The Nation's Best: Eighth Annual Herbie Awards
Best Running Backs -- The Veterans
1. Chris Wells, Ohio State
2.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia
3.
DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma
4.
LeSean McCoy, Pitt
5.
James Davis, Clemson
6.
Javon Ringer, Michigan State
Best Wide Receivers
1.
Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech
2.
Brandon Gibson, Washington State
3.
Aaron Kelly, Clemson
4. Brian Robiskie, Ohio State
5.
Demetrius Byrd, LSU
6.
Mike Thomas, Arizona
Hybrid -- Can Do It All
1.
Jeremy Maclin, Missouri
2.
Percy Harvin, Florida
3.
Arrelious Benn, Illinois
4.
Jacoby Ford, Clemson
5. Brandon Saine, Ohio State
Dream Offensive Line -- The Hogmollie
1. Andre Smith, T, Alabama
2. Alex Boone, T, Ohio State
3. Jonathan Luigs, C, Arkansas
4. Duke Robinson, G, Oklahoma
5. Herman Johnson, G, LSU
Quarterbacks -- What A Difference A Year Makes
1.
Mark Sanchez, Southern California
2. Todd Boeckman, Ohio State
3.
Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame
4.
Jonathan Crompton, Tennessee
5.
Cullen Harper, Clemson
6.
Kevin Riley, Cal
Outside Linebackers -- All Over The Field
1. Brian Cushing, Southern California
2. Marcus Freeman, Ohio State
3. Zack Follett, Cal
4. Ryan Reynolds, Oklahoma
5. Eric Norwood, South Carolina
6. Martez Wilson, Illinois
Inside Linebackers -- Definition Of The Position
1. Jasper Brinkley, South Carolina
2. James Laurinaitis, Ohio State
3. Rey Maualuga, USC
4. Brandon Spikes, Florida
5. Dannell Ellerbe, Georgia
Cornerbacks -- Just Throw The Other Way
1. Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State
2. Vontae Davis, Illinois
3. Jairus Byrd, Oregon
4. Walter Thurmond, Oregon
5. Josh Pinkard, Southern California
6. Victor "Macho" Harris, Virginia Tech
Top True Freshmen -- From High School To The Big Time
A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio State
Darrell Scott, RB, Colorado
Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
DaQuan Bowers, DE, Clemson
Marcus Forston, DT, Miami
Richard Samuel, RB, Georgia
Players Who Don't Get Enough Respect(Don't Worry Fellas, I've Got Your Back)
Entire Wake Forest football team, including head coach Jim Grobe
Nick Reed, DE, Oregon
Stafon Johnson RB, Southern California
Brian Hartline, WR, Ohio State
Chris Brown, RB, Oklahoma
Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri
Brian Johnson, QB, Utah
Top Defenses And The Geniuses Behind Them
1. Pete Carroll, USC
2. Willie Martinez, Georgia
3. Will Muschamp, Texas
4. Jim Heacock, Ohio State
5. Tom Bradley, Penn State
6. Paul Rhoads, Auburn
7. Vic Koenning, Clemson
Best Student Sections
1. Penn State -- If you haven't been to Happy Valley in the fall, you're missing out on one of the great happenings in all of sports. Quite simply the loudest, most supportive student section in college football.
2. Florida -- Still the loudest place to watch a college football game for four quarters. With Tim Tebow chasing a second Heisman and the Gators chasing a national title, I wouldn't want to be a visiting team at the Swamp in 2008.
3. LSU -- Typically, in most stadiums, the student section challenges the rest of the stadium to cheer at a certain level. At Tiger Stadium, that has never been the case. The everyday fans are just as crazy as the students, and because of that, the LSU student body has never been mentioned in the Herbies. But after two trips last year and seeing them a third time in the title game, this student section doesn't have to take a backseat to anybody.
4. Ohio State -- Over the past five years, the Buckeyes' home field has proved to be one of the toughest places to play in the country. New student seating configuration with 15,000 students at each end zone will create an even more hostile environment at the Shoe.
5. Oregon -- It looks like "GameDay" answered my call last year as we visited Eugene twice. And my memories were substantiated and then some. The place is louder and nastier than I remember it. Good luck winning there.
