ESPN.com Heisman Watch: Evaluating Performances of the Week 2 Watchlist Members
ESPN.com's Heisman Watch summary of performances of the players who were on the Week 2 Watchlist (1. DRob; 2. Kellen Moore; 3. Terrelle Pryor; 4. Ryan Mallett) is now available.
The article by Dari Nowkhah is 90% about DRob and includes this gem:
Go back two-and-a-half years. There was a quarterback who many considered to be the best high school player in the nation. He didn't announce where he was going to play college football when nearly every other top prospect did. He wanted more time. He got his own day to announce his decision. Many thought that quarterback would choose Michigan. They said, "He'd be great in Rich Rodriguez's system." But he didn't choose Michigan; he chose Michigan's biggest rival. Terrelle Pryor spurned the maize-and-blue for the scarlet-and-gray. Did that sting Michigan fans? You bet it did. Would they trade their quarterback for Ohio State's? Would you? I wouldn't. That's not a knock on Pryor, who is dynamic. But often it looks as though Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel pulls the reins a bit on what Pryor is allowed to do. Rodriguez, meanwhile, gives Robinson free rein. And Robinson is better for it.
Now imagine this: Nov. 27 at "The Shoe" in Columbus, Ohio. Michigan will visit Ohio State. Denard Robinson vs. Terrelle Pryor. It could be a must-win game for the Buckeyes to remain unbeaten. It could be a chance for Michigan to cap the ultimate dream season. It could be a chance for one quarterback to outshine the other and in the end allow a repeat of what legendary broadcaster Keith Jackson said in 1991 when Michigan's Desmond Howard returned a punt for a touchdown against Ohio State: "Hello, Heisman!"
FWIW, he evaluates DRob's Week 3 performance with an up arrow (but then, so do Moore, Pryor and Mallett). We'll see what ESPN's "expert panel" has to say about Week 3 rankings on Tuesday.
September 19th, 2010 at 3:03 PM ^
We'll see what ESPN's panel of "experts" has to say about Week 3 rankings on Tuesday.Could also be interpreted as:
We'll see what ESPN's panel of [champ chimp chumps] has to say about Week 3 rankings on Tuesday.
September 19th, 2010 at 3:04 PM ^
...that edit. Thanks.
September 19th, 2010 at 5:17 PM ^
We can all forget who we're talking about when they happen to be talking good about our team from time to time. Doesn't make them any less ESPN though.
I remember seeing some moron on one of their channels later that night talking about how Denard is already banged up because he didn' run the ball as much. Its almost as if he missed the fact Denard still had over 100 yards, had a running back stepping up for him, and was throwing it well. Come to think of it, maybe he did miss that.
September 19th, 2010 at 3:08 PM ^
Obviously I'm a homer, but really don't think I'd trade him for Pryor even if Tressel loosened the reins on Pryor. Robinson is much faster and elusive, and to this point he also looks like the more accurate passer. Pryors strengths over Robinbson are his size, which I don't think he takes advantage of, and his arm strength, which is debatable.
September 19th, 2010 at 3:23 PM ^
Great analysis..... and would add that Denard clearly (imo) throws the ball with more zip than Pryor does. Denard has a rifle. Pryor still "shotputs" the ball quite a bit. And despite his arm strength, Denard has also shown that he can throw the ball with great touch. But I agree with you respect to distance.... although Pryor lacks the zip on his throws that Denard has, Pryor can throw the ball very far. Denard can do that as well but whether or not he can throw as far or further than Pryor is a matter for debate.
But I love what I saw of Denard's deep game yesterday. He consistently laid it out there with great touch and accuracy.
Yes, I am a homer, but I take Denard over Pryor.
...
September 19th, 2010 at 4:20 PM ^
I think Denard intelligence is and important factor that will allow him to run a much more complex offence than Pryor can.
September 19th, 2010 at 5:41 PM ^
and Denard doesn't say things like "everybody kills people".
September 19th, 2010 at 11:36 PM ^
Not to mention that Pryor in year 3 as a starter is just now getting comfortable and performing at an average rate. Denard is performing far and above in his first year as a starter and 2nd year in college. The ceiling for Denard is much higher. To be honest they are different players and athletes. Pryor is big, bruising with an average arm and above average speed. Denard is smaller, shiftier, rocket arm with touch and dilithium speed. For our offense and based on the exhibited learning curve, Denard is the perfect fit for this offense.
September 19th, 2010 at 3:09 PM ^
Interesting that 3 of 4 QBs in that Heisman discussion have been associated with M in some way...
- Mallet used to play for us and transfer.
- Pryor had it narrowed to us and OSU before choosing OSU
- Denard is our QB.
September 19th, 2010 at 3:11 PM ^
T.P. vs Shoelace wont be a very fair comparison considering the disparity between defenses.
September 19th, 2010 at 3:48 PM ^
If anything, though, that gives Robinson the chance to step up and show the country what he's made of. A stellar performance from him against OSU's D is going to be a bigger deal than if Pryor shreds us. (Unless some miracle happens and our defense is considerably better by then.)
September 19th, 2010 at 3:46 PM ^
Looking at last year TP's passing vs this year DR passing (both sophomore years) I think DR is much better. Not perfect.....but better.
September 19th, 2010 at 3:48 PM ^
IMO, the top three should be:
1. Denard
2. Patrick Peterson
3. DeMarco Murray
September 19th, 2010 at 3:57 PM ^
"I can't remember the last time a player made me consciously blink before a play."
Awesome.
September 19th, 2010 at 5:20 PM ^
My bad....that was last year.
I'm not in any way trying to take away from DR being an awesome athlete. Just focusing on the team as a whole. Circumstances are eerily familiar; will our B10 record be better?
September 19th, 2010 at 5:55 PM ^
I don't know why people keep saying this. Tate was mentioned by a couple people as a darkhorse candidate. Denard is the consensus front-runner. This is not the same situation. This is much more like 1991, when Desmond was at the top after two games.
September 19th, 2010 at 7:20 PM ^
Tate got love last year when we were doing well in teh early, OOC games. Quickly died when we couldnt' get win #6. I'm much more interested in UM doing well than DR's stats.
September 19th, 2010 at 7:32 PM ^
I'm not missing your point. I understand it. I just don't agree with it. Denard's performance thus far is vastly better than what we got from Tate last year, even pre-injury. Last year we were a crappy offense with a gutty little QB who could improvise a little. This year our offense is a machine led by the best QB in the country.
September 19th, 2010 at 11:48 PM ^
"This year our offense is a machine led by the best QB in the country."
Two Walter Camp wins do make your argument both strong and irrefutable.
September 19th, 2010 at 7:36 PM ^
These things go hand in hand, though: if Tate had been able to produce at the same level all last season, with the same amount of confidence (and without being injured), we might have gotten win #6.
If Denard keeps performing at this level throughout the season, it probably isn't going to hurt us in terms of winning games. Doesn't mean we'll win every one, but we're better with Denard owning the field than without.
I'd just rather be positive than assume that Denard's stats will drop off, and our team as a whole is better off with Denard as a superstar than without.
September 19th, 2010 at 5:37 PM ^
....why ESPN is still listing that REggie Bush won the Heisman in 2005 as it lists at the end of the article???
September 19th, 2010 at 9:41 PM ^
because, unfortunately, you can't retcon reality