ESPN.com has a panel of 15 football experts who vote weekly on the leading candidates for the Heisman Trophy. This week, 14 of the 15 vote for Troy Smith of Ohio State as the number one contender. Ivan Maisel is the other guy .
Before any Buckeyes begin to man their battle stations, hear me out. I think Smith is the best quarterback in the nation this season. He has proven himself as a talented passer. He showed against Bowling Green on Saturday that, even if he didn't show it in the first five games of the season, he hasn't forgotten how to tuck the ball into the crook of his arm and move the chains.As good as he is, I think his best assets are intangible. It is obvious, even from my limited interaction with him -- a group interview here, a few postgame interviews there -- that Smith has matured into a leader. The rest of the locker room will follow him anywhere.
That said, I think there's a difference between the Heisman, which honors the "most outstanding player" in college football, and the typical award. That word "outstanding" suggests a level of excellence that Smith, in my mind, hasn't achieved....
...By that criteria, some of our recent Heisman winners would include Tee Martin of Tennessee (1998) and Craig Krenzel of Ohio State (2002) and Jason White of Oklahoma (2003). And we all know that none of them -- oh, wait a minute. White won. My point is, the Heisman shouldn't go to anyone by default.
Make Smith the player of the half-season, but let's not inscribe his name on American sport's most famous trophy just yet.
A fair point, I'd say. You can't just give it to the leader of the No. 1 team in the country (even though last year I think Vince Young got screwed, because he was both the leader of the No.1 team, and the best player in the country, Bush or no Bush.) In the real world though, it comes down to whether or not the Buckeyes run the table and win the national championship. If they do, there's no way anyone else will take home the Heisman.
Gonzo's getting some love from ESPN.com too.
Posted by dan at October 12, 2006 10:31 PM