Hutchinson 2nd in The Athletic's Heisman Straw Poll
The top 3 players in the latest Athletic ($) Heisman Straw Poll are defensive players: Will Anderson (LB, Alabama), Aidan Hutchinson, and Jordan Davis (DL, Georgia). Anderson had 12 first place votes; Hutchinson 11; Davis 4; Bryce Young (QB, Alabama) 8. Hassan Haskins received a single first place vote.
This suggests to me that if Georgia spanks Alabama, and Aidan has another big game vs. Iowa, the Heisman could legitimately be his. The Athletic's straw poll of a small sample of Heisman voters has generally tracked the final results.
December 3rd, 2021 at 7:35 PM ^
EDIT: That's supposed to be a single third place vote for Hassan. Wish I could edit OPs!
December 3rd, 2021 at 7:37 PM ^
Win The Game
December 3rd, 2021 at 9:47 PM ^
I feel its a dead heat.. Hutch should feast against Iowa's tackles, and Michigan should win.
2 sacks, a couple tackles for loss, and it just might be his.
December 4th, 2021 at 12:28 AM ^
I got a feeling, a feeling deep inside oh yeah.
Hutch is going to single handedly wreck Iowa's putrid offense. He will end up with 3 sacks, a strip fumble recovery and pick 6.
Hellooooo Heisman!
December 4th, 2021 at 1:00 AM ^
Anyone but Young or Stroud. Come on voters, let's not make this a "Who's surrounded b y the most five stars contest."
If Bama loses, Hutch dominates, he should have a great chance. Hope Kenny Pickett does better in real life than in the straw vote
December 3rd, 2021 at 7:41 PM ^
The sad reality is that a large number of Heisman voters 1) don’t watch the championship games and 2) send their ballots in before the championship games.
December 3rd, 2021 at 7:46 PM ^
Then they should have their voting rights revoked.
December 3rd, 2021 at 8:46 PM ^
I agree. And just wait until I tell you about the Coaches Poll (ahem…grad assistant poll).
December 3rd, 2021 at 7:48 PM ^
Georgia fans are rocking the vote for their player on defense. Let’s show #97 some maize & blue love.
December 3rd, 2021 at 8:10 PM ^
I'm annoyed. I haven't been able to vote for the last 2 days.
December 3rd, 2021 at 8:24 PM ^
Same here. I've tried and tried and tried...
December 4th, 2021 at 1:16 AM ^
I’ve found that Chrome doesn’t work. Try Safari or Firefox.
December 3rd, 2021 at 8:04 PM ^
Final td in a Michigan win tomorrow is a sack td return for 50 yards by Hutch !!!! GO BLUE !!!!
December 3rd, 2021 at 8:32 PM ^
It might seem humorous, but it likely will take something like that to push him, or any D player, over the top. Woodson doesn't return a punt for a TD against OSU, it is almost certain he doesn't win the HT.
December 3rd, 2021 at 9:29 PM ^
If he didn’t return that punt we might have lost that game.
December 3rd, 2021 at 9:38 PM ^
It wasn’t just the punt. He also had a long reception to set up a TD and intercepted a pass in the end zone to save a TD - in addition to scoring on the punt. All that in a game we won 20-14.
But he was also going up against Peyton Manning, Ryan Leaf and Randy Moss. That was one of the strongest Heisman classes ever and he needed a monster performance to seal the deal. If Hutch can just get a couple more sacks, that might do it.
December 3rd, 2021 at 10:17 PM ^
That’s for sure. One dud and three HOF locks. How many Heisman fields had three HOFers in it? And not just any HOF players either. We’re talking the absolute top. All three are considered top 10 in their positions All-time.
December 3rd, 2021 at 10:28 PM ^
Possibly Top 5
December 4th, 2021 at 12:02 AM ^
I'd argue top 4. Ironically, Manning is probably holding this group back from being even higher. Woodson is the CB GOAT, Moss is top 2, but I'd have Manning as top 4 at the highest after Brady, Montana, Unitas, and could see arguments for Marino, Staubach, Elway, or even Rogers or Brees to overtake him.
December 3rd, 2021 at 11:03 PM ^
I was 13 when he won it and couldn’t believe he beat out Peyton Manning. Most impressive Heisman winner IMO. Although people do forget that back then Manning was known as a little bit of a choke artist. Couldn’t beat Florida. That and Woodson’s performance in the game did him in. Tennessee fans are still livid that he beat him out. Long memories down there.
December 4th, 2021 at 12:42 AM ^
Lots of people don't remember Tenn won the NC the year after Manning left.
December 3rd, 2021 at 10:49 PM ^
If the game is in hand I will 100% support Aidan for punt returner in the 4th quarter
December 3rd, 2021 at 8:15 PM ^
Another reason to hope Alabama looks bad tomorrow.
December 3rd, 2021 at 8:21 PM ^
Would be good if he can finish as sack leader with a Bama loss to seal things.
December 3rd, 2021 at 8:23 PM ^
It’s a funny year.
No offensive player has stolen the show. The voters are going to be open to a change of pace this year.
Maybe a huge game Saturday can push Hutch over the top with the votes that still need to come in.
December 3rd, 2021 at 10:06 PM ^
True this. It should be a three horse race with Aidan being one. If Bama loses with Bryce having a mediocre CG, with Hutch dominating tomorrow it's down to a toss-up. It doesn't hurt the B1G CG game is @ 8PM so all eyes will be on him tomorrow.
December 3rd, 2021 at 9:00 PM ^
Go, Blue! Beat Iowa.
December 3rd, 2021 at 9:10 PM ^
It would be yet another punch in the mouth to the buckeyes if Hutchinson won over Stroud.
December 3rd, 2021 at 9:56 PM ^
And Kenneth Walker.
December 4th, 2021 at 3:32 AM ^
With Ewers transferring out, and Kyle McCord expected to transfer out after their Bowl Game.
December 3rd, 2021 at 9:12 PM ^
If not Hutch, I’m cool with another defensive player. No offensive players are worthy this year.
December 3rd, 2021 at 9:20 PM ^
The biggest thing I've learned from all this is my first child will be named "Sauce".
December 3rd, 2021 at 9:31 PM ^
Is your last name Castillo?
December 3rd, 2021 at 10:47 PM ^
Even better. It's Quackenbush. No lie.
December 3rd, 2021 at 9:22 PM ^
Michigan should lobby a bit perhaps.
December 3rd, 2021 at 9:36 PM ^
If that was the final 3 I'd be pretty thrilled. Voters are so prone to just voting for the starting QB of one of the best teams
December 3rd, 2021 at 9:49 PM ^
Really. A center??
December 3rd, 2021 at 9:53 PM ^
I got a good feeling about Hutch and Heisman consideration. Win the game.
December 3rd, 2021 at 11:28 PM ^
If it's a defensive player, doesn't it have to be our Hutch?
December 3rd, 2021 at 11:48 PM ^
What I want to know is how well equipped is Georgia for dealing with Will Anderson? Bama could lose but Anderson could still be a wrecking ball on defense on his own and win this thing out from Aidan regardless of his performance against Iowa.
December 4th, 2021 at 12:13 AM ^
final game before they vote.
so, if Hutchison has another big game... you never know.
It would be pretty crazy though
December 4th, 2021 at 12:14 AM ^
If it’s not Aidan I don’t want it to be a defensive player: I like that our precious Charles is still the only primarily defensive player to win it. Is that stupid? Yes. Do I care? No.
December 4th, 2021 at 3:29 AM ^
Mind boggling that Desmond Ridder is on the list. Playing in the AAC doth have its advantages.
December 4th, 2021 at 7:55 AM ^
I guess Alabama and Georgia fans caught wind of all the Hutchinson Heisman talk and have joined the fray.
December 4th, 2021 at 11:35 AM ^
Obviously Aidan’s play has been amazing, but I don’t think he jumps to the front of the line if not for Harbaugh lobbying in the media. For as much as the media criticizes him, there’s no doubt that Harbaugh is an influencer (in the traditional sense) of media/public opinion. It reminds me of when the light went on for Rudock and Harbaugh said after a game that he looked like an NFL QB and lo and behold, they started talking about him as a draft prospect.