As someone who feels the Heisman Trophy voters make a great selection about once every six years and a good selection about every other year, I was all set 10 days ago to rail on in great anger about the travesty that the nation's best player, Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, would in no way be considered for the award that singles out the best college football player in America.
All of a sudden, Suh nearly derailed Texas's trip to the BCS Championship Game all by himself, swatting aside double-team blockers as he has for two years and using Longhorns star quarterback Colt McCoy as a rag doll. The voters noticed.
Next, it was announced Suh actually would be invited as a Heisman finalist to the New York ceremony on Saturday evening. Apparently, voters made a difference by writing his name on a sufficient number of ballots.
Then, Heisman evaluators and predictors suggested that straw-polls might well have Suh showing the most first-place votes.
Then, Suh virtually swept the defensive awards on the ESPN show the other night.
Could a defensive tackle really shock the world and win the Heisman Trophy? Probably not. Too many numb-skull voters who don't truly understand the sport will continue to embrace the notion that no player could be the very best if they don't throw or carry the ball.
Wouldn't it be something if Suh could pull off the Heisman miracle? In my mind, he should win. Granted, Texas's McCoy has had a great year, but Suh seriously outplayed him on last week's national TV stage. Toby Gerhart of Stanford has been spectacular, but he was even less known at year's start than Suh. Mark Ingram of Alabama is plenty deserving as he is the best offensive player for the team currently at the top of the polls. Tim Tebow of Florida is probably the greatest four-year quarterback star in college history, but this season, a bit of juice seems to be missing. Two home run receiver threats from last year's Gators are missing, and his line failed to protect as well as in the last recent past. Tebow got hurt in mid-season, and simply wasn't quite the same.
Suh is the man! We'll see on Saturday night in what has suddenly evolved into one of the most fascinating Heisman Trophy presentations in history.
If he could win, Suh would be doing it for past lineman who should have prevailed: either Iowa tackle Alex Karras or Kentucky tackle Lou Michaels in 1957 and Pittsburgh linebacker Hugh Green in 1980.
This Week's Pick:
By the way, there is one game being played on Saturday. Navy is a 14-point favorite to win its eighth straight over rival Army. The Midshipmen likely will win. But, this Army team is much improved, especially on defense. Black Knight blocking for the option run attack is pretty pale, especially on outside pitchouts. But, the Army wants to turn the scales very badly. Since the Army Cadets want it more and their defense that will be ferocious, it tells me that Army +14 is solid. Pick: Army +14
--Bob Boyles
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