Dispatch
COLLEGE FOOTBALL AWARDS
Smith, Quinn rake in awards, await big one
OSU QB wins Camp, O?Brien; Irish QB gets Maxwell
Friday, December 08, 2006
Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
If the Maxwell Award is the barometer, then Brady Quinn was the top player in college football this season, even better than Troy Smith. If the Walter Camp Football Foundation player of the year award is the measuring stick, then Smith gained the nod.
But that was yesterday, with Smith being named the Camp winner in the afternoon and Quinn taking the Maxwell during the climax of the ESPN College Football Awards show last night at Disney World.
The rubber match comes Saturday night in New York City when the 72 nd Heisman Trophy winner will be revealed. Smith, Ohio State?s senior quarterback, and Quinn, Notre Dame?s senior QB and a graduate of Dublin Coffman, will be there, as well as the other finalist, running back Darren McFadden of Arkansas, who won the Doak Walker Award last night.
All indications are the Heisman will go to Smith, who led Ohio State to a 12-0 regular season and a spot in the national championship game. Even Quinn acknowledged that on ESPN as he accepted the Maxwell.
"Troy has had a tremendous year," he said. "I?m sure he?s going to do good this Saturday."
Recent history backs his prediction. The past six Maxwell winners have not won the Heisman, including the Maxwell recipient last year, Texas quarterback Vince Young, who finished second to Southern California running back Reggie Bush for the Heisman.
At least Quinn, who owns every major Notre Dame passing record, won?t walk away from the awards tour empty-handed. Lopsided losses to Michigan and USC kept him and the Fighting Irish from their primary goal, the national title game, but he said all in all he has had a memorable four years.
"It has been tough at times, but I just have to give thanks to my mom, who is with me here tonight, and to my dad, who is back home," Quinn said. "They raised me the right way with morals and respect. And they always taught me to get up. Every time you get knocked down, just keep getting up."
Smith got his moment in the spotlight last night when he was named winner of the Davey O?Brien Award, which goes to the nation?s outstanding quarterback. He gained the nod over Quinn and Colt Brennan of Hawaii. He accepted it with the humility that has become his trademark.
"I think probably the biggest class thing was after they gave me the award, I came down and Brady Quinn shook my hand right away," Smith said.
It was a Buckeye?s only trip to the stage last night. OSU sophomore James Laurinaitis, who won the Bronko Nagurski Award earlier in the week, was one of three finalists on hand for the Butkus Award, which goes to the nation?s top linebacker. But Mississippi senior Patrick Willis won it, also besting the 2005 winner, Paul Posluszny of Penn State.
Posluszny did, however, still become a repeat winner, and the only one from 2005. For the second straight year, the Nittany Lions linebacker won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the nation?s best defensive player.
"I think it shows a lot about the defense that we play at Penn State," Posluszny said. "My teammate, Dan Connor, was also very deserving of the award. To win it twice and to be put in the same category as Pat Fitzgerald (the award?s only other two-time winner), it?s amazing."
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel attended as one of the finalists for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award. But it went to Greg Schiano, who directed Rutgers to a 10-2 record and its third bowl berth in 137 years of football.
West Virginia?s Dan Mozes won the Rimington Trophy as the top center in the country. Ohio State?s Doug Datish was a finalist.
Other award winners were: Joe Thomas, Wisconsin, Outland Trophy (best interior lineman); Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech, Biletnikoff (best wide receiver); Aaron Ross, Texas, Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back); Arthur Carmody, Louisville, Lou Groza Award (best kicker); and Daniel Sepulveda, Baylor, Ray Guy Award (best punter).
