The inspiration for this paper really did come out of the blue, I was sitting at home on a Saturday minding my own business, watching the 10 A.M. College Gameday show that comes on ESPN every weekend. Enjoying the fact that today's episode was special, they were going to discuss the top pre-season "Heisman Hopeful's" as ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit calls them. Now for all of the "not so college football savvy" fans out there, the Heisman trophy is given out every year to the most outstanding player in college football for that given year. According to the rules, anyone who plays on the NCAA college level can with the award, they have had defensive players win it, and even NCAA Division II-A players finish in the top 3 (Steve McNair, Alcorn State University). So with the prestige of the award and the LEGACY that automatically comes with winning it, it's safe to say that it's a big deal who should take home the award, this year was no different. All of the attention was on the "Big 3", the top three contenders for the hardware going into this year, senior quarterback Tim Tebow from the University of Florida, Colt McCoy, senior quarterback from the University of Texas and last but not least, last year's winner Sam Bradford, junior quarterback from the University of Oklahoma. Now, there has been a lot of attention of Tebow and Bradford because they are both previous trophy winners, and everyone in the nation wanted someone else to accomplish something that only one other player has done in the history of the game. Win the trophy twice, the only player to ever do so is Archie Griffin, running back, Ohio State University in 1974, 75'. So as the analyst start making their decisions and explaining their reasoning, I found my pre-season favorite out in the cold, all three of them had picked Colt McCoy to win the trophy. Not, long after the picks were made, my friend Zach Perkins called me to rub it in, and remind me of a 5 dollar bet we made earlier in the summer on who would win. I the "College Football Know It All" had decided to go with Bradford, but Zach chose McCoy and he was not going to let this moment pass and not seize the opportunity to look good for a little bit. I thought that it was a fluke, however Sam Bradford would be taken out the Heisman race but not in a way that I had anticipated. In the first game of the season the #3 Sooners played the BYU Cougars and not too long into the game Bradford was taken out with a shoulder injury (that he is now deciding to have surgery on.) However, McCoy has kept putting up monster numbers and showing everyone why he was the favorite in the pre-season voting. As for Tim Tebow, he was having a strong season as well, but all of that changed when the Gators went into Lexington to take on the University of Kentucky, and after obtaining a more than comfortable lead, the star quarter back took a shot from strong side defensive end, Taylor Wyndham, the concussed and flu-stricken All-American player has now missed 10 straight days of practice, and isn't looking to return anytime soon. However, back on the west coast the University of California has a stud at running back, and is only a sophomore, (the same grade Tebow AND Bradford were when they won the award) and his name is Jahivd Best, and he is exactly what his name says. The "BEST," among the top in the nation in rushing and rushing touchdowns, but his team isn't one the perennial powerhouses like #1 ranked Florida that has Tebow, or #2 Texas that has McCoy, as much as it is about putting up numbers it's also about who wins more games. So that unruly variable might keep Best on the outside looking in. However, there are some "no-names" that came into this season, and are absolutely blowing the whole country away with their performances, freshman Michigan quarter Tate Forcier, Cincinnati's big man Tony Pike, and Miami's versatile hometown hero Jacory Harris that his the 'Canes back to their "expected" status as one of the higher ranked teams in the nation. So with all of these possible candidates, and all these surprises and mix-ups, you have to wonder. What all the coaches and previous winners are going to say when it's time to fill out their ballot. As for me, I'd vote for Jahvid Best come early December.
started by Shae Ellis on 07 Oct 09
Dr. Terrance Elliott
English 100-056
10/7/09
The Best 2009-2010 Heisman Hopeful
The inspiration for this paper really did come out of the blue, I was sitting at home on a Saturday minding my own business, watching the 10 A.M. College Gameday show that comes on ESPN every weekend. Enjoying the fact that today's episode was special, they were going to discuss the top pre-season "Heisman Hopeful's" as ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit calls them.
Now for all of the "not so college football savvy" fans out there, the Heisman trophy is given out every year to the most outstanding player in college football for that given year. According to the rules, anyone who plays on the NCAA college level can with the award, they have had defensive players win it, and even NCAA Division II-A players finish in the top 3 (Steve McNair, Alcorn State University). So with the prestige of the award and the LEGACY that automatically comes with winning it, it's safe to say that it's a big deal who should take home the award, this year was no different.
All of the attention was on the "Big 3", the top three contenders for the hardware going into this year, senior quarterback Tim Tebow from the University of Florida, Colt McCoy, senior quarterback from the University of Texas and last but not least, last year's winner Sam Bradford, junior quarterback from the University of Oklahoma. Now, there has been a lot of attention of Tebow and Bradford because they are both previous trophy winners, and everyone in the nation wanted someone else to accomplish something that only one other player has done in the history of the game. Win the trophy twice, the only player to ever do so is Archie Griffin, running back, Ohio State University in 1974, 75'.
So as the analyst start making their decisions and explaining their reasoning, I found my pre-season favorite out in the cold, all three of them had picked Colt McCoy to win the trophy. Not, long after the picks were made, my friend Zach Perkins called me to rub it in, and remind me of a 5 dollar bet we made earlier in the summer on who would win. I the "College Football Know It All" had decided to go with Bradford, but Zach chose McCoy and he was not going to let this moment pass and not seize the opportunity to look good for a little bit.
I thought that it was a fluke, however Sam Bradford would be taken out the Heisman race but not in a way that I had anticipated. In the first game of the season the #3 Sooners played the BYU Cougars and not too long into the game Bradford was taken out with a shoulder injury (that he is now deciding to have surgery on.) However, McCoy has kept putting up monster numbers and showing everyone why he was the favorite in the pre-season voting.
As for Tim Tebow, he was having a strong season as well, but all of that changed when the Gators went into Lexington to take on the University of Kentucky, and after obtaining a more than comfortable lead, the star quarter back took a shot from strong side defensive end, Taylor Wyndham, the concussed and flu-stricken All-American player has now missed 10 straight days of practice, and isn't looking to return anytime soon.
However, back on the west coast the University of California has a stud at running back, and is only a sophomore, (the same grade Tebow AND Bradford were when they won the award) and his name is Jahivd Best, and he is exactly what his name says. The "BEST," among the top in the nation in rushing and rushing touchdowns, but his team isn't one the perennial powerhouses like #1 ranked Florida that has Tebow, or #2 Texas that has McCoy, as much as it is about putting up numbers it's also about who wins more games. So that unruly variable might keep Best on the outside looking in.
However, there are some "no-names" that came into this season, and are absolutely blowing the whole country away with their performances, freshman Michigan quarter Tate Forcier, Cincinnati's big man Tony Pike, and Miami's versatile hometown hero Jacory Harris that his the 'Canes back to their "expected" status as one of the higher ranked teams in the nation.
So with all of these possible candidates, and all these surprises and mix-ups, you have to wonder. What all the coaches and previous winners are going to say when it's time to fill out their ballot. As for me, I'd vote for Jahvid Best come early December.