The chances of Denard winning the Heisman are slim...

Submitted by FrankMurphy on

...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.  

BlockM

September 21st, 2010 at 1:54 PM ^

If he keeps putting up the stats he has been, he'll win and it won't even be close. The reason the people on those teams have a better shot is 1) publicity, which Denard obviously has plenty of and 2) the players around them putting them in a position to get gaudy stats. If our o-line and receivers play like they have been against B10 level competition, Denard will have a chance to keep his insane pace up.

JonVaughn

September 21st, 2010 at 4:44 PM ^

I agree that Denard will have no problem being considered for the Heisman with the amount of attention he is getting from the national media currently.  If Michigan goes 8-4 and he has a crazy good season, he will be right in contention.  If we go 9-3 even better. 

mrlmichael

September 21st, 2010 at 1:54 PM ^

Usually they give it to someone on a BCS bowl caliber team, but there are exceptions. If Denard continued to put up the kind of numbers he has right now there is no way anyone could deny him the heisman. Even if Michigan went 6-6, the kid can flat out play.

6tyrone6

September 21st, 2010 at 5:17 PM ^

80-90% of the offense and do the things that he do and will be obviouslt the best all around player in the country. We go 9-3 or 8-4 and he outs up great numbers, It would be hard not to vote for him. By OSU there should be enough balance on offense so that opposing D's cannot only focus on DR.

West Texas Blue

September 21st, 2010 at 1:55 PM ^

If I had to pick one, I rather win 8-9 games and beat OSU than Denard get the Heisman.  But then again, if Denard did win the Heisman, then the season must have turned out pretty damn well.

lbpeley

September 21st, 2010 at 2:49 PM ^

I rarely even notice who's posting what, much less their signature or links in their signature. That's the first time I noticed he had a blog.

Interesting that you'd take time to read his blog and then post about not caring about his dog or whatever. Why'd you click then? (no apologies to Wierenga for the contractions. she and I were decidedly not buddies).

BlueVoix

September 21st, 2010 at 2:43 PM ^

Other things that would make you sound intelligent:

  1. Caps.
  2. Facts.
  3. Content.
  4. A brain.
  5. Explaining why, instead of trying to further yourself in whatever it may be you have dedicated your life to (even if it is just competitive couch burning), you spend time on an opposing fanbase's website with poor attempts at trolling.