shaftdiggity wrote: buckeye1022 wrote: shaftdiggity wrote: I wish heismen and all the other awards took into account whether their game would translate well to the next level ala no Thebow, no Crouch, no Weinke --Aside-- I still think one of the funniest things was when Weinke was when drafted and on the Panthers, they had started Rodney Peete. When asked why they went with him, Peete said "They obviously wanted youth over experience" referencing Weinke being one of the OLDEST heismen winners ever and was 29 years old then, and Peete being 35 years old at the time. I don't want to see them take anything other than how they played that season into account. These are COLLEGE football awards. You want to see players be rewarded for how their game will translate to the pros? Isn't that what the draft does? I have no problem with the names you mentioned winning the Heisman, as long as they truly did do more to help their team than anyone else that year. I see your point with that, but the NFL is already biased in looking just for physical freaks over great players....players will have a great combine, but do nothing in college and go first round

Good point there too. But really, the guys who's games transfer better end up better players, and therefore get paid better after a few years, while the physical freaks end up busts. Thus, you get Tom Brady as a legend drafted in round 6, and Ryan Leaf as a bust at number 2 overall.

The NFL does need to change the way they look at players though.

croverja wrote: It seems Chris Johnson didn't build a buzz around himself in collee on ECU, but he's doing very well!

Great example of a player who either bloomed late, or has a style that fit perfectly in the NFL but not so much at college.

But, for every Chris Johnson, there are 10 Mike Williams or R. Jay Soward's that for whatever reason can do nothing on the field.

I've decided I'm more interested in the division with Appalachian St., Richmond, Nothern Iowa, Delaware Etc..;They have a playoff. That could prove Boise's skill level. And yes buckeye, Chris Johnson as a rare case. Cali, my point was that nobody had ever really heard of him...

I don't think the Heisman should have anything to do with future NFL projections. It's a college award, and should be awarded to the best college player of the season.

From an article I read on Fox Sports..
"... in 1982 the 10 top vote-getters were all actually really, really good college football players: Herschel Walker, John Elway, Eric Dickerson, Anthony Carter, David Rimington, Todd Blackledge, Tom Ramsey, Tony Eason, Dan Marino and Mike Rozier...

Since 2000, here are your Heisman Trophy winners: Chris Weinke, Eric Crouch, Carson Palmer, Jason White, Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, Troy Smith and Tim Tebow."

Maybe just looking at the starting QB for whatever team is ranked in the top 5 isn't the way to find the best player in college? I think it's a shame that you don't hear about small school guys. This year, for instance:

Donald Brown (UConn) - just led the nation in rushing, but played on an average team
Shonn Greene (Iowa) - averaged over 6 ypc in the Big 10 this year
Tyrell Fenroy (UL-Lafayette) - Only ran for 1300+ yards, and became only the seventh player in NCAA history to rush for over 1000 yards in four straight seasons
Miquale Lewis (Ball State) - On a team that began the season with NFL prospects at QB and WR (Dante Love who's career was ended in the Indiana game), Lewis led the nation in TDs with 22.

Or guys like Case Keenum from Houston who led the nation in passing yards... and Austin Collie who led the nation in receiving, playing in a very tough Mountain West conference this season. (The Mountain West was probably tougher than half the BCS conferences this season)

I will say that Shonn Greene from Iowa flat out got robbed this year.

1700+ plus, no games under 100, playing in the Big Ten, which although is down, is still a good defensive conference. But he didn't even get an invite.

Completely agree that finding a QB on a top 5 team isn't the best way to do it. Let's let the best player win it. If it happens to be a linebacker or an O-lineman, then so be it. Each individual position has their own awards, the Heisman should be for best player. Last edited on 2008-12-15 at 4:27