Thursday, December 06, 2007
Rhymes with Theisman (well, after you change the pronunciation of your name)
By far the coolest part of my short-lived stint as a sports writer was having a Heisman ballot for three years. My guys – Willis McGahee, Larry Fitzgerald and Adrian Peterson – didn’t win, but it was cool knowing that one of those first-place votes in parentheses came from me.
My forum now is Sportsmeat, which is far better because it has fewer voters than the Heisman race (which is a little ridiculous, evidenced by me having a Heisman vote in the first place). Anyway, I’m curious what other people think about the race, but here’s how my ballot would break down:
1. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida. Other than his team’s three losses, I’m not sure what a voter could hold against him. (And keep in mind, those three losses came to No. 2 LSU, No. 4 Georgia and No. 20 Auburn, and Tebow had 4 TDs, 2 INTs and 4 rushing TDs in those games.) Yes, he’s a sophomore, but who cares? He amassed an astounding 51 touchdowns and had more rushing TDs than Darren McFadden (22 to 15). Most importantly, he proved an excellent throwing quarterback. QB rating is a misleading stat, but he was No. 2 in that measure. More importantly, he threw for 3,132 yards and showed accuracy (69 percent completion) and intelligence (six INTs against 29 TDs). The three losses are a mark against him, but in a two-man race with McFadden (whose Razorbacks have four losses), it shouldn’t be an issue.
2. Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas. Most project him as the most talented college football player in the country and he certainly had a fine season. Despite sharing time with Felix Jones (who rushed for 1,117 yards) and facing teams that stacked the line of scrimmage against him, McFadden ran for 1,725 yards and had 21 receptions for 164 yards. He even threw for a TD against LSU, and you know a running back is valuable when, in the most important drive of the season, he is the one playing QB so he can touch the ball on every snap. And that 34-carry, 321-yard rushing performance against South Carolina was a gem.
3. Dennis Dixon, QB, Oregon. I’m not making the argument that he was so valuable his team crumbled without him. To me, that is an indictment of his backups. But Dixon was amazing before his injury, which is the real shame of the college football season (and painful to see Oregon crumble down the stretch). Dixon was having a great year, running the play-action better than anyone I’ve seen (college or pro) and demonstrating complete command of the offense. Had he not been injured, I really believe Oregon would have gone 11-1, and perhaps Tebow wouldn’t be the QB holding the Heisman.
Just off the ballot: 4. Chase Daniel, Missouri; 5. Glenn Dorsey, LSU; 6. Pat White, West Virginia.
My forum now is Sportsmeat, which is far better because it has fewer voters than the Heisman race (which is a little ridiculous, evidenced by me having a Heisman vote in the first place). Anyway, I’m curious what other people think about the race, but here’s how my ballot would break down:
1. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida. Other than his team’s three losses, I’m not sure what a voter could hold against him. (And keep in mind, those three losses came to No. 2 LSU, No. 4 Georgia and No. 20 Auburn, and Tebow had 4 TDs, 2 INTs and 4 rushing TDs in those games.) Yes, he’s a sophomore, but who cares? He amassed an astounding 51 touchdowns and had more rushing TDs than Darren McFadden (22 to 15). Most importantly, he proved an excellent throwing quarterback. QB rating is a misleading stat, but he was No. 2 in that measure. More importantly, he threw for 3,132 yards and showed accuracy (69 percent completion) and intelligence (six INTs against 29 TDs). The three losses are a mark against him, but in a two-man race with McFadden (whose Razorbacks have four losses), it shouldn’t be an issue.
2. Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas. Most project him as the most talented college football player in the country and he certainly had a fine season. Despite sharing time with Felix Jones (who rushed for 1,117 yards) and facing teams that stacked the line of scrimmage against him, McFadden ran for 1,725 yards and had 21 receptions for 164 yards. He even threw for a TD against LSU, and you know a running back is valuable when, in the most important drive of the season, he is the one playing QB so he can touch the ball on every snap. And that 34-carry, 321-yard rushing performance against South Carolina was a gem.
3. Dennis Dixon, QB, Oregon. I’m not making the argument that he was so valuable his team crumbled without him. To me, that is an indictment of his backups. But Dixon was amazing before his injury, which is the real shame of the college football season (and painful to see Oregon crumble down the stretch). Dixon was having a great year, running the play-action better than anyone I’ve seen (college or pro) and demonstrating complete command of the offense. Had he not been injured, I really believe Oregon would have gone 11-1, and perhaps Tebow wouldn’t be the QB holding the Heisman.
Just off the ballot: 4. Chase Daniel, Missouri; 5. Glenn Dorsey, LSU; 6. Pat White, West Virginia.
# posted by EJ @ 1:37 PM 
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I think my top four would be the same. I would probably put Kevin Smith in the top five. He was ridiculous, running for at least 170 yards in the last seven games of the season, topping it off with a 284 yard, 4 touchdown game in the Conference USA championship. Granted its not an even comparison, but he finished with 723 more rushing yards, 14 more rushing TDs, and more receiving yards than McFadden.
Also, I just don't see how you can put Dorsey there. I've seen LSU more than any other team this year and he hasn't stood out as being dominant in any game I've seen. In fact, I would have hardly noticed him at all if the announcers hadn't chronicled his every movement. Chris Long made much more of an impression on me as a dominant D lineman.
Also, I just don't see how you can put Dorsey there. I've seen LSU more than any other team this year and he hasn't stood out as being dominant in any game I've seen. In fact, I would have hardly noticed him at all if the announcers hadn't chronicled his every movement. Chris Long made much more of an impression on me as a dominant D lineman.
Wow. I don't know how you can say that. He has been hurt for a good part of the season, but when healthy Dorsey is a force. Given, he has been over-hyped, but that shouldn't take away from his actual performance. I do agree about Long, though. He is a stud with a great motor.
Looking at smaller schools, another guy who should get some consideration is Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour, who threw for 3,360 yards and 23 TDs (although 13 INTs) and ran for 1,008 yards and 17 TDs. Also Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree, who won the Biletnikoff as a freshman.
Looking at smaller schools, another guy who should get some consideration is Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour, who threw for 3,360 yards and 23 TDs (although 13 INTs) and ran for 1,008 yards and 17 TDs. Also Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree, who won the Biletnikoff as a freshman.
Well, I'd be interested in what games you saw where he was a force. I mean -- I just never saw it. I will grant that most of his play that I saw was after the injury, but ... that was part of the season being considered for the Heisman vote.
Not that such stats can really be relied upon, but he wasn't in the top 10 of the SEC or top 100 nationally in either sacks or tackles for loss. That doesn't say everything about a defensive tackle's performance, but if a defensive tackle is getting my Heisman vote, I would think that he'd stumble onto one of those lists somehow...
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Not that such stats can really be relied upon, but he wasn't in the top 10 of the SEC or top 100 nationally in either sacks or tackles for loss. That doesn't say everything about a defensive tackle's performance, but if a defensive tackle is getting my Heisman vote, I would think that he'd stumble onto one of those lists somehow...
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