The chances of Denard winning the Heisman are slim...
...even if he manages to stay healthy and sustain UMass-level output. The reason is because we are not a BCS bowl caliber team. Since 1990, 16 of 20 Heisman winners have come from BCS bowl teams, the only exceptions being Tim Tebow (Florida) in '07, Ricky Williams (Texas) in '98, Eddie George (Ohio State) in '95, and Ty Detmer (BYU) in '90. Of the exceptions, Florida '07 won the national championship the previous year and Ohio State '95 was in the Rose Bowl conversation until very late in the season (HA!). And in the previous 10 years, only Tebow and Carson Palmer (USC) in '02 didn't play in the national championship game.
Don't get me wrong, I think Denard will be deserving of the Heisman if he keeps putting up ridiculous numbers. But the pattern seems to be that the Heisman Trophy is awarded not to the best college football player in the country, but to the most valuable player on an excellent team. And even by the most optimistic estimates, a BCS bowl is a super longshot for us this year.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:50 PM ^
whats the difference between ending a sentence with "dude" and ending a sentence with "greek boy?"
theres nothing wrong with beginning a sentence with and.
75% of the people here dont capitalize the beginning of their sentences -- this is the internet, brah, people dont have to follow good writing mechanics.
trolled is a relative term.
your sense of superiority? ironic and unbased.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:55 PM ^
My sense of superiority stems from the fact that you're spending your time posting worthless comments that nobody really gives a shit about. It's just annoying to have to sort through this thread with your dumbfuck comments clogging it up.
derp maybe when Sparty can get a play off in regulationz then they will be a legit team. derp.
Get a life, you poor, pathetic soul.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:58 PM ^
niiice, the ol' "we got an extra second on the clock" argument. well thats obviously unbased and that was a legitimate play. maybe we should talk about the extra time on the clock you happened upon against penn state a few years ago. or how the clock kept going last year against notre dame.
in your attempts to prove my patheticness, you have shown yourself to be even more pathetic than me.
September 21st, 2010 at 3:00 PM ^
You are not good at internet sarcasm, are you? Hence the derp.
And that's ALL you took from my post. Nice.
September 21st, 2010 at 3:41 PM ^
So you're admitting you're pathetic?
September 21st, 2010 at 2:47 PM ^
YOU'RE RIGHT CAPTAIN KIRK SHOULD TAKE IT HOME BECAUSE HE KNOWS HOW TO TIE HIS SHOES
September 21st, 2010 at 2:52 PM ^
great one!
and the grammar nazis say "dont forget to end your sentences with a period!"
September 21st, 2010 at 3:16 PM ^
WAT? I KANT REED
September 21st, 2010 at 5:07 PM ^
I read good.
September 21st, 2010 at 6:52 PM ^
Sucks like a fox!
September 21st, 2010 at 6:55 PM ^
The fox did what?
September 21st, 2010 at 1:59 PM ^
Let's confuse causation with correlation. Yes, most of the time the best player is on a very good team, but sometimes the best player is just on a pretty good team. I agree with you that if we lose 5 games, some of that will probably come down on Denard. Unless, those losses are because we lose 45-39 and Denard still puts up crazy stats.
If we go 8-4 or better, our record will not hinder him from winning the Heisman.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:02 PM ^
I will be looking forward to the next 2 years where he is a frontrunner in the race and even better than he is now. Denard is going to get a Heisman trophy.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:06 PM ^
I was thinking this too, which makes me even more distressed that Gardner didn't get red-shirted. I have full faith in the coaching staff, but damn, it's going to suck having to choose between Gardner and Robinson the next couple years.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:18 PM ^
define suck.
its not choosing between sheridan and threet.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:22 PM ^
But who is to say that still doesn't end up happening somehow?? Devin comes with the same type of Heisman potential TP was coming in with. It would be nice to get more than a year of him as a starter. I really don't think, given the way Denard has played that he will lose his position as starter unless an injury occurs. I just hope it all works out in our favor in the end.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:03 PM ^
Denard will probably be in the same boat as Patrick Peterson of LSU, their teams aren't complete enough to allow for them to win it. Charles Woodson had alot of help to showcase his amazing abilities. If LSU can't win big games then Peterson wont be able to get attention.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:06 PM ^
If the Heisman voters haven't noticed Denard's numbers and highlight reel, they're literally living underneath a large rock or they're dead. LSU doesn't get the national attention Michigan does when they're not playing at a very high level.
September 21st, 2010 at 3:09 PM ^
You either have very good timing or you read The Oatmeal.
September 21st, 2010 at 4:24 PM ^
I do love The Oatmeal, but it's been a while since I was over there...
September 21st, 2010 at 2:06 PM ^
THE KNOWLEDGE
September 21st, 2010 at 2:08 PM ^
why does everybody act like he actually knows something? you do realize he doesnt know anything more than a fly, right? its only a screen name. he doesnt actually know everything.
everybody has their heads in the clouds around here.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:28 PM ^
September 21st, 2010 at 2:34 PM ^
Ever wonder why no Spartan has won the Heisman?
Answer: because MDOC does not allow inmates to have trophies in their cells.
September 21st, 2010 at 3:02 PM ^
haha that's good stuff... But I thought the prison jokes were too classless for us UM fans?
September 21st, 2010 at 2:07 PM ^
Rather than the overall record, Denard's Heisman chances will mainly depend upon how he does in the last game (OSU) and the second last game (Wiscy). If he continues to maintain his stats until the last two games and gives great performance on the national stage for the last two games - then the Heisman is his - Michigan's record then will only be the secondary consideration.
If he breaks open OSU game with a couple of highlight reel worthy plays - then I think that will take him across the finish like (think how Woodson and Howard sealed their Heisman in the OSU game).
September 21st, 2010 at 4:21 PM ^
Well said.
Denard put up over 500 yards during a nationally televised game. That put him in the driver's seat for the finale, especially if the OH/MI game is also nationally televised.
If OSU wins and Pryor puts up decent numbers, then he'll probably get it, not because he's deserves it, but because that's the way it seems to go. If Denard puts on a show but doesn't get the Heisman due to a loss, the discussion will be how he was robbed.
In either case, Denard gets the win in the fans' minds.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:08 PM ^
if arkansas beats florida i'd venture a guess that Mallett will be the front runner.
September 21st, 2010 at 3:44 PM ^
If Arkansas beats Florida, I'll shrug. Florida is not a good team this year.
Now, if Mallett has a big game in leading Arkansas to an upset over Alabama, he'll probably move ahead of Denard, barring a 500-600 yard day by Shoelace himself.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:08 PM ^
You could have made a similar argument in September 1997 saying that no defensive player ever won. Of course there are exceptions, and if he keeps this up, he'll be right in the mix.
September 21st, 2010 at 4:50 PM ^
September 21st, 2010 at 2:09 PM ^
Holy hell man, the chances of ANYONE winning the Heisman are slim to none.
This is a good example of a poster appearing to be drawing a line in the sand and making a claim WITHOUT actually doing so.
"Slim to none" - if he gets it, you can be all "well whaddaya know about that, good for him." If he doesn't get it, you can be all "see I told you so."
Man up already and say something meaningful.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:54 PM ^
This only makes sense if your idea of intelligent commentary is a "line in the sand" proclamation.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:13 PM ^
Team concept for trophies?? I know, I know you want Michigan to win and pick up the hardware as well, right, I get it. But both Howard and Woodson were considerably understated especially during this time of the year in their respected seasons. We are Michigan, NOT University of Houston. All individual awards are preceded by winning unless you cracking up gaudy numbers against the likes of UTEP. Please take six tablets of Tecmo Bowl and call me in on Sunday.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:45 PM ^
If my memory is right, Desmond started the year with 4 TD's at Boston College (inlcuding a kickoff return). He then followed it up with the ND 4th and 1 game (where he also scored on a reverse). That year's race was over quickly.....
September 21st, 2010 at 2:14 PM ^
Team concept for trophies?? I know, I know you want Michigan to win and pick up the hardware as well, right, I get it. But both Howard and Woodson were considerably understated especially during this time of the year in their respected seasons. We are Michigan, NOT University of Houston. All individual awards are preceded by winning unless you cracking up gaudy numbers against the likes of UTEP. Please take six tablets of Tecmo Bowl and call me in on Sunday
EDIT: Im not sure why I posted twice?.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:18 PM ^
But... But... But...
HEISMAN!!!!!!!
September 21st, 2010 at 2:20 PM ^
We'll win 8 or 9 games.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:21 PM ^
I think the reason why the "best" or "most valuable" player rarely wins the Heisman is because the player most deserving come from programs not considered to be among the elite college football programs. Generally, you see the traditional powers (USC, Florida, Texas, etc.) in a BCS bowl at the end of the year. Despite the last few years, we are still considered to be a part of this group.
The reason Toby Gerhart didn't win it last year was because nobody heard of him until midway through the season, and barely anyone follows Stanford football closely. The difference between him and Denard is that Denard is already on the map and that everybody will be following him from now on. If he puts up similar stats to what he already has for the rest of the season, there will be no denying him the Heisman.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:26 PM ^
There are two ways to win the Heisman:
1) Be the QB or RB on a team in the BCS title game (most impressive of the four gets the statue)
2) Put up utterly fucking ridiculous stats (the Tebow method).
Denard's stats are, after facing some crappy defenses, utterly fucking ridiculous. If he averages something like 90/200 rushing/passing through the Big Ten schedule I think he's got a shot.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:39 PM ^
Agreed, whole-heartedly, but our yards have to come from somewhere. If that is the case we might have two other 100 yard rushers each game. Then, the stories will be all about how the defenses are watching him which opens up everything for our receivers and RBs.
September 21st, 2010 at 4:06 PM ^
I missed that in the UMass game...when was that taken - post his TD run (or was it some other game?)
DRob definitely owes the OL (not like he hasn't been crediting the team enough) but this pic is iconic.
September 21st, 2010 at 8:34 PM ^
I'm pretty sure it was during warmups.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:35 PM ^
I'd rather have a Rose Bowl or a National Championship.
The team, the team, the team.
September 21st, 2010 at 4:00 PM ^
September 21st, 2010 at 2:38 PM ^
Give the Heisman voters more credit than that. They possibly couldn't be THAT shallow. And your stats to me tell a different story...that if 16 of 20 winners were from BCS teams, well it is more because the deserving player carried their team enough to get there. It would not be a knock on Denard if we don't make it, for after all, I am the enlightened one who both saw and predicted the greatness of Denard in March of 2009, but I can assure you if he continues his production and we do not make the BCS, that he will win barring any johnny-come-lately from one of those teams.
September 21st, 2010 at 3:19 PM ^
What was up with that 1-in-a-million talk?!?