The finalists for the 2009 Heisman Trophy Award for the best individual performer in college football are in. They are as follows:
Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford
Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
Here's my form guide:
Tim Tebow, QB, Florida Gators
How Tebow is amongst the nominees this year is totally beyond me. There's too much Tebow love in college football, and his invite managed to squeak in despite his poor effort in the SEC Championship Game, where Alabama pounded and hounded him for 60 minutes. Things were so rough that he was in tears on the sideline at the end. His numbers this year are way down compared to last year - despite what SEC apologists and CBS announcers suggest - and it makes no sense that he's even talked about, let alone actually heading to New York for the ceremony.
Tim Tebow is not one of the best five individual college football performers in America this year. Case Keenum or Jimmy Clausen should have come in his place. Their numbers are much better. Tebow is there purely and simply because of past glories, and because the voters are clinging to their pre-season hopes of having Bradford, McCoy and Tebow on the stage in NY.
If Tebow wins, I lose all respect for the voters, and the Heisman Trophy loses all credibility as the single most important award for individual brilliance on the football field. Tebow has been good - okay at times - but not brilliant. Not by any stretch of the imagination.
Colt McCoy, QB, Texas Longhorns
As I have previously written, they got the wrong Longhorn. Jordan Shipley should have been here instead of his quarterback. Everyone talks about 'Heisman Moments', so I challenge you to find one for Colt McCoy. Beat-downs of Kansas and Colorado do not count. Texas A&M doesn't count either, as the game was a shoot-out and McCoy was playing against a pretty shaky D. The big tests against solid - or solid enough at the time - defenses were Oklahoma and Nebraska. The Sooner defense basically killed Colt McCoy, harassing into a woeful day at the Cotton Bowl, and in the Big 12 Title Game, Corn Husker Ndamukong Suh was in the Texas backfield as much as a few of the third-down Longhorn running backs. He, too, pounded McCoy to the tune of 4 1/2 sacks. You can't get sacked 4.5 times in the biggest game of the year and win the Heisman.
There's no great Heisman-worthy moment that I can see. McCoy is just making up the numbers. They should have sent Clausen or Keenum instead.
Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama Crimson Tide
Here is the guy who will probably win the Heisman, even though I don't agree. Sure, he ran well against some teams, but there were a couple of downer days, too - against Auburn in the Iron Bowl - where he was held to meagre rushing numbers. Still, his performance in the SEC Championship Game last start out will have people talking. He was an impossible force, exposing the Gators defense on the ground as much as McElroy did in the air. I wouldn't be surprised to see Ingram win. He's had a great season.
Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford Cardinal
Gerhart is the exact opposite of Ingram above. My pick - and Brent Musburger's, too - for the Heisman, though he probably won't win. For mine, Gerhart has been the player of the season and he should be rewarded as such with both the Heisman and as a high NFL draft choice. Basically, Gerhart hasn't had a bad game. The problem for Gerhart is that he's been out of the mind of voters since the Stanford season wrapped up two weeks ago, whereas Ingram and others have had another week to put up impressive numbers. That might be his undoing.
Still, you can't deny what Gerhart does on the football field. He's run over the top of everyone he's played, racking up 100-yard rushing games like Tiger Woods is racking up mistresses. He's had three games where he's gone for 200 yards or more and 10 where he's carried for more than 100 yards. Add to that his 42 touchdowns and 1736 yards on the ground, 149 receiving and an 18 yard pass completion for a TD vs. Notre Dame in the last game of the Cardinal season.
These are Heisman-caliber numbers. If there's any justice in the world, Gerhart will be taking the Heisman back to Paolo Alto, CA.
Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska Corn Huskers
This man is a machine and could become the first defensive player to win the Heisman since Charles Woodson did it for Michigan a few years back. It's unusual that Suh has even been nominated as a finalist, as defensive players rarely get a nod like this. If you're in any doubt as to why this monster DT who moves at the speed of light and has the ability to blow plays up before they've even begun - he's had an NCAA-leading 9 throw bat-downs - has been invited to New York City, just ask Colt McCoy - or Blaine Gabbert, Todd Reesing, Tyler Hansen or any other QB in the Big 12.
Suh is scary good. He probably won't win the Heisman, though he would be a worthy recipient, because the voters seem fixated on QBs and RBs, but he sure as heck has made sure every college football fan in America knows who he is and what he does. This guy is going to be a HUGE success in the NFL.
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