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osugrad21;681269; said:
This guy's an asshole just trying to stir the pot.
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This guy's an asshole just trying to stir the pot.
Dispatch
Quinn has rosy future even without Heisman
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Rob Oller
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Brady Quinn?s prize for returning to Notre Dame this season probably won?t be a bronze statue of a football player but a green portrait of a president.
It?s almost a guarantee that Quinn will finish second or third behind Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith in the Heisman Trophy balloting, but it?s nearly as certain that the senior from Dublin will be the first quarterback taken in the NFL draft ? perhaps even the first player selected overall ? which means millions of George Washingtons will land in his pocket.
"Brady Quinn will finish high in the Heisman but won?t win," said NFL draft analyst Jerry Jones, who thinks Smith will win in a landslide. "But when the money comes in, Troy will be up there, but he won?t get the big (contract) that Brady will."
Quinn is the prototypical NFL quarterback. He?s big (6 feet 3?, 230 pounds), has a strong arm, devours Notre Dame?s complicated playbook as if it?s paint by numbers and possesses GQ looks that any team that drafts him can turn into an instant marketing strategy.
"He is a little reminiscent of Carson Palmer," Jones said. "He?s really big, and it doesn?t hurt to be trained by Charlie Weis. He?s not going to have any problem consuming an NFL playbook.
"He still figures to be the No. 1 pick in the draft. The only quarterback that could disrupt that is (Louisville junior) Brian Brohm."
Quinn entered the season as the leading Heisman candidate, followed by Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson and Smith, after finishing fourth in the balloting in 2005. Speculation intensified late last season that Quinn would skip his senior year to enter the draft. Most analysts slotted him slightly behind quarterbacks Matt Leinart of Southern California and Vince Young of Texas.
After consulting with Weis and getting a lecture from his mother, Robin, Quinn chose to stay put, which likely will turn out to have been a lucrative decision.
"I wanted to come back and fine-tune my skills," Quinn said this week, adding that he was not organized enough at the time to enter the draft. "I wasn?t prepared with an agent, where to go train. Now I?m much more prepared."
Quinn?s season didn?t hurt his Heisman chances. He connected on 274 of 432 passes, a 63.4 completion rate, for 3,278 yards and 35 touchdowns with five interceptions. He won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given to the nation?s top senior quarterback and finished fifth in points responsible for (18.5 per game), seventh in completions per game (23.5) and ninth in passing yards per game (23.5).
He also led Notre Dame (10-2) to comeback wins over Michigan State and UCLA, although he also hurt his Heisman hopes with a below-average game against Michigan. Still, stubbing a toe against the Wolverines likely would not have cost him so heavily had Smith not turned in a special season during which he has led the undefeated Buckeyes to a No. 1 ranking and trip to the national championship game.
Weis wonders what criteria the Heisman voters use for their selection.
"I don?t think anyone knows," he said. "Troy Smith happens to be the best player on the best team, or the most valuable player on the best team that?s undefeated. It?s hard to argue against that. But it?s like picking the MVP in baseball. Which player means more to their team? If that question is posed, I think Brady Quinn would win it."
Weis deserves credit for bringing Quinn?s game along, but he said the pieces were already there to mold the moppy-haired kid from Coffman High School into a top draft pick.
"When I got there, he?d already been playing two years, so he was battle-tested," Weis said. "What makes him so special and what separates him is that special something that all great quarterbacks have."
Mark Crabtree, who coached Quinn at Coffman, called it the "it" factor.
"He has that ability that allows people to want to follow him," Crabtree said. "He has the ability to be a leader and positive person, the kind of person people know they can count on at any time."
Crabtree already has been contacted by scouts from the Detroit Lions ? "I bet they take him," he said ? and the Philadelphia Eagles, asking about Quinn?s background.
"He?s a good example of how highly motivated a kid can be," Crabtree said. "As a junior, he?d bring his own notepad that he kept in his locker and take notes, not only of our games but of the opponent. And he?s so darn smart. I had him diagram his favorite pass plays for me."
Quinn also is both mentally and physically tough.
Robin Quinn tells of how an elementary teacher once made fun of her son because he stammered while reading in class. The next day, Brady hopped in the car with his mother and began reading a book.
"He said, ?Hey, mom, listen to me read. See, I?m not saying, um, um anymore,? " Robin said. "He was selfimproving. Within 24 hours he had worked on that book and was reading it aloud."
Quinn doesn?t sound devastated that the Heisman Trophy likely won?t land in his lap Saturday night.
"It will be nice to actually get to go to the New York ceremony," he said. "At this point, you can?t say a whole lot about it. What?s done is done. The season is over. You do the best you can throughout the year and when it comes down to it, (Smith) had a great season. I take my hat off to him. They?re No. 1 right now, undefeated and playing for the national championship."
Quinn?s No. 1 moment in NYC could come later. On draft day.
Quinn has rosy future even without Heisman
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Rob Oller
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Brady Quinn?s prize for returning to Notre Dame this season probably won?t be a bronze statue of a football player but a green portrait of a president.
It?s almost a guarantee that Quinn will finish second or third behind Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith in the Heisman Trophy balloting, but it?s nearly as certain that the senior from Dublin will be the first quarterback taken in the NFL draft ? perhaps even the first player selected overall ? which means millions of George Washingtons will land in his pocket.
"Brady Quinn will finish high in the Heisman but won?t win," said NFL draft analyst Jerry Jones, who thinks Smith will win in a landslide. "But when the money comes in, Troy will be up there, but he won?t get the big (contract) that Brady will."
Quinn is the prototypical NFL quarterback. He?s big (6 feet 3?, 230 pounds), has a strong arm, devours Notre Dame?s complicated playbook as if it?s paint by numbers and possesses GQ looks that any team that drafts him can turn into an instant marketing strategy.
"He is a little reminiscent of Carson Palmer," Jones said. "He?s really big, and it doesn?t hurt to be trained by Charlie Weis. He?s not going to have any problem consuming an NFL playbook.
"He still figures to be the No. 1 pick in the draft. The only quarterback that could disrupt that is (Louisville junior) Brian Brohm."
Quinn entered the season as the leading Heisman candidate, followed by Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson and Smith, after finishing fourth in the balloting in 2005. Speculation intensified late last season that Quinn would skip his senior year to enter the draft. Most analysts slotted him slightly behind quarterbacks Matt Leinart of Southern California and Vince Young of Texas.
After consulting with Weis and getting a lecture from his mother, Robin, Quinn chose to stay put, which likely will turn out to have been a lucrative decision.
"I wanted to come back and fine-tune my skills," Quinn said this week, adding that he was not organized enough at the time to enter the draft. "I wasn?t prepared with an agent, where to go train. Now I?m much more prepared."
Quinn?s season didn?t hurt his Heisman chances. He connected on 274 of 432 passes, a 63.4 completion rate, for 3,278 yards and 35 touchdowns with five interceptions. He won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given to the nation?s top senior quarterback and finished fifth in points responsible for (18.5 per game), seventh in completions per game (23.5) and ninth in passing yards per game (23.5).
He also led Notre Dame (10-2) to comeback wins over Michigan State and UCLA, although he also hurt his Heisman hopes with a below-average game against Michigan. Still, stubbing a toe against the Wolverines likely would not have cost him so heavily had Smith not turned in a special season during which he has led the undefeated Buckeyes to a No. 1 ranking and trip to the national championship game.
Weis wonders what criteria the Heisman voters use for their selection.
"I don?t think anyone knows," he said. "Troy Smith happens to be the best player on the best team, or the most valuable player on the best team that?s undefeated. It?s hard to argue against that. But it?s like picking the MVP in baseball. Which player means more to their team? If that question is posed, I think Brady Quinn would win it."
Weis deserves credit for bringing Quinn?s game along, but he said the pieces were already there to mold the moppy-haired kid from Coffman High School into a top draft pick.
"When I got there, he?d already been playing two years, so he was battle-tested," Weis said. "What makes him so special and what separates him is that special something that all great quarterbacks have."
Mark Crabtree, who coached Quinn at Coffman, called it the "it" factor.
"He has that ability that allows people to want to follow him," Crabtree said. "He has the ability to be a leader and positive person, the kind of person people know they can count on at any time."
Crabtree already has been contacted by scouts from the Detroit Lions ? "I bet they take him," he said ? and the Philadelphia Eagles, asking about Quinn?s background.
"He?s a good example of how highly motivated a kid can be," Crabtree said. "As a junior, he?d bring his own notepad that he kept in his locker and take notes, not only of our games but of the opponent. And he?s so darn smart. I had him diagram his favorite pass plays for me."
Quinn also is both mentally and physically tough.
Robin Quinn tells of how an elementary teacher once made fun of her son because he stammered while reading in class. The next day, Brady hopped in the car with his mother and began reading a book.
"He said, ?Hey, mom, listen to me read. See, I?m not saying, um, um anymore,? " Robin said. "He was selfimproving. Within 24 hours he had worked on that book and was reading it aloud."
Quinn doesn?t sound devastated that the Heisman Trophy likely won?t land in his lap Saturday night.
"It will be nice to actually get to go to the New York ceremony," he said. "At this point, you can?t say a whole lot about it. What?s done is done. The season is over. You do the best you can throughout the year and when it comes down to it, (Smith) had a great season. I take my hat off to him. They?re No. 1 right now, undefeated and playing for the national championship."
Quinn?s No. 1 moment in NYC could come later. On draft day.
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Dispatch
Smith, Quinn receive invitations to New York
Pitcock comes up short for Lombardi Award
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
As expected, Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith will add New York to his travel itinerary this week.
Smith yesterday was named one of three finalists for the Heisman Trophy, to be awarded Saturday night. The others are Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn of Dublin and Arkansas running back Darren McFadden.
Smith will be in Orlando, Fla., tonight for the college football awards show, where he is a finalist for the Maxwell and Davey O?Brien awards. He will fly from there to New York on Friday.
Though he is the heavy favorite to win the Heisman, Smith earlier in the week said "just being at the ceremony, that?s enough for me ? head over heels excitement for me."
Meanwhile, Michigan defensive end LaMarr Woodley won the Lombardi Award last night. The Rotary Club of Houston presents the award to a lineman or linebacker.
Ohio State senior defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock was a finalist, along with Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny and Texas offensive tackle Justin Blalock.
"I had a great time. It was an honor to be part of this," Pitcock said.
He said he and Woodley never discussed Ohio State?s win over Michigan or the recent flap about Florida passing the Wolverines in the final Bowl Championship Series standings.
"We left that to the media," Pitcock said. "The game is over with, time goes on, and you start to build relationships with the guys."
The Buckeyes will play Florida for the national title Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz. Woodley told the Associated Press that he?ll root for the Buckeyes.
"Being that Ohio State is in my conference and they?re representing us, I?ve got to go with Ohio State," Woodley said. "You can?t turn your back on your conference."
Smith, a senior from Cleveland, is fourth in the nation in passer rating (167.9) and has thrown for 2,507 yards and 30 touchdowns with only five interceptions.
Quinn, also a senior, has 35 touchdown passes this season for the Irish. He was fourth in the Heisman voting last season.
McFadden, a sophomore, emerged as a Heisman candidate late in the season. He has 1,558 yards rushing and 14 TDs, helping to lead Arkansas to the Southeastern Conference title game.
The awards circuit, coupled with finishing final exams and beginning bowl preparations, makes for a hectic time for Smith. But he doesn?t mind.
"I wouldn?t have it any other way," Smith said. "I?m very blessed to be in this situation. It?s pretty much everything I wanted. I?m just taking it day by day and just soaking it in."
Smith, Quinn receive invitations to New York
Pitcock comes up short for Lombardi Award
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
As expected, Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith will add New York to his travel itinerary this week.
Smith yesterday was named one of three finalists for the Heisman Trophy, to be awarded Saturday night. The others are Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn of Dublin and Arkansas running back Darren McFadden.
Smith will be in Orlando, Fla., tonight for the college football awards show, where he is a finalist for the Maxwell and Davey O?Brien awards. He will fly from there to New York on Friday.
Though he is the heavy favorite to win the Heisman, Smith earlier in the week said "just being at the ceremony, that?s enough for me ? head over heels excitement for me."
Meanwhile, Michigan defensive end LaMarr Woodley won the Lombardi Award last night. The Rotary Club of Houston presents the award to a lineman or linebacker.
Ohio State senior defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock was a finalist, along with Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny and Texas offensive tackle Justin Blalock.
"I had a great time. It was an honor to be part of this," Pitcock said.
He said he and Woodley never discussed Ohio State?s win over Michigan or the recent flap about Florida passing the Wolverines in the final Bowl Championship Series standings.
"We left that to the media," Pitcock said. "The game is over with, time goes on, and you start to build relationships with the guys."
The Buckeyes will play Florida for the national title Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz. Woodley told the Associated Press that he?ll root for the Buckeyes.
"Being that Ohio State is in my conference and they?re representing us, I?ve got to go with Ohio State," Woodley said. "You can?t turn your back on your conference."
Smith, a senior from Cleveland, is fourth in the nation in passer rating (167.9) and has thrown for 2,507 yards and 30 touchdowns with only five interceptions.
Quinn, also a senior, has 35 touchdown passes this season for the Irish. He was fourth in the Heisman voting last season.
McFadden, a sophomore, emerged as a Heisman candidate late in the season. He has 1,558 yards rushing and 14 TDs, helping to lead Arkansas to the Southeastern Conference title game.
The awards circuit, coupled with finishing final exams and beginning bowl preparations, makes for a hectic time for Smith. But he doesn?t mind.
"I wouldn?t have it any other way," Smith said. "I?m very blessed to be in this situation. It?s pretty much everything I wanted. I?m just taking it day by day and just soaking it in."
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Dispatch
Anatomy of a landslide
Poll shows Ohio State?s Troy Smith as clear-cut winner
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Just call him Troy "Lock" Smith, because the Ohio State quarterback is the overwhelming favorite for the Heisman Trophy on Saturday.
If he doesn?t win, rivers might flow backward and the Earth might stop spinning.
"The Heisman Trophy Trust (the group that sponsors the award) doesn?t have much money, and they could save a lot of it by not bringing in any other finalists except Troy Smith and his family," said Dennis Dodd of CBS Sportsline, a Heisman voter and one of 10 participants in the weekly Scripps Howard Heisman poll.
The poll has correctly predicted 16 of 19 winners, and Smith has led every week since Sept. 5, the season?s second poll. The final poll came out yesterday, with Smith having a commanding lead over Arkansas running back Darren McFadden.
The finalists will be announced tonight. It is expected that three players will be invited to New York for the ceremony: Smith, McFadden and Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn of Dublin.
Part of Smith?s smooth ride to coronation was because of his performance, of course, throwing 30 touchdown passes against just five interceptions in leading the No. 1 Buckeyes to the national title game.
But part of it also is that while Smith was steady, the other top Heisman contenders all had "whoops" weeks, falling by the wayside one after another.
"This is easily the most drama-free year," said Chris Huston, who runs the Web site HeismanPundit.com.
How and when did Smith separate from the pack? Here?s a look back at some key weeks:
Sept . 16: Irish stewed
Quinn was the preseason Heisman favorite with a good-sized lead on Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson and Smith.
But No. 2 Notre Dame was blasted by No. 11 Michigan 47-21, and Quinn struggled. He completed 24 of 48 passes for 234 yards, with three touchdowns and three interceptions.
That was the opening Smith needed, and he shot through it. Quinn fell out of the poll?s top five and spent all season trying to claw his way back into the race.
Oct . 7: Springing a Leak
Florida senior quarterback Chris Leak was a strong candidate, hanging around in the group of two or three players waiting for Smith to stumble.
Instead, Leak?s campaign took a strange and fatal turn when he was upstaged by his own teammate, freshman quarterback Tim Tebow, in a 23-10 win over Louisiana State.
Tebow threw for two TDs, including the go-ahead score, and started splitting time with Leak in the following weeks. Voters decided that if Leak wasn?t even the clear-cut best quarterback on his team, how could he be a Heisman contender?
Oct . 14: Trap door for two
This was probably the seminal week for Smith, not because Ohio State beat Michigan State, but because two serious candidates suffered inglorious fates.
Northern Illinois running back Garrett Wolfe had been gaining ground in the race, on pace for more than 2,500 yards rushing. But against Western Michigan, Wolfe gained just 25 yards on 18 carries.
A dark-horse candidate from a Mid-American Conference school could not afford such an off week, and Wolfe was done.
Simultaneously, Peterson suffered a broken collarbone against Iowa State and was out for the season.
"I think if Peterson had gained 2,000 yards, he would?ve won it," Huston said.
This all but wrapped up the award for Smith.
Nov . 2: Sophomore slips
West Virginia running back Steve Slaton had taken over the second spot in the poll behind Smith. Just a sophomore, Slaton was gaining points as the Mountaineers climbed to No. 3 in the nation with a 14-game winning streak.
But in a huge spotlight game at Louisville, West Virginia lost 44-34. Slaton gained 156 yards but had a fumble returned for a touchdown and also sat out part of the second half because of a hand injury.
In the next poll, Slaton was a distant third and has not been a serious contender since.
Nov . 18: Resting his case
Despite all the misfortunes suffered by his competitors, Smith still needed to have at least a decent performance against No. 2 Michigan to wrap up the trophy.
If the Buckeyes lost or Smith had a bad day, voters could have swung back to Quinn, who had a chance to make a move Nov. 25 against Southern California.
"If (Smith) had lost that game and Quinn beat USC, Quinn would have won the Heisman," Huston said.
But it wasn?t to be. Smith threw four TD passes in Ohio State?s 42-39 victory, and that was that. Quinn will get a Big Apple weekend and a few limosine rides, but Smith will bring home the Buckeyes? seventh Heisman.
Anatomy of a landslide
Poll shows Ohio State?s Troy Smith as clear-cut winner
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Just call him Troy "Lock" Smith, because the Ohio State quarterback is the overwhelming favorite for the Heisman Trophy on Saturday.
If he doesn?t win, rivers might flow backward and the Earth might stop spinning.
"The Heisman Trophy Trust (the group that sponsors the award) doesn?t have much money, and they could save a lot of it by not bringing in any other finalists except Troy Smith and his family," said Dennis Dodd of CBS Sportsline, a Heisman voter and one of 10 participants in the weekly Scripps Howard Heisman poll.
The poll has correctly predicted 16 of 19 winners, and Smith has led every week since Sept. 5, the season?s second poll. The final poll came out yesterday, with Smith having a commanding lead over Arkansas running back Darren McFadden.
The finalists will be announced tonight. It is expected that three players will be invited to New York for the ceremony: Smith, McFadden and Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn of Dublin.
Part of Smith?s smooth ride to coronation was because of his performance, of course, throwing 30 touchdown passes against just five interceptions in leading the No. 1 Buckeyes to the national title game.
But part of it also is that while Smith was steady, the other top Heisman contenders all had "whoops" weeks, falling by the wayside one after another.
"This is easily the most drama-free year," said Chris Huston, who runs the Web site HeismanPundit.com.
How and when did Smith separate from the pack? Here?s a look back at some key weeks:
Sept . 16: Irish stewed
Quinn was the preseason Heisman favorite with a good-sized lead on Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson and Smith.
But No. 2 Notre Dame was blasted by No. 11 Michigan 47-21, and Quinn struggled. He completed 24 of 48 passes for 234 yards, with three touchdowns and three interceptions.
That was the opening Smith needed, and he shot through it. Quinn fell out of the poll?s top five and spent all season trying to claw his way back into the race.
Oct . 7: Springing a Leak
Florida senior quarterback Chris Leak was a strong candidate, hanging around in the group of two or three players waiting for Smith to stumble.
Instead, Leak?s campaign took a strange and fatal turn when he was upstaged by his own teammate, freshman quarterback Tim Tebow, in a 23-10 win over Louisiana State.
Tebow threw for two TDs, including the go-ahead score, and started splitting time with Leak in the following weeks. Voters decided that if Leak wasn?t even the clear-cut best quarterback on his team, how could he be a Heisman contender?
Oct . 14: Trap door for two
This was probably the seminal week for Smith, not because Ohio State beat Michigan State, but because two serious candidates suffered inglorious fates.
Northern Illinois running back Garrett Wolfe had been gaining ground in the race, on pace for more than 2,500 yards rushing. But against Western Michigan, Wolfe gained just 25 yards on 18 carries.
A dark-horse candidate from a Mid-American Conference school could not afford such an off week, and Wolfe was done.
Simultaneously, Peterson suffered a broken collarbone against Iowa State and was out for the season.
"I think if Peterson had gained 2,000 yards, he would?ve won it," Huston said.
This all but wrapped up the award for Smith.
Nov . 2: Sophomore slips
West Virginia running back Steve Slaton had taken over the second spot in the poll behind Smith. Just a sophomore, Slaton was gaining points as the Mountaineers climbed to No. 3 in the nation with a 14-game winning streak.
But in a huge spotlight game at Louisville, West Virginia lost 44-34. Slaton gained 156 yards but had a fumble returned for a touchdown and also sat out part of the second half because of a hand injury.
In the next poll, Slaton was a distant third and has not been a serious contender since.
Nov . 18: Resting his case
Despite all the misfortunes suffered by his competitors, Smith still needed to have at least a decent performance against No. 2 Michigan to wrap up the trophy.
If the Buckeyes lost or Smith had a bad day, voters could have swung back to Quinn, who had a chance to make a move Nov. 25 against Southern California.
"If (Smith) had lost that game and Quinn beat USC, Quinn would have won the Heisman," Huston said.
But it wasn?t to be. Smith threw four TD passes in Ohio State?s 42-39 victory, and that was that. Quinn will get a Big Apple weekend and a few limosine rides, but Smith will bring home the Buckeyes? seventh Heisman.
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cincibuck
You kids stay off my lawn!
This 'n that:
1. People putting the slam on Troy? What's that all about? He may not be the most skilled passer, but he certainly showed up Quinn, the cover-boy-can't-miss-in-the-NFL by playing THREE superb games against Michigan and one against the Irish. He has certainly demonstrated, week in and week out, his ability to throw long, throw short, throw with a touch, and the knowledge of when/when not to throw the ball out of bounds, some things Quinn has not displayed in games against teams other than service academies.
2. More importantly, Troy has demonstrated leadership. He has been extraordinary in all the Buckeye "must win" games for the last year and a half. Quinn had a superb game against USC at home and got drilled in the rest. When mistakes made the Michigan game close and the camera tightened on the Buckeye huddle you could see the confidence the other players had in Troy. I knew Ohio State was going to win.
3. Troy's total offense numbers would certainly be more impressive if he'd taken off more, but he clearly understood that the team benefited more from his passing. He put the team before himself.
4. Trash talking about "how easy it is to pick the quarterback of the number 1 team" is to deny the fact that Smith's play was crucial to the team being #1. I don't see a team so dominant that they could have been #1 with Justin Zwick at the helm. I don't think you could take this same OSU team and end up #1 with Brady Quinn calling signals, but replace Chad Henne with Troy and I think you'd see Michigan in Glendale... and Chad Henne is a damn fine quarterback.
1. People putting the slam on Troy? What's that all about? He may not be the most skilled passer, but he certainly showed up Quinn, the cover-boy-can't-miss-in-the-NFL by playing THREE superb games against Michigan and one against the Irish. He has certainly demonstrated, week in and week out, his ability to throw long, throw short, throw with a touch, and the knowledge of when/when not to throw the ball out of bounds, some things Quinn has not displayed in games against teams other than service academies.
2. More importantly, Troy has demonstrated leadership. He has been extraordinary in all the Buckeye "must win" games for the last year and a half. Quinn had a superb game against USC at home and got drilled in the rest. When mistakes made the Michigan game close and the camera tightened on the Buckeye huddle you could see the confidence the other players had in Troy. I knew Ohio State was going to win.
3. Troy's total offense numbers would certainly be more impressive if he'd taken off more, but he clearly understood that the team benefited more from his passing. He put the team before himself.
4. Trash talking about "how easy it is to pick the quarterback of the number 1 team" is to deny the fact that Smith's play was crucial to the team being #1. I don't see a team so dominant that they could have been #1 with Justin Zwick at the helm. I don't think you could take this same OSU team and end up #1 with Brady Quinn calling signals, but replace Chad Henne with Troy and I think you'd see Michigan in Glendale... and Chad Henne is a damn fine quarterback.
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Link
The biggest win in history? Smith?s Heisman victory margin likely will be the widest ever By Erik Johns and Dan Williamson / December 7, 2006
Craig James Game face: Smith betrayed no emotion Sunday when he learned OSU will play Florida
Troy Smith is going to win the Heisman Trophy. Everyone is in agreement on that. But that doesn?t mean Saturday evening will arrive without suspense.
It?s possible Smith will win more convincingly than O.J. Simpson in 1968. That year, the Juice slashed through the competition, racking up the most points of any winner and winning by the biggest margin.
Voters are required to rank their top three players. First place votes get three points, second two and third one. In a given year, there are more than 900 voters (a list the Heisman people keep to themselves), and the number fluctuates some. So the total-points record is an untidy one. A better comparison is the winning margin.
The year Simpson won, he earned 2,853 points. The runner-up, Purdue?s Leroy Keyes, had 1,103?39 percent of O.J.?s total. The only player to come close to Simpson?s point total is Florida State?s Charlie Ward. In 1993, he tallied up 2,310 points, and second-place Heath Shuler of Tennessee had 30 percent of that total.
The website Stiff Arm Trophy has accurately predicted the winners of the last four Heisman winners based on a sample of picks from known voters. In 2002, the site?s least-accurate year, it missed the percentage of votes for USC?s Carson Palmer by just 5.3 points.
As of Wednesday, Stiff Arm Trophy?which is careful not to mention the Heisman by name because ?the official trophy organization threatened to sue us last year??was projecting that Smith will earn 2,827 points with Arkansas running back Darren McFadden finishing second with 667, 24 percent of Smith?s total.
Smith will finish near Simpson?s point record and obliterate his margin of victory record if those projections hold.
And, if history is any indicator, such a decisive victory will exonerate Smith from any potential wrongdoing in the future.
How to tick Troy off
Trying to lure Troy Smith into trash-talking an opponent is a little like trying to trick Dick Cheney into saying something that?s true.
Sure enough, on Sunday, the Buckeye quarterback declared himself a ?very, very huge fan of Chris Leak,? the Florida Gators QB. Perhaps confusing Leak with Johnny Unitas, Smith added, ?Hopefully, I get a chance to meet him.?
He also praised Florida Coach Urban Meyer?who?d tried to recruit Smith when Meyer was at Bowling Green five years ago?as a ?great football mind,? saying of Meyer?s rapid rise as a coach, ?Good things happen to good people.?
True to form, Smith won?t be giving the Gators any bulletin-board material. But he uncharacteristically got his back up in defense of the Big Ten.
Asked about the prevalent national perception that the Florida?s Southeastern Conference plays a superior brand of football to his conference, Smith replied, ?I think it?s a myth simply because football is played everywhere. It?s always 11 people on the field. You?re going to get a defense that?s gonna be flying to the ball. Everybody?s gonna be aggressive on offense. They?re gonna try to score points. I don?t believe in someone playing tougher football here, tougher football there.?
Told that the talking heads on ESPN had compared the Big Ten unfavorably to the SEC, Smith showed what for him?in this Year of Speaking Carefully?was a surprising flash of annoyance.
?I don?t care what the guys at ESPN say,? he said. ?They don?t line up to play football anymore. All they do is talk about it. There?s a lot of people that talk about things that go on and don?t really have a clue.?
?Unless you put the helmets on and put the pads on and are doing some of the running and hitting, your opinion to a player in this situation really doesn?t mean anything.?
Smith?s loyalty to the Big Ten is such that he?ll be rooting for Michigan in the Wolverines? Rose Bowl game against USC, he said.
?I don?t have a hate, a dying hunger or a pain for another team or another university,? he said.
But that?s as much as he would say about Ohio State?s archrival. He refused to speculate about how the Wolverines must feel about getting left out of the championship game.
?I won?t even think about putting myself in their shoes,? he said.
Smith?who was sitting behind fellow Buckeye co-captains Quinn Pitcock, Doug Datish and David Patterson when it was announced that Florida would be his team?s opponent Jan. 8?did not change his expression. Asked how he would have reacted had Michigan been selected, Smith said, ?I wouldn?t have reacted, period.?
Meanwhile, if there?s a notion that irritates Smith as much as that of the superior SEC, it might be that the Buckeyes are getting a long layoff prior to their Jan. 8 national championship game.
When 610 WTVN?s Larry Larson, himself a former high school coach, told Smith he couldn?t imagine getting his team ready for a big game after a seven-week layoff, Smith looked at Larson dryly.
?Why do you think it?s a seven-week layoff?? he asked. ?You think we don?t play football for seven weeks??
Larson said he was referring to actual football games.
?Our situations in practice are pretty much like actual games,? Smith said. ?You know, we face a defense every day that?s top-five in the nation?in practice.?
The biggest win in history? Smith?s Heisman victory margin likely will be the widest ever By Erik Johns and Dan Williamson / December 7, 2006
It?s possible Smith will win more convincingly than O.J. Simpson in 1968. That year, the Juice slashed through the competition, racking up the most points of any winner and winning by the biggest margin.
Voters are required to rank their top three players. First place votes get three points, second two and third one. In a given year, there are more than 900 voters (a list the Heisman people keep to themselves), and the number fluctuates some. So the total-points record is an untidy one. A better comparison is the winning margin.
The year Simpson won, he earned 2,853 points. The runner-up, Purdue?s Leroy Keyes, had 1,103?39 percent of O.J.?s total. The only player to come close to Simpson?s point total is Florida State?s Charlie Ward. In 1993, he tallied up 2,310 points, and second-place Heath Shuler of Tennessee had 30 percent of that total.
The website Stiff Arm Trophy has accurately predicted the winners of the last four Heisman winners based on a sample of picks from known voters. In 2002, the site?s least-accurate year, it missed the percentage of votes for USC?s Carson Palmer by just 5.3 points.
As of Wednesday, Stiff Arm Trophy?which is careful not to mention the Heisman by name because ?the official trophy organization threatened to sue us last year??was projecting that Smith will earn 2,827 points with Arkansas running back Darren McFadden finishing second with 667, 24 percent of Smith?s total.
Smith will finish near Simpson?s point record and obliterate his margin of victory record if those projections hold.
And, if history is any indicator, such a decisive victory will exonerate Smith from any potential wrongdoing in the future.
How to tick Troy off
Trying to lure Troy Smith into trash-talking an opponent is a little like trying to trick Dick Cheney into saying something that?s true.
Sure enough, on Sunday, the Buckeye quarterback declared himself a ?very, very huge fan of Chris Leak,? the Florida Gators QB. Perhaps confusing Leak with Johnny Unitas, Smith added, ?Hopefully, I get a chance to meet him.?
He also praised Florida Coach Urban Meyer?who?d tried to recruit Smith when Meyer was at Bowling Green five years ago?as a ?great football mind,? saying of Meyer?s rapid rise as a coach, ?Good things happen to good people.?
True to form, Smith won?t be giving the Gators any bulletin-board material. But he uncharacteristically got his back up in defense of the Big Ten.
Asked about the prevalent national perception that the Florida?s Southeastern Conference plays a superior brand of football to his conference, Smith replied, ?I think it?s a myth simply because football is played everywhere. It?s always 11 people on the field. You?re going to get a defense that?s gonna be flying to the ball. Everybody?s gonna be aggressive on offense. They?re gonna try to score points. I don?t believe in someone playing tougher football here, tougher football there.?
Told that the talking heads on ESPN had compared the Big Ten unfavorably to the SEC, Smith showed what for him?in this Year of Speaking Carefully?was a surprising flash of annoyance.
?I don?t care what the guys at ESPN say,? he said. ?They don?t line up to play football anymore. All they do is talk about it. There?s a lot of people that talk about things that go on and don?t really have a clue.?
?Unless you put the helmets on and put the pads on and are doing some of the running and hitting, your opinion to a player in this situation really doesn?t mean anything.?
Smith?s loyalty to the Big Ten is such that he?ll be rooting for Michigan in the Wolverines? Rose Bowl game against USC, he said.
?I don?t have a hate, a dying hunger or a pain for another team or another university,? he said.
But that?s as much as he would say about Ohio State?s archrival. He refused to speculate about how the Wolverines must feel about getting left out of the championship game.
?I won?t even think about putting myself in their shoes,? he said.
Smith?who was sitting behind fellow Buckeye co-captains Quinn Pitcock, Doug Datish and David Patterson when it was announced that Florida would be his team?s opponent Jan. 8?did not change his expression. Asked how he would have reacted had Michigan been selected, Smith said, ?I wouldn?t have reacted, period.?
Meanwhile, if there?s a notion that irritates Smith as much as that of the superior SEC, it might be that the Buckeyes are getting a long layoff prior to their Jan. 8 national championship game.
When 610 WTVN?s Larry Larson, himself a former high school coach, told Smith he couldn?t imagine getting his team ready for a big game after a seven-week layoff, Smith looked at Larson dryly.
?Why do you think it?s a seven-week layoff?? he asked. ?You think we don?t play football for seven weeks??
Larson said he was referring to actual football games.
?Our situations in practice are pretty much like actual games,? Smith said. ?You know, we face a defense every day that?s top-five in the nation?in practice.?
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Thats hilarious! Smith basically bitch-slapped every media pundit for their ignorant scrutiny!
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DDN
Ohio State's Heisman winners
Friday, December 08, 2006
Les Horvath
The Buckeyes' first Heisman winner in 1944, Horvath racked up 1,248 all-purpose yards while playing halfback and quarterback on offense and safety on defense. He's the only Heisman winner who didn't play the previous season, having skipped football for dental school before being persuaded to come back out.
Vic Janowicz
Considered by many the greatest athlete ever to play football for the Buckeyes, he won the Heisman as a junior in 1950 on a team that finished just 6-3. He rushed for 314 yards, passed for 561 and accounted for 16 touchdowns. He also was the team's kicker and punter, delivering a 27-yard field goal in the infamous "Snow Bowl" against Michigan that year.
Howard "Hopalong" Cassady
After leading the Buckeyes to a national title in 1954, Cassady won the Heisman the following season by rushing for 958 yards and 15 TDs. He also was a standout defensive back. A Columbus native, Cassady was named the 1955 Associated Press Athlete of the Year.
Archie Griffin
The only two-time winner of the award (1974-75), Griffin rushed for 100 or more yards in 31 consecutive games, an NCAA record. He's the only player to lead OSU in rushing four straight years, and his 5,589 career yards are a school record. He averaged 6.0 yards per carry.
Eddie George
He rushed for a school-record 1,927 yards and 24 touchdowns while winning the award in 1995. He set OSU's all-time single-game rushing mark with 314 yards against Illinois. He also had 47 receptions that season, the most ever for a Buckeye running back.
Heisman schools
Ohio State's Heisman winners
Friday, December 08, 2006
Les Horvath
The Buckeyes' first Heisman winner in 1944, Horvath racked up 1,248 all-purpose yards while playing halfback and quarterback on offense and safety on defense. He's the only Heisman winner who didn't play the previous season, having skipped football for dental school before being persuaded to come back out.
Vic Janowicz
Considered by many the greatest athlete ever to play football for the Buckeyes, he won the Heisman as a junior in 1950 on a team that finished just 6-3. He rushed for 314 yards, passed for 561 and accounted for 16 touchdowns. He also was the team's kicker and punter, delivering a 27-yard field goal in the infamous "Snow Bowl" against Michigan that year.
Howard "Hopalong" Cassady
After leading the Buckeyes to a national title in 1954, Cassady won the Heisman the following season by rushing for 958 yards and 15 TDs. He also was a standout defensive back. A Columbus native, Cassady was named the 1955 Associated Press Athlete of the Year.
Archie Griffin
The only two-time winner of the award (1974-75), Griffin rushed for 100 or more yards in 31 consecutive games, an NCAA record. He's the only player to lead OSU in rushing four straight years, and his 5,589 career yards are a school record. He averaged 6.0 yards per carry.
Eddie George
He rushed for a school-record 1,927 yards and 24 touchdowns while winning the award in 1995. He set OSU's all-time single-game rushing mark with 314 yards against Illinois. He also had 47 receptions that season, the most ever for a Buckeye running back.
Heisman schools
- 7: Notre Dame, Southern Cal.
- 6: Ohio State
- 4: Oklahoma
- 3: Michigan, Army, Nebraska
- 2: Yale, Georgia, Wisconsin, Navy, Florida, Auburn, Texas, Miami (Fla.), Florida State
- 1: Chicago, TCU, Iowa, Minnesota, SMU, Princeton, Texas A&M, LSU, Syracuse, Oregon State, UCLA, Stanford, Penn State, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Boston College, Oklahoma State, Houston, BYU, Colorado
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL
A TROPHY LIFE
Friday, December 08, 2006Mark Gillispie
Plain Dealer Reporter
Should native Clevelander Troy Smith win the Heisman Trophy as expected on Saturday, the award will return to its spiritual roots.
The trophy's namesake, John Heisman, was born in Cleveland in 1869.
While Heisman's accomplishments are not widely known today, he made his mark as one of college football's top coaches during the game's crude and violent early years. A stern taskmaster, Heisman has been credited with creating or lobbying tirelessly for innovations that have become integral to the modern game, including the forward pass.
"He certainly had a lot of influence," said Kent Stephens, a historian with the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind. "I think he was certainly in the forefront of all these ideas, at least as a contributor."
And, if he had gotten his way, there likely would not have been a Heisman Trophy.
Heisman tried the sporting goods business in New York City after retiring from coaching in 1927, and in 1929 he became director of athletics at the Downtown Athletic Club in Manhattan.
A club member in 1934 asked Heisman for advice on creating an award to honor college football's best player. Heisman opposed the idea. Football, he insisted, is a team game. Heisman finally gave the idea his reluctant blessing, and the University of Chicago's Jay Berwanger became the first -- and last -- recipient of the Downtown Athletic Club Trophy in 1935.
The 66-year-old Heisman died of pneumonia in October 1936. The Downtown Athletic Club Trophy soon became the Heisman Trophy.
Heisman was born in a home on Bridge Avenue on Cleveland's near West Side but moved to Titusville, Pa., when he was 6. Rail thin, he played as a lineman during his college days at Brown and then the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a law degree.
After injuring an eye during an indoor football game, a doctor told him to take two years to recuperate before starting his legal career. Heisman returned to Northeast Ohio in search of a coaching position, and he landed a job at Oberlin College in 1892.
His first Oberlin team finished 7-0, beating Michigan once and Ohio State twice. The following year, he moved to Akron Buchtel College, the predecessor of the University of Akron, and returned to Oberlin for the 1894 season.
His coaching travels took him south to Auburn, Clemson and then Georgia Tech, where he led the Yellow Jackets from 1904 to 1919, compiling a 102-29-7 record.
Heisman guided Georgia Tech to four undefeated seasons, a 33-game unbeaten streak and a national championship in 1917.
Yet were it not for the trophy named in his honor, he might be best known for running up the most lopsided score in college football history, a 222-0 drubbing of Cumberland College in 1916.
Lore has it that Heisman was seeking revenge for a 22-0 baseball loss the previous spring against a Cumberland team filled with ringers. (Heisman was also the Georgia Tech baseball coach.)
Heisman was known for high-blown oratory that apparently was a by-product of his interest in Shakespearean acting. At the beginning of each season, he would stand before his players while holding a football aloft.
"What is this?" he would ask his players. "It is a prolate spheroid, an elongated sphere in which the outer leather casing is drawn tightly over a somewhat smaller rubber tubing. Better to have died as a small boy than to fumble this football."
One of Heisman's most notable achievements was to successfully lobby Walter Camp, chairman of college football's rules committee, to allow the forward pass.
Football at that time more closely resembled rugby and featured dangerous formations such as the flying wedge. Punching opposing players was an accepted practice. Heisman's lobbying received a gruesome assist in 1905 when 18 college players died, prompting President Teddy Roosevelt to intervene.
A limited version of the forward pass was used during the 1906 season, but it took Knute Rockne's 1913 Notre Dame team to popularize it.
Heisman left Georgia Tech in 1919 "to avoid social embarrassment" when he and his wife divorced. Heisman finished his coaching career at Penn, Washington & Jefferson and at Rice. That final season at Rice in 1927 was his only losing campaign in 36 years as a head coach.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
A TROPHY LIFE
Friday, December 08, 2006Mark Gillispie
Plain Dealer Reporter
Should native Clevelander Troy Smith win the Heisman Trophy as expected on Saturday, the award will return to its spiritual roots.
The trophy's namesake, John Heisman, was born in Cleveland in 1869.
While Heisman's accomplishments are not widely known today, he made his mark as one of college football's top coaches during the game's crude and violent early years. A stern taskmaster, Heisman has been credited with creating or lobbying tirelessly for innovations that have become integral to the modern game, including the forward pass.
"He certainly had a lot of influence," said Kent Stephens, a historian with the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind. "I think he was certainly in the forefront of all these ideas, at least as a contributor."
And, if he had gotten his way, there likely would not have been a Heisman Trophy.
Heisman tried the sporting goods business in New York City after retiring from coaching in 1927, and in 1929 he became director of athletics at the Downtown Athletic Club in Manhattan.
A club member in 1934 asked Heisman for advice on creating an award to honor college football's best player. Heisman opposed the idea. Football, he insisted, is a team game. Heisman finally gave the idea his reluctant blessing, and the University of Chicago's Jay Berwanger became the first -- and last -- recipient of the Downtown Athletic Club Trophy in 1935.
The 66-year-old Heisman died of pneumonia in October 1936. The Downtown Athletic Club Trophy soon became the Heisman Trophy.
Heisman was born in a home on Bridge Avenue on Cleveland's near West Side but moved to Titusville, Pa., when he was 6. Rail thin, he played as a lineman during his college days at Brown and then the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a law degree.
After injuring an eye during an indoor football game, a doctor told him to take two years to recuperate before starting his legal career. Heisman returned to Northeast Ohio in search of a coaching position, and he landed a job at Oberlin College in 1892.
His first Oberlin team finished 7-0, beating Michigan once and Ohio State twice. The following year, he moved to Akron Buchtel College, the predecessor of the University of Akron, and returned to Oberlin for the 1894 season.
His coaching travels took him south to Auburn, Clemson and then Georgia Tech, where he led the Yellow Jackets from 1904 to 1919, compiling a 102-29-7 record.
Heisman guided Georgia Tech to four undefeated seasons, a 33-game unbeaten streak and a national championship in 1917.
Yet were it not for the trophy named in his honor, he might be best known for running up the most lopsided score in college football history, a 222-0 drubbing of Cumberland College in 1916.
Lore has it that Heisman was seeking revenge for a 22-0 baseball loss the previous spring against a Cumberland team filled with ringers. (Heisman was also the Georgia Tech baseball coach.)
Heisman was known for high-blown oratory that apparently was a by-product of his interest in Shakespearean acting. At the beginning of each season, he would stand before his players while holding a football aloft.
"What is this?" he would ask his players. "It is a prolate spheroid, an elongated sphere in which the outer leather casing is drawn tightly over a somewhat smaller rubber tubing. Better to have died as a small boy than to fumble this football."
One of Heisman's most notable achievements was to successfully lobby Walter Camp, chairman of college football's rules committee, to allow the forward pass.
Football at that time more closely resembled rugby and featured dangerous formations such as the flying wedge. Punching opposing players was an accepted practice. Heisman's lobbying received a gruesome assist in 1905 when 18 college players died, prompting President Teddy Roosevelt to intervene.
A limited version of the forward pass was used during the 1906 season, but it took Knute Rockne's 1913 Notre Dame team to popularize it.
Heisman left Georgia Tech in 1919 "to avoid social embarrassment" when he and his wife divorced. Heisman finished his coaching career at Penn, Washington & Jefferson and at Rice. That final season at Rice in 1927 was his only losing campaign in 36 years as a head coach.
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Heisman can be better party than predictor
December 8, 2006
BY VAUGHN MCCLURE Staff Reporter
Michael Bishop had no problem being No. 2.
The former Kansas State quarterback and 1998 Heisman Trophy runner-up relished the opportunity to tour New York City. He gloated about rubbing shoulders with legends Earl Campbell and Marcus Allen.
And Bishop never will forget his night on the town with Texas running back Ricky Williams, the Heisman winner.
''After the presentation, we were free to do whatever, and Ricky and I just hung out,'' Bishop said. ''We both like to party. But I don't party like he parties.''
We get the hint.
Bishop figured he would make the most of his Heisman experience, even though he had little chance of winning college football's highest honor. Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn might want to follow the same routine this weekend, with just about everyone -- including his own coach, Charlie Weis -- handing the award to Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith.
Smith, Quinn and Arkansas running back Darren McFadden are the three finalists scheduled to be in New York for Saturday's ceremony. Although ESPN is trying its best to promote this as a three-man race, the reality is Smith probably locked it up when Ohio State beat Michigan.
One voter, Dennis Dodd of CBS SportsLine.com, even suggested that the Heisman folks should save money by inviting only Smith and his family. That likely wouldn't have gone over well with Quinn, who finished fourth in last year's voting but did not receive an invitation to New York.
''I guess it'll be nice to get to go to New York, go to the ceremony and see how things go,'' Quinn said. ''I mean, at this point, you can't really say a whole lot about it. What's done is done with the season, and we'll see what the vote ends up being on Saturday.''
Finishing second might be little consolation to a perfectionist such as Quinn, but it's not the worst position to be in. Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning was the runner-up to Michigan's Charles Woodson in '97, and everyone knows who has had the better pro career. Last year's second-place finisher, Texas' Vince Young, was the No. 3 pick in the NFL draft and has led the Tennessee Titans to three consecutive wins.
And Florida's Rex Grossman, second to Nebraska's Eric Crouch in 2001, was having a banner year with the Bears until recently, while Crouch is lost in obscurity.
''The Heisman was a goal and a dream, and I came up a little short,'' Grossman said Thursday. ''I still had fun. It still was about being a part of tradition. Just being there was a big deal.''
For every Manning, Young and Grossman, there is a Heath Shuler, Brad Banks and Michael Bishop.
Shuler, who finished second to Charlie Ward in '93, never lived up to his promise in the NFL because of injury and now is a congressman in North Carolina. Both Banks and Bishop play in the Canadian Football League, and Bishop doubles as a member of the Kansas City Brigade of the Arena Football League after a stint with the Rush.
Banks, a former star quarterback at Iowa, was surprised about who won the '02 Heisman over him: USC quarterback Carson Palmer.
''I thought Larry Johnson and Willis McGahee had a better chance,'' Banks said of the third- and fourth-place finishers. ''None of us saw it coming with Carson.
''But I'm not saying Carson didn't deserve it and that I did. I mean, finishing second ... you always want to win, you always want to be No. 1. But for me to be a first-year starter and be up for the Heisman, I thought that was pretty good.''
In talking about this year's Heisman race, Banks said, ''Troy Smith should win it, hands down.'' Although Bishop has ties to Weis -- he played under Weis with the New England Patriots and praised Weis for giving him his first NFL playing time -- he showed no favoritism toward Weis' latest protégé.
''Brady Quinn is a very good player, but right now, I feel Troy is a step ahead,'' Bishop said. ''If Troy doesn't win the Heisman, a lot of people will be upset.''
NOTE: Eight Notre Dame players have been selected to play in January all-star games.
Defensive end Victor Abiamiri, offensive tackle Ryan Harris, quarterback Brady Quinn and wide receivers Rhema McKnight and Jeff Samardzija were picked for the Senior Bowl on Jan. 27 in Mobile, Ala. Defensive tackle Derek Landri and guard Dan Santucci were selected for the East-West Shrine game on Jan. 20 in Houston. Guard Bob Morton was picked for the Hula Bowl on Jan. 14 in Honolulu.
[email protected]
1-2 HUNCH
Winning the Heisman Trophy -- or finishing second -- hasn't always been an accurate predictor of professional success. Here's what the winners and runners-up since 2000 are up to today:
2005
Winner: Reggie Bush, USC. All-purpose back and No. 2 overall pick by New Orleans Saints is coming off four-touchdown game.
Runner-up: Vince Young, Texas. No. 3 pick won starting QB job with Tennessee Titans and has led team to three straight wins.
2004
Winner: Matt Leinart, USC. Rookie starting QB for Arizona Cardinals had his best game against Bears.
Runner-up: Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma. Powerful RB to rejoin Sooners for Fiesta Bowl after breaking collarbone.
2003
Winner: Jason White, Oklahoma. Undrafted QB signed free-agent contract with Titans in 2005 but quit football because of knee problems.
Runner-up: Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh. No. 3 pick in 2004 is Cardinals' second-leading receiver after being named to Pro Bowl last season.
2002
Winner: Carson Palmer, USC. No. 1 pick and Pro Bowler on the verge of greatness as Cincinnati Bengals' QB.
Runner-up: Brad Banks, Iowa. Undrafted QB signed free-agent deal with Washington Redskins but didn't stick; now with Winnipeg of CFL.
2001
Winner: Eric Crouch, Nebraska. Drafted by St. Louis Rams in sixth round as a WR; never made NFL and now is fourth-string QB for CFL's Toronto Argonauts.
Runner-up: Rex Grossman, Florida. First-round pick by Bears in 2003, QB was hero at start of the season but now subject of great criticism.
2000
Winner: Chris Weinke, Florida State. Fourth-round pick of Carolina Panthers might get first start since 2002 this week with Jake Delhomme injured.
Runner-up: Josh Heupel, Oklahoma. QB of national champs was sixth-round pick and two-year backup (Miami, Green Bay); now the Sooners' QB coach.
Heisman can be better party than predictor
December 8, 2006
BY VAUGHN MCCLURE Staff Reporter
Michael Bishop had no problem being No. 2.
The former Kansas State quarterback and 1998 Heisman Trophy runner-up relished the opportunity to tour New York City. He gloated about rubbing shoulders with legends Earl Campbell and Marcus Allen.
And Bishop never will forget his night on the town with Texas running back Ricky Williams, the Heisman winner.
''After the presentation, we were free to do whatever, and Ricky and I just hung out,'' Bishop said. ''We both like to party. But I don't party like he parties.''
We get the hint.
Bishop figured he would make the most of his Heisman experience, even though he had little chance of winning college football's highest honor. Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn might want to follow the same routine this weekend, with just about everyone -- including his own coach, Charlie Weis -- handing the award to Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith.
Smith, Quinn and Arkansas running back Darren McFadden are the three finalists scheduled to be in New York for Saturday's ceremony. Although ESPN is trying its best to promote this as a three-man race, the reality is Smith probably locked it up when Ohio State beat Michigan.
One voter, Dennis Dodd of CBS SportsLine.com, even suggested that the Heisman folks should save money by inviting only Smith and his family. That likely wouldn't have gone over well with Quinn, who finished fourth in last year's voting but did not receive an invitation to New York.
''I guess it'll be nice to get to go to New York, go to the ceremony and see how things go,'' Quinn said. ''I mean, at this point, you can't really say a whole lot about it. What's done is done with the season, and we'll see what the vote ends up being on Saturday.''
Finishing second might be little consolation to a perfectionist such as Quinn, but it's not the worst position to be in. Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning was the runner-up to Michigan's Charles Woodson in '97, and everyone knows who has had the better pro career. Last year's second-place finisher, Texas' Vince Young, was the No. 3 pick in the NFL draft and has led the Tennessee Titans to three consecutive wins.
And Florida's Rex Grossman, second to Nebraska's Eric Crouch in 2001, was having a banner year with the Bears until recently, while Crouch is lost in obscurity.
''The Heisman was a goal and a dream, and I came up a little short,'' Grossman said Thursday. ''I still had fun. It still was about being a part of tradition. Just being there was a big deal.''
For every Manning, Young and Grossman, there is a Heath Shuler, Brad Banks and Michael Bishop.
Shuler, who finished second to Charlie Ward in '93, never lived up to his promise in the NFL because of injury and now is a congressman in North Carolina. Both Banks and Bishop play in the Canadian Football League, and Bishop doubles as a member of the Kansas City Brigade of the Arena Football League after a stint with the Rush.
Banks, a former star quarterback at Iowa, was surprised about who won the '02 Heisman over him: USC quarterback Carson Palmer.
''I thought Larry Johnson and Willis McGahee had a better chance,'' Banks said of the third- and fourth-place finishers. ''None of us saw it coming with Carson.
''But I'm not saying Carson didn't deserve it and that I did. I mean, finishing second ... you always want to win, you always want to be No. 1. But for me to be a first-year starter and be up for the Heisman, I thought that was pretty good.''
In talking about this year's Heisman race, Banks said, ''Troy Smith should win it, hands down.'' Although Bishop has ties to Weis -- he played under Weis with the New England Patriots and praised Weis for giving him his first NFL playing time -- he showed no favoritism toward Weis' latest protégé.
''Brady Quinn is a very good player, but right now, I feel Troy is a step ahead,'' Bishop said. ''If Troy doesn't win the Heisman, a lot of people will be upset.''
NOTE: Eight Notre Dame players have been selected to play in January all-star games.
Defensive end Victor Abiamiri, offensive tackle Ryan Harris, quarterback Brady Quinn and wide receivers Rhema McKnight and Jeff Samardzija were picked for the Senior Bowl on Jan. 27 in Mobile, Ala. Defensive tackle Derek Landri and guard Dan Santucci were selected for the East-West Shrine game on Jan. 20 in Houston. Guard Bob Morton was picked for the Hula Bowl on Jan. 14 in Honolulu.
[email protected]
1-2 HUNCH
Winning the Heisman Trophy -- or finishing second -- hasn't always been an accurate predictor of professional success. Here's what the winners and runners-up since 2000 are up to today:
2005
Winner: Reggie Bush, USC. All-purpose back and No. 2 overall pick by New Orleans Saints is coming off four-touchdown game.
Runner-up: Vince Young, Texas. No. 3 pick won starting QB job with Tennessee Titans and has led team to three straight wins.
2004
Winner: Matt Leinart, USC. Rookie starting QB for Arizona Cardinals had his best game against Bears.
Runner-up: Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma. Powerful RB to rejoin Sooners for Fiesta Bowl after breaking collarbone.
2003
Winner: Jason White, Oklahoma. Undrafted QB signed free-agent contract with Titans in 2005 but quit football because of knee problems.
Runner-up: Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh. No. 3 pick in 2004 is Cardinals' second-leading receiver after being named to Pro Bowl last season.
2002
Winner: Carson Palmer, USC. No. 1 pick and Pro Bowler on the verge of greatness as Cincinnati Bengals' QB.
Runner-up: Brad Banks, Iowa. Undrafted QB signed free-agent deal with Washington Redskins but didn't stick; now with Winnipeg of CFL.
2001
Winner: Eric Crouch, Nebraska. Drafted by St. Louis Rams in sixth round as a WR; never made NFL and now is fourth-string QB for CFL's Toronto Argonauts.
Runner-up: Rex Grossman, Florida. First-round pick by Bears in 2003, QB was hero at start of the season but now subject of great criticism.
2000
Winner: Chris Weinke, Florida State. Fourth-round pick of Carolina Panthers might get first start since 2002 this week with Jake Delhomme injured.
Runner-up: Josh Heupel, Oklahoma. QB of national champs was sixth-round pick and two-year backup (Miami, Green Bay); now the Sooners' QB coach.
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Dispatch
COMMENTARY
At awards time, players benefit from team success
Friday, December 08, 2006
BOB HUNTER
It is one of those expressions a lot of college football players use without much conviction, an answer that simply sounds good during interviews.
"I don?t care about records or individual awards," the player will say. "If we win, those things will take care of themselves. It?s all about the team."
Reporters get tired of hearing it, not because they don?t believe in the concept but because they think most players are just repeating what they think they?re supposed to say. Some guys with egos that couldn?t fit inside the dutifully spit that stuff out, then announce a month later that they?re transferring to another school because they aren?t getting enough playing time.
Say what you will about it, though; clich? as it is, the basis of that expression has been convincingly proved by the Ohio State football team.
Coach Jim Tressel?s constant emphasis on the team concept might not be scintillating stuff, but this team seemed to buy into it. The players put teammates ahead of personal goals, won all 12 games and garnered nominations for just about every major college football award out there.
During last night?s College Football Awards Show alone, Troy Smith, the Heisman Trophy favorite, was up for the Davey O?Brien Award (best quarterback) and Maxwell Trophy (best college player), Doug Datish was up for the Rimington Trophy (best center) and James Laurinaitis was up for the Butkus Award (best linebacker).
That follows Laurinaitis winning the Bronco Nagurski Award as best defensive player and still being up for the Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player); Quinn Pitcock being named a finalist but not winning the Lombardi Award (best lineman) and still being up for the Lott Trophy (best defensive impact player); and Antonio Smith being a semifinalist for, but not winning, the Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back).
This isn?t meant to imply that the players don?t deserve to be honored. Obviously, this OSU team has lots of good players or it wouldn?t be ranked No. 1. But because of the Buckeyes? successful season, players who might not have been noticed on, say, an 8-4 team, are front and center in just about every major award category. Putting the team first clearly pays off.
Is Laurinaitis the single best defensive player in all of college football? The people who voted for the Nagurski Award said he is, and as well as he played this year, it certainly might be true. But what if he had had the same productivity for Indiana or Michigan State? Would he have won it then, especially as a sophomore who had started only 13 games in his college career?
Probably not, which proves the point. By playing well on a team having an outstanding season, one that nearly everyone in the country is watching, a player who wasn?t among the favorites to win lofty awards before the season can be there at the end.
Antonio Smith might be the best example. A fifth-year senior and former walk-on who had never played much, Smith started at cornerback and had a strong season. That gained him All-Big Ten honors and made him one of 11 semifinalists for the Thorpe. He probably never would have come that far in the voters? eyes if he played on a mediocre team.
And how about Joel Penton, who won the Wuerffel Trophy, given to the college player who "best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement? "
My initial reaction was that Penton, who performed countless acts of community service and helped plan the "Main Event" outreach meeting in October that drew more than 13,000 people, would have won the Wuerffel either way.
But then I was reminded of that memorable 10-yard sack he made of Chad Henne in the Michigan game, which was watched by millions of viewers worldwide.
A clich?? Maybe, but let me add to the chorus:
If you win, the awards take care of themselves.
COMMENTARY
At awards time, players benefit from team success
Friday, December 08, 2006
BOB HUNTER
It is one of those expressions a lot of college football players use without much conviction, an answer that simply sounds good during interviews.
"I don?t care about records or individual awards," the player will say. "If we win, those things will take care of themselves. It?s all about the team."
Reporters get tired of hearing it, not because they don?t believe in the concept but because they think most players are just repeating what they think they?re supposed to say. Some guys with egos that couldn?t fit inside the dutifully spit that stuff out, then announce a month later that they?re transferring to another school because they aren?t getting enough playing time.
Say what you will about it, though; clich? as it is, the basis of that expression has been convincingly proved by the Ohio State football team.
Coach Jim Tressel?s constant emphasis on the team concept might not be scintillating stuff, but this team seemed to buy into it. The players put teammates ahead of personal goals, won all 12 games and garnered nominations for just about every major college football award out there.
During last night?s College Football Awards Show alone, Troy Smith, the Heisman Trophy favorite, was up for the Davey O?Brien Award (best quarterback) and Maxwell Trophy (best college player), Doug Datish was up for the Rimington Trophy (best center) and James Laurinaitis was up for the Butkus Award (best linebacker).
That follows Laurinaitis winning the Bronco Nagurski Award as best defensive player and still being up for the Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player); Quinn Pitcock being named a finalist but not winning the Lombardi Award (best lineman) and still being up for the Lott Trophy (best defensive impact player); and Antonio Smith being a semifinalist for, but not winning, the Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back).
This isn?t meant to imply that the players don?t deserve to be honored. Obviously, this OSU team has lots of good players or it wouldn?t be ranked No. 1. But because of the Buckeyes? successful season, players who might not have been noticed on, say, an 8-4 team, are front and center in just about every major award category. Putting the team first clearly pays off.
Is Laurinaitis the single best defensive player in all of college football? The people who voted for the Nagurski Award said he is, and as well as he played this year, it certainly might be true. But what if he had had the same productivity for Indiana or Michigan State? Would he have won it then, especially as a sophomore who had started only 13 games in his college career?
Probably not, which proves the point. By playing well on a team having an outstanding season, one that nearly everyone in the country is watching, a player who wasn?t among the favorites to win lofty awards before the season can be there at the end.
Antonio Smith might be the best example. A fifth-year senior and former walk-on who had never played much, Smith started at cornerback and had a strong season. That gained him All-Big Ten honors and made him one of 11 semifinalists for the Thorpe. He probably never would have come that far in the voters? eyes if he played on a mediocre team.
And how about Joel Penton, who won the Wuerffel Trophy, given to the college player who "best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement? "
My initial reaction was that Penton, who performed countless acts of community service and helped plan the "Main Event" outreach meeting in October that drew more than 13,000 people, would have won the Wuerffel either way.
But then I was reminded of that memorable 10-yard sack he made of Chad Henne in the Michigan game, which was watched by millions of viewers worldwide.
A clich?? Maybe, but let me add to the chorus:
If you win, the awards take care of themselves.
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