By David Jones, Florida Today
The Heisman Trophy is given annually to a player in college football who usually has a special moment or accomplishment that warranted the honor.
But when the winner is announced Saturday, the person who carries the trophy out of Manhattan will be the one who did the least to give it away. Florida's Tim Tebow stumbled and lost in the SEC Championship Game to Alabama or it might have been his. Tide running back Mark Ingram played poorly in the Crimson Tide's near loss to Auburn the week before, to hurt his chances.
Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, like Tebow, didn't have the monster season many forecast and also struggled late in the year. The other two finalists, running back Toby Gerhart of Stanford and Nebraska defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska, had great years statistically but their teams aren't even in BCS bowls.
VIDEO: Finalists enjoying the moment
WHO WILL WIN?: Making a case for the five finalists
Most have a legitimate argument to claim the prize. Ingram is the main reason Alabama's offense was good enough to reach the national title game. Likewise with McCoy, who is a sentimental favorite for some voters because he is a senior and finished runner-up to Oklahoma's Sam Bradford last season even though he led the Longhorns to a win against the Sooners. But Gerhart had more impressive games than Ingram and Suh may have been more dominant at his position than anyone.
"The Heisman is very unique because going into some awards, you pretty much have a good idea of who's going to win, who's not," McCoy said. "(With the Heisman) you have no clue. I think that's what's unique about it. Who knows what's going to happen? I think we all left it out on the field and too bad it's left up to just a bunch of voters. They are the ones who determine what happens, so we'll see."
While McCoy (after the voting deadline of course) took a swipe at the 900-plus voters — which includes past winners — others have been a little more diplomatic. And thankful.
"It's crazy," Gerhart said of the lack of a sure winner. "I think it makes it that much more exciting. I think in the years past it was kind of decided beforehand, you had a feeling who was going to win it. This year, it's wide open. I guess it draws for good TV, the suspense. Any of the candidates are good guys and deserve it. It's going to be exciting when they finally announce it."
Gerhart admits the Cardinal may have lost too many games for him to claim the trophy.
"I was hoping I wasn't (out of it), but when we lost (to Cal) and that was our fourth loss of the season, I figured that could be it, the defining moment. But fortunately I'm still in it," he said.
Many polls have Ingram at the top. He had 191 total yards and three touchdowns against the Gators in a stunning 32-13 win as CBS got its all-time best ratings for a SEC football game. With the nation watching his clutch performance, that may have won it for him.
But Ingram lost the Doak Walker Award (nation's top running back) to Gerhart. McCoy won the Maxwell (best all-around player) over Ingram and Tebow. It was a scary forecast for his Heisman hopes.
But there's more contradictions than comfort when studying this year's Heisman. Stiffarmtrophy.com, a website that has correctly forecast the last seven winners, projects Ingram to win, Gerhart to finish second, McCoy third, followed by Suh and Tebow. The site claims to have already gotten the votes of more than 600 voters.
Suh is the most intriguing of the bunch. He gained more momentum than anyone in the final weeks. But as a defensive lineman probably has no chance.
"I have no clue what allowed me to get to New York," he said."It feels great. I just want to represent all the guys that are in the trenches, the unsung heroes on the defensive line and the offensive line. I want to represent them in the right way."
If Ingram wins, it will be three straight sophomore winners, which had never happened before Tebow in 2007.
"He's had a phenomenal year because of the hard work," Tide coach Nick Saban said. "And the guy's a great competitor. And I think that his resiliency as a competitor has contributed to his great physical ability as a running back. He's got quickness, change of direction, speed, good instincts. He can run behind his pads. He has good hands and is a good receiver. He's had one of those years that probably make him a legitimate candidate and he's one of the best players in the country."
With such a tight, tense battle for the trophy, the announcement figures to be a very nervous time for all.
"It's tough, sometimes, the waiting," said McCoy, a veteran of awards ceremonies. "I try not to worry about it too much. I think my teammates and coaches worry about it more than I do. I think they are on the edge of their seats waiting to see what happens. It truly is a team award and I do my best to really relay that to them and I tell them how important it is to me for them to understand it's not about me. It's about our team, and if I do win it, it's truly because of them."
McCoy isn't the only one who will have a lot of tense friends waiting.
Flint, Mich., his hometown, has declared today Mark Ingram Day. They want to celebrate by seeing Alabama get its first Heisman Trophy. But with the way this year's award is so uncertain, nobody is counting on it.
One person who has already admitted he didn't do enough is Tebow. The SEC title game loss and his down year in stats could make him the most surprising fifth-place finisher in Heisman history after starting the season as a co-favorite with McCoy.
His goals for the weekend in New York?
"Just to have fun, to be able to hang out with my family, enjoy the process and just enjoy being there," he said
The Heisman Trophy is given annually to a player in college football who usually has a special moment or accomplishment that warranted the honor.
But when the winner is announced Saturday, the person who carries the trophy out of Manhattan will be the one who did the least to give it away. Florida's Tim Tebow stumbled and lost in the SEC Championship Game to Alabama or it might have been his. Tide running back Mark Ingram played poorly in the Crimson Tide's near loss to Auburn the week before, to hurt his chances.
Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, like Tebow, didn't have the monster season many forecast and also struggled late in the year. The other two finalists, running back Toby Gerhart of Stanford and Nebraska defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska, had great years statistically but their teams aren't even in BCS bowls.
VIDEO: Finalists enjoying the moment
WHO WILL WIN?: Making a case for the five finalists
Most have a legitimate argument to claim the prize. Ingram is the main reason Alabama's offense was good enough to reach the national title game. Likewise with McCoy, who is a sentimental favorite for some voters because he is a senior and finished runner-up to Oklahoma's Sam Bradford last season even though he led the Longhorns to a win against the Sooners. But Gerhart had more impressive games than Ingram and Suh may have been more dominant at his position than anyone.
"The Heisman is very unique because going into some awards, you pretty much have a good idea of who's going to win, who's not," McCoy said. "(With the Heisman) you have no clue. I think that's what's unique about it. Who knows what's going to happen? I think we all left it out on the field and too bad it's left up to just a bunch of voters. They are the ones who determine what happens, so we'll see."
While McCoy (after the voting deadline of course) took a swipe at the 900-plus voters — which includes past winners — others have been a little more diplomatic. And thankful.
"It's crazy," Gerhart said of the lack of a sure winner. "I think it makes it that much more exciting. I think in the years past it was kind of decided beforehand, you had a feeling who was going to win it. This year, it's wide open. I guess it draws for good TV, the suspense. Any of the candidates are good guys and deserve it. It's going to be exciting when they finally announce it."
Gerhart admits the Cardinal may have lost too many games for him to claim the trophy.
"I was hoping I wasn't (out of it), but when we lost (to Cal) and that was our fourth loss of the season, I figured that could be it, the defining moment. But fortunately I'm still in it," he said.
Many polls have Ingram at the top. He had 191 total yards and three touchdowns against the Gators in a stunning 32-13 win as CBS got its all-time best ratings for a SEC football game. With the nation watching his clutch performance, that may have won it for him.
But Ingram lost the Doak Walker Award (nation's top running back) to Gerhart. McCoy won the Maxwell (best all-around player) over Ingram and Tebow. It was a scary forecast for his Heisman hopes.
But there's more contradictions than comfort when studying this year's Heisman. Stiffarmtrophy.com, a website that has correctly forecast the last seven winners, projects Ingram to win, Gerhart to finish second, McCoy third, followed by Suh and Tebow. The site claims to have already gotten the votes of more than 600 voters.
Suh is the most intriguing of the bunch. He gained more momentum than anyone in the final weeks. But as a defensive lineman probably has no chance.
"I have no clue what allowed me to get to New York," he said."It feels great. I just want to represent all the guys that are in the trenches, the unsung heroes on the defensive line and the offensive line. I want to represent them in the right way."
If Ingram wins, it will be three straight sophomore winners, which had never happened before Tebow in 2007.
"He's had a phenomenal year because of the hard work," Tide coach Nick Saban said. "And the guy's a great competitor. And I think that his resiliency as a competitor has contributed to his great physical ability as a running back. He's got quickness, change of direction, speed, good instincts. He can run behind his pads. He has good hands and is a good receiver. He's had one of those years that probably make him a legitimate candidate and he's one of the best players in the country."
With such a tight, tense battle for the trophy, the announcement figures to be a very nervous time for all.
"It's tough, sometimes, the waiting," said McCoy, a veteran of awards ceremonies. "I try not to worry about it too much. I think my teammates and coaches worry about it more than I do. I think they are on the edge of their seats waiting to see what happens. It truly is a team award and I do my best to really relay that to them and I tell them how important it is to me for them to understand it's not about me. It's about our team, and if I do win it, it's truly because of them."
McCoy isn't the only one who will have a lot of tense friends waiting.
Flint, Mich., his hometown, has declared today Mark Ingram Day. They want to celebrate by seeing Alabama get its first Heisman Trophy. But with the way this year's award is so uncertain, nobody is counting on it.
One person who has already admitted he didn't do enough is Tebow. The SEC title game loss and his down year in stats could make him the most surprising fifth-place finisher in Heisman history after starting the season as a co-favorite with McCoy.
His goals for the weekend in New York?
"Just to have fun, to be able to hang out with my family, enjoy the process and just enjoy being there," he said
source of yahoo.com
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