Who deserves the Heisman Trophy

[iggymcfly]

When I see most of the polls on the internet, they only have five candidates, and they don't have the one that I'd pick listed. I figured I'd make a poll on here, and maybe a thread for a little Heisman discussion as well. I put the people who I see as the nine most legitimate candidates on the list, but if you are voting for an "other" pick, please tell us who you wanted to vote for.

 

I added as many names as I could, but there are still many legitimate candidates out ther including Erasmus James, Braylon Edwards, David Greene, Aaron Rodgers, and David Pollack. Feel free to vote whoever you wish.

[iggymcfly]

Here's my top five and why:

 

1. JJ Arrington:

At 7.0 ypc, is leading the other major candidates at RB by a yard every time he touches the ball. Gets in the end zone, and hasn't had a bad game all year long. Could have put up ridiculous numbers if he didn't sit in the 4th quarter so often when Cal had huge leads.

 

2. Derrick Johnson:

The real MVP of the Texas Longhorns, Johnson kept them in the Oklahoma game for three and a half quarters, but couldn't really do much with the offense scoring no points. The best defensive player in the country, Johnson has been every bit as valuable to his team as a 1800 yard RB.

 

3. Adrian Peterson:

Peterson had absolutely monster games when it mattered going well over 200 yards against both Texas and Oklahoma State. Has put up great numbers yardage-wise all year, and is the best candidate from a national championship contender. Only his difficulty getting into the end zone keeps him from being the pick to win it.

 

4. Jason White:

Probably the best QB in the country, White's put up another year of tremendous numbers. However, much like Leinart and Benson, it's hard to escape the feeling that he's only second best on his own team. Adrian Peterson absolutely carried the Sooners against Texas, while White turned in an abysmal performance going 14-26 for 113 yards with 0 TDs and 2 INTs.

 

5. Alex Smith:

Forget the tremendous passing numbers. the fact that he's only 220 yards from being the Utes' leading rusher shows just how integral Smith is to the nation's most high-powered offense. Only the lack of competition and the two picks in the closest thing Utah had to a big late-season game keep him from rising any higher.

 

And just for fun, here's my 6-10 with no why:

 

6. Cedric Benson

 

7. Reggie Bush

 

8. Jason Campbell

 

9. Matt Leinart

 

10. David Pollack

[Damaramu]

It's pretty much down to White and Smith for me.

Both are monster QB's that have won games for their team, big games.

Yeah Adrian is impressive but he gets shut down a lot and if OU didn't have White against OSU and A&M they'd probably have lost. Hell if they didn't have him against KSU they might've lost.

 

Smith is damn impressive and I think he should get it but I have a feeling b/c of conference bias he won't even get invited to NYC.

 

I'd take White over Peterson at this point unless White throws for 50 yards and 5 INT's against the North winner while Peterson rattles off 260 yards and 3 TD's.

 

Basically I think White is the favorite this moment looking at all the polls. Unfortunately I get this sinking feeling that somehow Leinhart's going to win it. Anybody else get that feeling?

 

Oh and will a big conference title game help White or like last year do you think most ballots will be sent in by then?

[CanadianChris]

If they can invite Chad Pennington, who went to a MAC school, I would think someone who plays in the Mountain West has a better-than-decent shot at getting invited to the ceremony.

[Damaramu]

If they can invite Chad Pennington, who went to a MAC school, I would think someone who plays in the Mountain West has a better-than-decent shot at getting invited to the ceremony.

Well that's good. But no polls show him at the top do they?

I don't remember....did White lead all the polls at this point last season?

[CanadianChris]

ESPN has him fourth, behind White, Peterson and Leinart, who are all virtually tied.

[Damaramu]

How is Leinhart at the top of all of this?

[CanadianChris]

How is Leinhart at the top of all of this?

Quarterback of the #1 team? Gee, I wonder.

 

And I don't think I've ever once seen you spell his name right.

[Damaramu]

How is Leinhart at the top of all of this?

Quarterback of the #1 team? Gee, I wonder.

 

And I don't think I've ever once seen you spell his name right.

Ok....I wasn't sure how to spell it.

Yeah he may be the QB of the #1 team but his stats aren't as good as the other two QB's stats nor has he had to win games for his teams like the other ones did.

He's just not as impressive of a QB as White, Smith, and Rodgers.

[Damaramu]

And from what I hear White pretty much is the frontrunner at the moment and a big game in the Big XII game will just lock it for him.

I mean all the polls have him leading it and every sports writer I hear that comes on the radio(and these aren't oklahoma sports writers they're from all over) they all say that White is gonna get it.

It's looking pretty good for him actually.

[iggymcfly]

In the poll I did see on ESPN.com, 45% of the voters picked Peterson and no one else was over 20%, although that's probably more due to the fact that ESPN was hammering him as THE Heisman Winner for a while, than it is due to any real merit of deserving the award.

 

I still don't see why JJ Arrington doesn't get more hype. He's got the best stats in the country, and his team's one play away from being in the national championship game.

 

As for Smith, I'd say he almost certainly gets an invite. I remember Steve McNair was a finalist for the award when he was playing at I-AA Alcorn State.

[Vern Gagne]

Alex Smith right know.

 

However. I think Matt Leinhart has two big games and will end up winning.

[Damaramu]

Yeah well Leinhart seems like he has one game to prove his worth b/c most of the ballots will be cast before he and White take the field on December 4th. So maybe a good game by either of them there will really do nothing. If a bad game in the conference title game didn't hurt White then how could a good game help him or Leinhart?

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

It's spelled Leinart just so you know. I have to check everytime I write his name to make sure I'm spelling it right.

[cabbageboy]

I'm thinking that White and Peterson will split the vote and neither will actually win it. I actually voted for Leinart here, mainly due to being the QB on the #1 team. Smith is a nice choice but someone from a smallish conf. isn't going to win.

 

In regards to White, do you have any idea how hard it is to win TWO Heismans? Some voters might be a bit gun shy on White as well due to OU tanking last year after the ballots were cast.

 

You know what's sad? If Stephan Lefors hadn't been dicking around splitting time with Brian Brohm this year he might get some mild consideration.

[Hogan Made Wrestling]

Leinart winning would be horrible, because of all the guys having to share the spotlight with another member of their team, he's the one who is the most inferior to the other player (Reggie Bush), but because he's the QB the media has chosen to ignore Bush and hype him.

[Damaramu]

Not to mention that just like the preseason polls he was picked as the preseason fav to win the Heisman and everyone is still sticking to him.

[Vern Gagne]

Lionheart plays Notre Dame. An impressive performance against Notre Dame is still considered impressive to many people.

 

No to Reggie Bush. He's not used enough to warrant serious consideration.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe]

I should win it

[Damaramu]

I should win it

I'll see you in NYC Mr. Bauer.....the ceremony is really a formality now....ya know gotta look good for the cameras before we hand it over to you.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe]

[Secret Agent]

Am I the only one who feels the Heisman should go to a running back? As far as Leinart goes, both White and Smith are far beter QB's, and should be ahead of him.

 

My pick is Adrian Peterson. This guy has helped to establish the run in Oklahoma once again, and put up almost 1700 yards in doing so. I know White is a good quarterback and has more TD's than Peterson, but I honestly feel that having the threat of Peterson in the offensive line helps with White having more options to throw.

[Edwin MacPhisto]

I go J.J. Arrington. Low-profile nationally, but Aaron Rodgers, while good, hasn't really had blow-em-up numbers outside of the USC game. Alex Smith is my very close #2; without him, the Utah offense is putting up half the points it's hanging.

 

Out of the bigger names, I think Benson is more important to Texas than White or Peterson, individually, are to OU. Also possibly more important to his team than Leinart.

[Guest Flyboy]

The Heisman is supposed to go to the best player in college football.

 

The best player in college football is Reggie Bush.

[nogoodnick]

I agree that Reggie Bush is the most talented and versatile player in football, but he just doesn't have the total stats in my opinion to win it. Whites numbers are great but not as good as last years, same with Leinart. Arrington, Bush, and Peterson are too young to get enough votes this year. That leaves Smith and Benson. Both are having great years and at least deserve to be invited to NY although I dont think either one would win it.

 

Im guessing whoever has the better game between Leinart and White wins it.

[Damaramu]

Well Leinhart just made his case for the Heisman tonight. This is what's going to piss me off:

 

The voters only remember the last thing they saw. Well the last thing they're all going to see is Leinhart performing good with everyone else at the top of the list being idle. And Leinhart will stick out above all of them.

Remember last year most said Jason White wouldn't have won the Heisman if the votes had been cast AFTER the conference title game. But they weren't, most people casted them before said game. Hopefully they're all holding off until next week to cast their ballots based off last year.

B/c next week you're going to have White, Peterson, Bush, and Leinhart all making their final cases and I hope all the voters hang on for that final plea rather than checking Leinhart's name b/c he had a good game the day before they were sending the ballot out.

[nogoodnick]

Im guessing Leinart locked it up tonight. The game had a pretty big audience and the close first half probably kept people watching long enough to see him blowup. It will be interesting to see what White will do to match it.

[CanadianChris]

Regardless of who actually deserves it, I think Leinart will win, for 3 reasons:

 

1) White and Peterson will split the pro-OU vote.

2) The voters won't want to give the Heisman to a previous winner.

3) The voters won't want to give the Heisman to a freshman.

[Secret Agent]

Well if Peterson keeps those numbers up he should win in sometime in his college career. I guess the question on that is when though.

 

EDIT: according to this poll this year should be Peterson's year.

[Guest The Gecko]

Michael HART! He turned the Michigan offense AROUND completely. Yeah.. so they lost to a weak Ohio St. team... but that was because it was a rivalry game. I still think Michael Hart is as good as Adrian Peterson and should atleast be considered for the Heisman.

 

and hey... if dama can be a complete homer than I can too!

 

GO BLUE!!