Santonio & AJ getting major love
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<table id="table1" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr><td> [font=verdana, arial, sans serif]Tuesday Question[/font][font=verdana, arial, sans serif][size=+1]
Predicting the winners of the biggest awards[/size][/font][font=verdana, arial, sans serif][size=-2]
Pete Fiutak
[/size][/font]Q: Predict the winners (and runners up) for the following awards: Heisman, Biletnikoff, Doak Walker, Thorpe, Butkus.[font=verdana, arial, sans serif][size=-2]A: Heisman ... Matt Leinart, USC
I know, totally original. There are three things working in Leinart's favor. First, all college football types respect the heck out of him for passing up the San Francisco 49ers for a shot at college football immortality. Second, if USC's offense is anywhere near as explosive as it should be, many will think Leinart will be the main reason now that Norm Chow us gone. In other words, he'll get the respect. Third, he's really, really good.
2. Laurence Maroney, RB Minnesota, 3. Reggie Bush, RB USC, 4. Omar Jacobs, QB Bowling Green, 5. Adrian Peterson, RB Oklahoma
Biletnikoff ... Greg Lee, Pittsburgh
The running game will get more work under Dave Wannstedt, but Lee will put up eye-popping stats with Tyler Palko throwing the ball and Joe DelSardo taking the heat off. Pittsburgh is great at cranking out Biletnikoff candidates, and Lee fits the mold. If he lights up Notre Dame and Nebraska, the race for the Award is over by mid-September. I'd give more consideration to Calvin Johnson if someone other than Reggie Ball was throwing to him.
2. Santonio Holmes, Ohio State, 3. Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech, 4. Courtney Taylor, Auburn, 5. Todd Watkins, BYU
Doak Walker ... Laurence Maroney, Minnesota
It might be nuts not to pick Reggie Bush or Adrian Peterson, but Maroney has been my guy this whole off-season and I'm sticking with him. He's one of the fastest backs in college football, and he'll be one of the most productive sure to flirt with a 2,000-yard season.
2. Reggie Bush, USC, 3. Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma, 4. DeAngelo Williams, Memphis, 5. Gerald Riggs Jr., Tennessee
Thorpe ... Jimmy Williams, Virginia Tech
Without any superstar, high-profile defensive backs out there, Williams will get the buzz early if the Hokie defense is as good as advertised. He has been around long enough to get a bit of name recognition, and he'll have some big games against a few good receivers to stake his claim. Kansas CB Charles Gordon might deserve the award, but Williams has the inside track.
2. Darnell Bing, USC, 3. [/size][/font] Alan Zemaitis, Penn State, 4. Charles Gordon, Kansas, 5. Ko Simpson, South Carolina
Butkus ... A.J. Hawk, Ohio State
Only a total collapse, or getting bowled over by Vince Young for a Texas game-winning touchdown, will keep Hawk from getting the honor. There are several great candidates, but no one gets the respect from other linebackers like Hawk does.
2. Chad Greenway, Iowa, 3. Ahmad Brooks, Virginia, 4. D'Qwell Jackson, Maryland, 5. Spencer Havner, UCLA[font=verdana, arial, sans serif][size=-2][/size][/font] [font=verdana, arial, sans serif][size=-2] Richard Cirminiello[/size][/font][font=verdana, arial, sans serif][size=-2]
[/size][/font]Q: Predict the winners (and runners up) for the following awards: Heisman, Biletnikoff, Doak Walker, Thorpe, Butkus.
A: Heisman – Matt Leinart, USC – Unlike Jason White last year, Leinart enters the new season with lots of momentum to join Archie Griffin’s one-man fraternity of two-time Heisman winners. The numbers, pub and top-ranked team are already built in, so it’ll take a Trojan loss to knock him from college football immortality.
2. Vince Young, Texas – If the ‘Horns lose to Ohio State and Oklahoma early, Young is done. If they split, he’s dynamic enough to make up the necessary ground in October and November.
3. Reggie Bush, USC – He’s probably locked out of the top spot, but Bush will remain one of the most thrilling gamebreakers to play at this level in a long, long time.
4. Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma – Peterson’s best attribute is his ability to bounce off would-be tacklers. He’ll really need it this fall as opposing defenses focus all of their attention on stopping No. 28.
5. Chris Leak, Florida – Urban Meyer helped Josh Harris and Alex Smith reach stardom, something Leak has already done. He’s not a letter perfect fit for the spread option, but the new staff will tweak the system to get the most out of Leak’s many talents.
Biletnikoff – Derek Hagan, Arizona State – The ultra-smooth and consistent Hagan welcomes a new battery mate this fall, but won’t break stride with Sam Keller under center. The Devils have so many offensive weapons, Hagan will get plenty of opportunities to exploit single coverages.
2. Greg Lee, Pittsburgh – As one-half of the best pitch-and-catch combo east of the Mississippi, Lee will join Larry Fitzgerald and Antonio Bryant as 21<sup>st</sup> century Biletnikoff finalists from Pitt.
3. Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech – On pure physical prowess alone, Johnson had a stunning debut in 2004. With a full year and his first spring in the vault, imagine what he can do if Reggie Ball can finally play with consistency?
Doak Walker – Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma - Yards will be a little tougher to come by this year and the passing attack won’t provide as much of a diversion, but Peterson is a once-every-ten-years back, who, unlike last year, will enjoy name recognition from day one.
2. Laurence Maroney, Minnesota – With Marion Barber III in the NFL and the terrific Gopher line intact, Chris Darkins’ single-season rushing mark of 1,443 yards could be toast before Halloween.
3. Marshawn Lynch, Cal – Like J.J. Arrington last year, Lynch is talented enough to make a run at 2,000 yards. He’s a homerun hitter with good power, who’s about to become a household name on a national scale.
Thorpe – Jimmy Williams, Virginia Tech – The Thorpe Award honors the nation’s best defensive back, which aptly describes Williams. NFL teams will trip over themselves to get a shot at the 6-3, 205-pound senior, who brings the payload of a safety, but can shut down a receiver as well as any corner in the country.
2. Darnell Bing, USC – Trojan opponents will be forced to play catch up all year, meaning the nation’s meanest safety will get lots of chances to punish receivers that dare to travel into his zone.
3. Charles Gordon, Kansas – Gordon is the best all-around athlete that just about no one outside Lawrence knows about. Pencil him in for another seven picks, which’ll do wonders for his Q rating and trophy case.
Butkus – A.J. Hawk, Ohio State – In an impossible year to peg the premier linebacker, as many as a dozen belong in the discussion. Hawk is a faster, cleaner Butkus, who hangs the kind of gaudy defensive numbers that’ll give him the edge in a very tight race.
2. Ahmad Brooks, Virginia – A future Top 10 NFL pick, and possibly the most complete college linebacker since LaVar Arrington in 1999, Brooks was the Butkus runner up to Texas’ Derrick Johnson last year.
3. Ernie Sims, Florida State – A super athlete, Sims is poised for a colossal junior season. Chad Greenway has every right to be here as well, but could share some love with Abdul Hodge, another strong Iowa candidate.[font=verdana, arial, sans serif][size=-1][font=verdana, arial, sans serif][size=-1]
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[/size][/font] [/size][/font] [font=verdana, arial, sans serif][size=-1][font=verdana, arial, sans serif][size=-1] Matthew Zemek [/size][/font][/size][/font][/size][/font] [font=verdana, arial, sans serif][size=-1] [/size][/font] [font=verdana, arial, sans serif][size=-2]
[/size][/font]Q: Predict the winners (and runners up) for the following awards: Heisman, Biletnikoff, Doak Walker, Thorpe, Butkus.[font=verdana, arial, sans serif]
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[size=-1]A: [/size][/size][/font][size=-1] Heisman: Winner: Matt Leinart, USC Runner-Up: Vince Young, Texas
Given that the award is, as a purely practical matter, dominated by quarterbacks on winning teams, this is the likely scenario for the Heisman balloting. This does not necessarily mean that these players will have the best two seasons, or that they're the two most talented players in the game.
Reggie Bush, for example, was the best college football player last year in terms of pure talent and explosiveness, but that's not what the award is.
Also from last year, Jason White had the best season as an extension of his meaningful production in key, season-defining situations. He merited the award more than anyone, but that's not what the award has become. Young is likely to merit the award more than Leinart, but Leinart is more likely to win the award. If Young wins, it might only happen because Bush will take votes away from Leinart.
(Thankfully, no other award is so political.)
Biletnikoff: Winner: Steve Smith, USC Runner-Up: Santonio Holmes, Ohio St
It's important to note that there are more purely gifted receivers out there, but they don't have quarterbacks who are likely to give them the ball as often as they'd like, or with the accuracy they need. Derek Hagan at Arizona State with Sam Keller is a possible example of this dynamic, as is Calvin Johnson at Georgia Tech. This award could be just as much a function of quarterback competence as it is a matter of receiver-based excellence.
Keep that in mind when Matt Leinart gives Smith the ball in great positions (between the numbers) on many occasions.
Doak Walker: Winner: Reggie Bush, USC Runner-Up: Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma
The two best runners in the game today, period. Peterson is tough, but Bush is electrifying, the biggest goosebump-generating performer in the sport.
Thorpe: Winner: Jason Allen, Tennessee Runner-Up: Jimmy Williams, Va Tech
Both of these are hard-hitting playmakers, but with Tennessee poised to make a huge run, Allen gets a slight nod (Va Tech will win its own conference, but the Vols will do more than win the SEC; they'll go to Pasadena to try to tackle Troy).
Butkus: Winner: A.J. Hawk, Ohio State Runner-Up: Abdul Hodge, Iowa
How fitting the Big Ten should dominate the award named for the Illinois legend. These two guys are monsters. I think Hawk has a slight edge in terms of instincts, but it's really splitting hairs in the end. Someone has to win it.[/size]
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[/size][/font][font=verdana, arial, sans serif][size=-1][font=verdana, arial, sans serif][size=-1][font=verdana, arial, sans serif][size=-1] John Harris [/size][/font][/size][/font] [font=verdana, arial, sans serif][size=-2]
[/size][/font][/size][/font] Q: Predict the winners (and runners up) for the following awards: Heisman, Biletnikoff, Doak Walker, Thorpe, Butkus.[font=verdana, arial, sans serif]
A: [/font]Heisman – Are you just plain stupid by saying that Matt Leinart is not a shoo-in for another Trophy? His elbow is healthy. He has more weapons in his arsenal than the UN. His offensive line might be better than last year. Okay, so let’s take the Trophy out of the equation for a second. Vince Young generated a ton of momentum in the Rose Bowl last year and would be my choice if…1. They beat Oklahoma. 2. Reggie Bush and Leinart ‘split’ votes. 3. Texas wins the Big XII. 4. Texas WR Jordan Shipley and Limas Sweed play like Calvin Johnson and Jarrett Hicks, Texas Tech. Plausible, I think. Biletnikoff – Although this award seems to go a star upperclassman, Calvin Johnson is virtually unstoppable. Well, that is if his QB Reggie Ball doesn’t implode. Johnson makes the sublime look routine, and the more he gets on SportsCenter, the more attention he’ll demand. Others may put up better numbers, but if he can have a 65/1,200/10 season, with a few more plays like the ones that we saw at Clemson and in the Champs Bowl, the Truth should win some hardware as a sophomore. Runner-up prediction: Jarrett Hicks, Texas Tech
Doak Walker – Of all of the backs that could really bid for this award, Laurence Maroney of Minnesota, runs behind the best offensive line. It’s conceivable that the double deuce could make a legitimate run at two thousand yards. I love DeAngelo Williams from Memphis, but I think that he’ll struggle behind a relatively experienced O Line and a new QB. Maroney, on the other hand, doesn’t have such problems and is as explosive as any back in the nation. Runner-up prediction: Williams
Jim Thorpe – Let’s hit on a dark horse here – Alan Zemaitis from Penn State. AZ is one of the leaders of one of the nation’s best defenses, and if Penn State can get to seven wins, they’ll garner much more attention than in the past three years. Teams can’t totally avoid Zemaitis, as another All-Conference candidate Anwar Phillips lives on the other side. Zemaitis is a tremendous cover corner, and if he can pile up 5 or 6 interceptions, he’ll make a strong bid for the JT Award. Runner-up prediction: Jimmy Williams, Virginia Tech
Butkus – Whoa, this is a really tough one. The linebackers in college football are amazing this year. Can I cop out by saying that someone will win this award from the Big Ten or the ACC? Too wide a brush stroke? No? Okay, I’m going with the guy that I think will show that he’s worthy of being a top five pick in April – AJ Hawk from Ohio State. Speed, nastiness and discipline define Hawk, but he compounds that by playing with a chip on his shoulder. He goes sideline to sideline as well as anyone and he doesn’t miss many tackles. Runner-up prediction: D’Qwell Jackson, Maryland.
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