in 2009…flashed his potential late in the 2008 campaign, batting .356 (16-for-45) with four home runs and 12 RBI over his final 11 games (including seven NCAA postseason contests)…complements power to all fields with excellent speed…great defensive outfielder with an above-average arm…has yet to commit an error during his collegiate career (105 total chances)…natural leader who plays his best in the biggest games…owns a career .264 average (62-for-235) with 12 doubles, nine home runs and 33 RBI in 86 games (52 starts)…is a perfect 5-for-5 on stolen base attempts.

College Statistics

Gerhart's college statistics reflect his dominance as a running back:

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Rushing Yards: 3,522 career rushing yards.
Rushing Touchdowns: Stanford's all-time leader in career (44) and single-season (28 in 2009) rushing touchdowns.
Scoring: Stanford's all-time leader in single-season scoring (172 points in 2009).
Games Played: Played in 38 career games, averaging 92.7 yards per game.
Single-Season Record: Broke the Stanford single-season rushing record as a junior, finishing with 1,136 yards on 210 carries.
Receptions: 39 receptions for 395 yards.

Academic Achievements

Gerhart also excelled in the classroom, demonstrating his commitment to academics:

First Team Academic All-Pac-10 selection in 2009.
Second Team Academic pick in 2008.
Received the Tom Hansen Conference Medal as Stanford's most outstanding male student-athlete in 2009.
Received the Al Masters Award in 2010.
Graduated from Stanford's MBA program in 2020.

NFL Career

Gerhart was selected in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft, the 51st overall selection by the Minnesota Vikings. On March 11, 2014, Gerhart signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Legacy

Toby Gerhart's college career at Stanford was defined by exceptional performance, numerous accolades, and a lasting impact on the university's football program. His remarkable statistics, combined with his academic achievements and leadership qualities, have cemented his legacy as one of Stanford's all-time great athletes. He returned to Stanford in 2018 for the MBA program, graduating in 2020.

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