Read the Bleacher Fan and Loyal Homer’s arguments about which favorite they believe will win the 2009 Heisman Trophy.
If there is one thing we know about the Heisman Trophy, it is that the award does not always go to the season’s best college football player. It often goes to the college football player that most deserves it in that particular season. Just ask former Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne.
What does the story of Ron Dayne have to do with University of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy? Precedent. Many believe Dayne was handed the revered trophy not because he was the best player in college football in the 1999 season, but because of the body of work he compiled during his four year college career. He ended his college tenure with 6,397 yards rushing. Impressive stuff. He was, however, not considered a Heisman favorite until his senior season because of those huge career rushing yards, breaking a once hallowed record Texas running back Ricky Williams has surpassed the year before. Whether the logic is correct or not, it is established Heisman voting criteria that once applied to Dayne, and will again apply to McCoy.
Besides the logical precedent, McCoy’s a pretty fantastic quarterback worthy of a Heisman Trophy no matter what logical criterion is applied to voting for the award. Let’s review some statistics.
McCoy has 9,732 career passing yards right now. As a true freshman he threw for 2,570, as a sophomore he tallied 3,303 passing yards, and last year as a junior he threw for 3,859 yards. Notice how he has added huge chunks to his total every year. If he throws for just 3,500 yards – which would be a step back from his traditional exponential growth in throwing yards – he would have a career total of 13,232 yards – or, the second most passing yards ever in college football. Not bad. In addition, McCoy currently has 85 career touchdown passes (29, 22, 34). If he again regresses his senior season (unlikely) and throws 30 touchdown passes that will give him 115 for his career – tying him, again, for second all time with former Louisiana Tech quarterback Tim Rattay.
Last point – McCoy amassed 1,604 votes for the Heisman Trophy last season and finished second. That amount of votes would have won the last eight Heisman Trophies. So close… just the wrong year.
Fortunately for him, 2009 will be the right year.
Bottom line – McCoy has the statistics and momentum to win the Heisman Trophy in 2009. It just makes logical sense. Or, it makes Heisman-logical sense… which is a different kind of logic.
Bleacher Fan no doubt has a great argument for Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford becoming another repeat winner, and Loyal Homer will argue strongly for Loyal Homer’s “boy”friend, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. But momentum is behind neither of those accomplished players. Momentum belongs to McCoy. And momentum counts for a lot in college football.
Posted by Sports Geek 
