The Tarnished Trophy

The Heisman Trophy will be awarded tonight for the 77^th time in its history.  According to the Heisman Trust Mission Statement, it will be presented to “the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard work. The Heisman Trophy Trust ensures the continuation and integrity of this award.”  Reading this was news to me because growing up, I always thought that the Heisman Trophy was awarded to the best player in college football.  Recently, that too has changed to giving the award to the best player on the best team in college football. 

For this reason, the Heisman Trophy, which was once the single greatest individual trophy in all of sports, has now become ordinary.

In all likelihood, Johnny Football, Johnny Manziel to those of you new to this freshman phenom, will win tonight, as he should.  I have no problem with him winning.  My problem is with the player who many think could pull the upset, Manti Te’o.  Now, maybe my issue should be with the Heisman committee and their voters instead of with Te’o himself.  As I said, the Heisman Trophy used to be awarded to the best player in college football who held those traits and qualities mentioned in the Heisman Trust Mission Statement.  Now, they give it to the best player on one of the top ranked teams.

Manti Te’o had a very nice season this year, and did it all with a heavy heart after losing his grandmother and girlfriend within a 24 hour span.  I get that.  That being said, he isn’t the best linebacker in football, let alone the best player in the nation.  He was the middle linebacker on the best defense in the country and averaged just 4.33 solo tackles a game, which does not rank in the top 100 nationally (The NCAA only ranks top 100).  Te’o also ranks 59^th in the nation in total tackles with 103.  That is 63 tackles behind the nation’s leader.  As for interceptions, yes, he does have 7 this season, which is more than any other linebacker in the nation, and only 1 other player has more.  That player is Phillip Thomas from Fresno State, who returned 3 of those 8 picks for scores.  Thomas also has more solo tackles than Te’o this year.  Why wasn’t he invited to New York?  If the trophy is given to the best player, one would think Thomas would be invited before Te’o.  No?

Let’s try this blind comparison.

PLAYER A:
Tackles - 103
Sacks - 1.5
Interceptions - 7
Tackles for Loss - 5.5 for 19 yards
QB Hurries - 4
Forced Fumbles - 0
Fumbles Recovered - 2

PLAYER B:
Tackles - 125
Sacks - 5.5
Interceptions - 2
Tackles for Loss - 10.5 for 48 yards
QB Hurries - 8
Forced Fumbles - 6
Fumbles Recovered - 2

Player A is Notre Dame LB and Heisman Finalist Manti Te’o.  Player B is the 2-time Big East Player of the Year, Khaseem Greene, a linebacker from Rutgers.  The numbers speak for themselves.  For what it’s worth, Rutgers allowed 14.25 points per game, good enough for 4^th best in the nation, and they finished with a 9-3 record and unranked.

Again, I hate the way this award is now given to the player with the most publicity who plays for a great team.  Nowhere in the Heisman mission statement does it say the “most valuable” or “leader,” yet that is the voters’ current interpretation for the award.

In 1985, Bo Jackson’s senior year at Auburn they finished 8-4 and unranked.  In 1988, Barry Sanders starred on a team outside the Top 10 at Oklahoma State.  Neither of those two players would have won the Heisman Trophy had the voters used the same mentality then, which they use now.  More recently, in one of the biggest Heisman snubs in history, Jason White, the quarterback of the #1 ranked Oklahoma Sooners, was awarded the Heisman over Larry Fitzgerald, star wide receiver of the 8-4 Pitt Panthers. I would love to go back and hear from the voters who voted for White that year over Fitzgerald.

The Heisman is a joke anymore.  It lives off its history and is no longer as prestigious as it once was.  That is unfortunate, because at one point in history, it truly meant something special to win the Heisman Trophy.