Three-point stance: Tenpenny, Heisman Trophy, predictions
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The Heisman Trophy is a bit of a joke, we all know that. After all, a defensive
player simply can't win it on defensive play alone (Charles Woodson had to play
some offense to win the award) in this era so that alone makes it a fraudulent
award. And forget about offensive linemen and tight ends as the trophy is almost
always awarded to players at just three positions: quarterback, running back and
wide receiver.
There's even a clear hierarchy among those three position groups. A quarterback
has won the Heisman in every season
but two since 2000. Running backs have a hard time winning the award. And
pure wide receivers? Forget it. That hasn't happened in ages.
Which is why Baylor wide receiver Corey Coleman doesn't get
much mention in the Heisman Trophy discussion, even though he should be the
current front-runner. Coleman's stats through six games are off the charts. He
has 41 catches for 877 yards and 16 touchdowns and is averaging 21.4 yards per
catch. Coleman already has as many touchdown catches as Amari Cooper
had in an entire season last year, is averaging seven more yards per catch and
he could easily break the single-season touchdown record for a receiver set by
Troy Edwards back in 1998.
And none of it will matter to the Heisman voters. Cooper had an amazing year
last season and finished third while Justin Blackmon and Michael Crabtree both finished fifth after incredible seasons. Michigan's
Desmond Howard was the last receiver to win the award back in 1991 but it was
his special teams play that added to winning the award. Tim Brown from Notre
Dame won it in 1987 with three touchdown catches -- yes, three -- but, again,
special teams played a role.
For some reason, since the early 1990s, wide receivers haven't had a prayer and
that will continue this year. And it's ridiculous.
3. Prediction time
Prediction time and again, a warning, I'm always wrong. That being said, I'm not
usually as wrong as I was last week, which was just embarrassing.
This weekend's slate isn't great, so hopefully my picks will be better than the
far and could see Oklahoma and Michigan State struggling for
some reason, but I'm not putting my neck out on those.
We'll see how bad I do this week.
Mike Farrell
National Recruiting Director