The Heistman?

Going into tonight's Heisman Trophy award ceremony I feel it coming. Texas QB Colt McCoy is a media favorite. His team is undefeated in an unusually weak Big 12. He is headed to the BCS championship game. He's gotta be the favorite.

Forget the fact that he threw 0 TDs and 3 INTs and ran for -20 yards in the Big 12 championship and almost committed an all-time gaff by not understanding when the clock stops on an out-of-bounds pass (it's when it hits something, Colt, not when it goes out). He only put up 127 yards 1 TD and 1 INT against Oklahoma, a game Texas certainly would have lost had Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford not gone down. Against Texas Tech he put up 205 yards with 1 TD and 2 INTs. His numbers against the other above-.500 Big 12 teams just are not Heismanesque. Facing Nebraska, Mizzou, OK St., Texas Tech and Oklahoma he went for 6 TDs and 7 INTs. So much for kepping QBs with inflated stats against lesser opponents out of the Heisman voting. The best players come up big in big games, the way Toby Gerhart did.

Gerhart played in the second best conference this year, the PAC-10, and he too faced five winning conference teams this year. Against Cal, Oregon, Arizona, Oregon State and USC he carried 135 times for 756 yards and 14 TDs. That's 5.6 a carry. Facing then-#8 Oregon and then-#9 USC Gerhart had a two week Heisman moment. 223 yards against Oregon and 178 against UCS doesn't happen often.

While Alabama HB Mark Ingram did have a big season on the ground in the SEC he lacked the consistency Gerhart had. 17 carries for 50 yards against Arkansas and 16 for 30 against Auburn are not Heismanesque. While he did tear defenses up, like South Carolina- 24 carries for 246 yards- he undoubtedly had a better O-line than Gerhart. He also faced tougher Ds. Fact of the matter is Ingram ran for a better average than Gerhart, 6.2 to 5.6, Gerhart had more carries, yards and TDs.

While Ndamukong Suh wasthe best player in the nation for my money the college game is about offense, not defense. And Tim Tebow had a good year but was in no way the best player this year.

While my ballot would be 1 Suh 2 Gerhart 3 Ingram 4 Celmson's C.J. Spiller and 5 Boise State's Kellen Moore I think the Stiff Arm will go to Gerhart with McCoy a close second and Ingram third. Voters have shown a liking for younger players but I am trusting enough voters will realize McCoy's unbalanced season and reward Gerhart for his consistency.

TBG