WR Braxton Miller (B1G POY, National Champion)

[MaxBuck]

I don't think Geno Smith was embarrassed - he still threw for a TD with no INTs. Not a very good game by his standards, but his season is still Heisman-worthy IMO.

I don't understand why a QB who plays on a team with terrible defense should be disqualified from the Heisman race. That criterion would seem to put Braxton out of the picture, too, eh?

 

[Coqui]

I don't think Geno Smith was embarrassed - he still threw for a TD with no INTs. Not a very good game by his standards, but his season is still Heisman-worthy IMO.

I don't understand why a QB who plays on a team with terrible defense should be disqualified from the Heisman race. That criterion would seem to put Braxton out of the picture, too, eh?

I said he's playing AGAINST teams with terrible defenses. Texas Tech was his first defense with a pulse.

I looked at the stats and I stand corrected, he still threw for 275 yards so that's still decent

 

[GeorgiaBuck2]

Some of those QBs will have 13 games though with conference championship games.

And I really don't get it....Geno Smith will win the Heisman based on his offensive stats, but they're disregarding the fact that he doesn't play a team with a defense, and when he does, he gets shut down and embarrassed. How is that the best football player in the country? That's like saying a team has the best pass defense in the country when all it plays are the service academies and Georgia Tech.

I think the Heisman presentation is before the conference championship games. I could be wrong though.

 

[buckeyesin07]

RG3 had a couple of bad games too, so I don't think Geno's out of the race by any stretch. Besides--WVU has big games left against Kansas St. and Oklahoma. If he puts up decent numbers and they win both, the Heisman's his.

 

[Coqui]

I think the Heisman presentation is before the conference championship games. I could be wrong though.

It's december 8th this year. B1G Championship game is December 1st. Looks like the Big12 is December 8th or 16th, so you're probably right.

 

[BlufftonBuckeye]

Anyone still riding the "Geno hasn't played any defenses" wagon clearly hasn't watched him play. The guy is incredible, accurate, makes great decisions, makes everyone around him better.

I think the thing that will hurt Braxton the most will be his 4 picks and 2/3 fumbles. The dude is already over 2000 yards, has 20 scores, and is the best player on the field at any time. But, I think the absurd stats Geno is putting up (2300 yards, 26 TD's, no picks) will make it impossible to put anyone above him. I mean, 0 INT's in 260 attempts? In contrast, Braxton is averaging a turnover every 40 attempts. And I would contend Braxton is anything BUT turnover prone.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

But, I think the absurd stats Geno is putting up (2300 yards, 26 TD's, no picks) will make it impossible to put anyone above him. I mean, 0 INT's in 260 attempts?

You can't be that accurate in practice or warmups, or even a video game, let alone in a real game. What he has done passing-wise so far is mind-boggling...

 

[Coqui]

You can't be that accurate in practice or warmups, or even a video game, let alone in a real game. What he has done passing-wise so far is mind-boggling...

Well that begs the question, if we remove YAC, what are his stats? (including TDs)

That tells us how much is from the receivers and how much is him.

 

[MaxBuck]

Well that begs the question, if we remove YAC, what are his stats? (including TDs)

That tells us how much is from the receivers and how much is him.

Partly true, but YAC is also a function of getting the receivers the ball where they can continue without interruption of motion - which requires superb accuracy. Smith is mind-boggling with his accuracy, regardless of what stats you're looking at.

 

[Coqui]

Partly true, but YAC is also a function of getting the receivers the ball where they can continue without interruption of motion - which requires superb accuracy. Smith is mind-boggling with his accuracy, regardless of what stats you're looking at.

To an extent I agree with you. Little drop off passes behing the line of scrimmage can still yield a TD if the person catching it is talented enough, and doesn't require accuracy as much.

 

[Dryden]

Anyone still riding the "Geno hasn't played any defenses" wagon clearly hasn't watched him play. The guy is incredible, accurate, makes great decisions, makes everyone around him better.

I think the thing that will hurt Braxton the most will be his 4 picks and 2/3 fumbles. The dude is already over 2000 yards, has 20 scores, and is the best player on the field at any time. But, I think the absurd stats Geno is putting up (2300 yards, 26 TD's, no picks) will make it impossible to put anyone above him. I mean, 0 INT's in 260 attempts? In contrast, Braxton is averaging a turnover every 40 attempts. And I would contend Braxton is anything BUT turnover prone.

The guys that put up eye-popping numbers like Geno Smith are by no means locks for the Heisman though. There are plenty of Air Raid/Run-and-Shoot guys over the past 10-15 years that haven't even been invited to NY (Mike Leach and June Jones have been cranking these guys out, Holgorsen is from the Hal Mumme Valdosta St tree with Leach and spent time with Weeden at oOSU and had Keenum at Houston).

Remember, RG III started last season with more TDs than incompletions through about four games and had crazy numbers too. That wasn't why he won. RG III ultimately sealed the Heisman the night he beat Oklahoma -- I think a number of us on this site watched that game and called it right then. Nobody showed better in big games than he did in that moment.

As far as Braxton is concerned, his numbers are better across the board than Klein's, and since Geno finishes with ISU and KU while Braxton will have the UM game to go, I think Braxton is in fine shape barring an absolute meltdown.

Geno will win or lose the Heisman between this weekend going head-to-head with KSU and Klein, plus the Nov 17th date against Oklahoma. Klein's last game is Dec 1 against Texas. But because the Big XII has no CCG now, Braxton is not hurt by OSU's being barred from Indi. Klein will get the last chance to make an impression unless some other contender emerges, but of the three primary guys people are talking about today, the remaining schedule and the dates that those games will be played benefit Braxton more than the other two IMHO.

Geno could throw for 1,600 yards, 16 TDs with 0 INTs in the next four games and WVU could still lose three of them (KSU, TCU, oOSU, and OU). If that happens he won't be winning the Heisman.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Geno could throw for 1,600 yards, 16 TDs with 0 INTs in the next four games and WVU could still lose three of them (KSU, TCU, oOSU, and OU). If that happens he won't be winning the Heisman.

Which I personally think is bullshit. The Heisman is supposed to recognize the most outstanding player in college football, not the best player on a undefeated or one-loss team.

 

[SEREbuckeye]

If Braxton doesn't win it this year. He WILL win it next year.

 

[1926Buckeyes]

Miller winning the Heisman would be awesome, but since he still has 2 more years in the program it's not as big of a deal right now. I could easily see him finishing 2nd or 3rd behind Geno Smith and some other player, but I don't think he's going to have the passing stats to win it.

Obviously he's also on pace to run for 1,600 yards, but I think that in this day and age people are going to favor passing yardage more than anything when it comes to QB play. Playing Purdue, PSU, and Illinois will help, but even against Indiana he didn't throw much more than 200 yards.

Doesn't really matter. If he can stay healthy, beat Mchgn and still put up 3,700+ total yards, I won't mind if he doesn't win the Heisman. He'll get plenty of recognition and be a favorite for next year.

 

[SEREbuckeye]

Miller winning the Heisman would be awesome, but since he still has 2 more years in the program it's not as big of a deal right now. I could easily see him finishing 2nd or 3rd behind Geno Smith and some other player, but I don't think he's going to have the passing stats to win it.

Obviously he's also on pace to run for 1,600 yards, but I think that in this day and age people are going to favor passing yardage more than anything when it comes to QB play. Playing Purdue, PSU, and Illinois will help, but even against Indiana he didn't throw much more than 200 yards.

I think there is something to this. The late 90s and 2000s saw its fair share of "mobile QBs". It was new and flashy. The style garnered Heisman attention. I think its now becoming almost an expected style of play from some teams and their quarterback position. Its not played out but its something that isn't as flashy and eye-popping. The people are now favoring accurate pro style, like Geno Smith.