Denard Still Way Ahead In ESPN's Heisman Poll
October 5th, 2010 at 11:20 AM ^
I'd bet $1.75 that it's Pat Forde
October 5th, 2010 at 11:21 AM ^
dont know what the 3rd place voter is inhaling but everyone else is inhaling 100% pure dilithium
October 5th, 2010 at 11:27 AM ^
I forgot to post the link.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:21 AM ^
That guys probably thinking he's not impressed against UConn, ND, UMass, Bowling Green, and Indiana but what does he know??
But hey in order to do well against the big guys you have to beat the little guys. Lets hope Shoelace can keep it up!
October 5th, 2010 at 11:21 AM ^
On Around the Horn last night 2/3 panelists said that the Heisman race was already over in his favor. Given that we haven't played our three most important games of the year yet I think that's premature, but with Mallett pissing his pants in the 4th quarter against 'Bama it's pretty hard to make a case that it should be anyone other than Nard Dog at this point.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:33 AM ^
For you sir for calling him 'Nard Dogg.
October 5th, 2010 at 12:53 PM ^
October 5th, 2010 at 11:21 AM ^
He was only, IIRC, 3 points ahead of Kellen Moore at 59 vs 56 and he had a few 5th place votes. Or maybe that was 2 weeks ago but I'm fairly certain it was last week. Either way I'm glad they are recognizing how he defines what the Heisman is supposed to be about. That being said if he yacks it up against MSU expect a huge number of people to come off the bandwagon.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:10 PM ^
Don't know if it was exactly 3 points but I know it was close. Definitely not 30 fuckin' points that it is now. Jesus Christ, I love this man (and no, it is not creepy since I'm younger than him.... Okay it's a little creepy).
October 5th, 2010 at 11:27 AM ^
Kellen Moore? Obviously Strength of Schedule had nothing to do with that then.
October 5th, 2010 at 12:59 PM ^
At this point, BSU's SOS is still pretty solid having played Oregon State and Va Tech. Those teams are better than UConn and Notre Dame which are UM's two "good" opponents.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:27 AM ^
Ivan Maisel said on a recent ESPNU College Football Podcast that he had Denard third...he could be the one
October 5th, 2010 at 11:29 AM ^
Is not a very smart person.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:41 AM ^
I don't know, I mean yeah Nard is putting up crazy numbers but it's still early. I can see why people haven't bought into it yet. Can't wait for him to tear it up this weekend to silence some haters.
October 5th, 2010 at 12:11 PM ^
But who else has done more than him against a tougher slate of opponents? It isn't a matter of "buying in", it's a matter of "looking at stats".
October 5th, 2010 at 12:19 PM ^
Double Post
October 5th, 2010 at 12:17 PM ^
We're five weeks into the season. Are you going to list John Clay as first based on his pre-season hype? I don't understand how you can put Denard anywhere other than #1 unless you're just basing your rankings on your completely arbitrary predictions as to what the players' resumes will look like at season's end.
Also, I found this quote laughable:
2. Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State: There's not a quarterback in college football I'd trust more down four on my own 20-yard line with two minutes to play.
I'm not really sure how you could write that just one sentence after raving about Denard - he of the 2 final drive comeback TDs.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:34 AM ^
I don't feel like making this its own topic but we need to step it up. In the official fan vote, which counts for some small amount of the real voting, Patrick Patterson has 44% while Denard only has 19%. Preposterous.
STEP IT UP GUYS
http://promo.espn.go.com/espn/contests/nissan/heisman/thanksVote
October 5th, 2010 at 11:34 AM ^
That actually means things are improving. For a while they were up around 60% and Denard was at something like 11 or 12.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:38 AM ^
But still that's just wrong. I realize there's lots of time and if he keeps it up it's almost inevitable that he will overcome, but it still irks me. Patterson is pretty sweet himself, but we should really have enough fans for him to be winning.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:37 AM ^
What they're really trying to do is vote Pat Patterson in as head coach. Since their souls are already crushed it's the only thing they have left to hope for.
October 5th, 2010 at 12:35 PM ^
For anyone who tried to click on that link to vote but couldn't, try this one:
October 5th, 2010 at 12:45 PM ^
and they will come!
October 5th, 2010 at 11:18 PM ^
What I want to know is why the hell they opened this poll so early in the season.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:35 AM ^
He doesn't want to see an Ohio State-Michigan rematch so he wont vote him higher the 3rd.
October 5th, 2010 at 11:40 AM ^
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/heisman
He got 6 out of 6 first place votes.
October 5th, 2010 at 12:00 PM ^
Lets say, for argument purposes, that Michigan loses 3-4 games this seasons (God forbid) but that Denard keeps up his crazy pace and rushes and passes for over 2000 yards each. Is there any recent precedent of the Heisman trophy winner coming from a team with several losses? In my scenario, Denard would clearly be the best player in college football and most valuable to his team. But I could see many voters tossing him aside because of the 3-4 losses.
October 5th, 2010 at 12:20 PM ^
Tebow won with 4 losses.
October 5th, 2010 at 12:38 PM ^
He won with 3 losses. The third loss didn't come until after the trophy was already awarded.
Also, Gerhardt finsihed 2nd in the closest Heisman vote ever when Stanford was 8-4.
October 5th, 2010 at 1:07 PM ^
George Rogers from South Carolina won it when I believe the Gamecocks went 7-4 (as a sidenote UM lost to South Carolina that year).
Back in the 40's or 50's a Notre Dame player won it even though ND had a losing record.
Anymore the trophy, and those that are in serious contention, seems to go to one of the marquee offensive players on a top ranked team.
October 5th, 2010 at 1:17 PM ^
that he could even do it with 5 or 6 losses. But if he has that many losses, he would have to do something nobody's done before, i.e. 2000 yards rushings, 2000 yards passing.
The consensus was pretty clear - if he does 2000/2000 he's in no matter what. If he does not get near that then it is a beauty contest as usual where he would need to get in with some stylish victories over top teams.
Win and he's in, or crank out record stats and he's in.
October 5th, 2010 at 1:30 PM ^
I think the base fundamental is the individual stats compiled. But what separates is the more subjective value of "wow" factor. As an example I submit this website that still proclaims the wrongs done to Peyton Manning by the fickle Heisman voters,
I would say that prior to about 1991, when the TV Networks were unleashed to put an unlimted number of college games on TV, that the voting was based more on individual statistics. But once TV and TV commentators, and Sports Specific TV channels came into mainstream, the key separating factor was this highlight reel.
And starting from the MSU game, and the incredible leaping catch for an interception, Charles Woodson had the lead on the highlight reel. I've heard more than one sports media Heisman voter state, "ultimately it has to be a player who touches the ball, because what is done with the ball is what wins the game"
What killed it for Peyton is that he wasn't the one finally holding the ball, and in general his incredibly accurate passes weren't that exciting.
And finally, he just couldn't find a way to beat Florida.
Woodson was the primary reason for two Michigan scores against OSU, and stopping an OSU score.
So three parts, each getting more subjective, Stats, Highlights, performance in the Key matchups.
Of course this Saturday is incredibly important, pivotal in fact. A win on Saturday makes this season officially more successful than last season, end the MSU rivalry win streak, is just an all out signature game...
the stage is set. And there won't be a bigger one until it's the Heisman Cage match in late November in a Horseshoe shaped structure.
Sorry SEC, this year is just not your year, so probably should get a head start on those websites and get the whining into top gear.
October 5th, 2010 at 12:02 PM ^
A triumph of preseason hype over results. Ridiculous.
October 5th, 2010 at 12:23 PM ^
Pryor is still living off of his high school hype as the #1 prospect in the nation. Nobody else with the numbers that he has put up would be considered for the Heisman at this piont.
October 5th, 2010 at 12:40 PM ^
I think he and Denard both have 15 TDs at this point. I'm not saying Pryor should be in first place or anything, I'm just saying that I don't find the fact that he's a distant 4th all that offensive.
October 5th, 2010 at 1:05 PM ^
Pryor is having his best season by far in an OSU uniform: 65% completion; 12 TD/3INT passing; 75 ypg/6.9 ypc/3TD rushing.
His numbers are very good, he plays for one the elite teams in the country, his team's offense demonstrated that they are completely helpless without him in the Illinois game and he has the pre-season hype. Pryor will be invited to the Heisman ceremonies unless he falls apart in the next 7 games.
October 5th, 2010 at 1:21 PM ^
"Pryor will be invited to the Heisman ceremonies unless he falls apart in the next 7 games."
Perhaps we could be of some assistance.
October 5th, 2010 at 12:45 PM ^
All of the players are either Juniors or Sophmores. Not a sinlge Senior on the Heisman list.