A significant portion of Ball’s Heisman hype lies in his 38 total touchdowns, one less than the 39 Barry Sanders scored for Oklahoma State in 1988. Sanders did so in 11 games — Ball has played 13, and will play another in the Rose Bowl Jan. 2 — but scored a touchdown every 10.1 touches. Ball, meanwhile, has scored a touchdown every 7.8 touches.
Sanders’ record stands alone as part of arguably the finest season a running back — collegiate or professional — has ever had. Breaking it would place a capstone on Ball’s stellar 2011 season, but his singular accomplishments already speak for themselves.
December 8, 2011
"The Heisman View From Wisconsin: Montee Ball."
Analysis by Mike Fiammetta in the NYT:
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RGIII fool, as I predicted on this blog years ago.
I saw something about this that was an a-ha moment. Schools send out marketing stuff about potential Heisman candidates and Wisconsin did not send out a ball in its stuff. Get it? Montee Ball.
For that reason alone, Ball should not win.
Also, Griffin III should win because he is the best player in college football.
I saw something about this that was an a-ha moment. Schools send out marketing stuff about potential Heisman candidates and Wisconsin did not send out a ball in its stuff. Get it? Montee Ball.
For that reason alone, Ball should not win.
Also, Griffin III should win because he is the best player in college football.
the perception that S.E.C. defenses are tougher than those of the Big Ten might be too much for him to overcome.
Perception?
I know these other conference just hate that the sec has been national champions however many years running, but girl please.
Ball should win it unless he runs out of Luck all of which goes to Super Man Luck.
I hope Denver drafts Ball so he can give Tebow some relief. Denver lost Knowshon Moreno this year, and the cupboard is bare.
RG3 is the one to beat.
I would probably vote Ball 2nd, Luck 3rd.
Richardson has not impressed me as much, but will probably do well in the NFL.
It'd been fun to have Wilson on the list, too.
Luck is still a better player than either two, IMO, and plays better defenses than RG3 in the defensively-non existant Big 12(10) and Ball runs against some less than stout defenses in the Big 10(12).
Not gonna happen.
damikesc, I wasn't aware they played defense in the Pac 12. LSU put 40 on Oregon and 9 on Alabama. In my opinion Pac 12 is by far the weakest of the 4 big conferences.
Andrew Luck is going to make a fine NFL quarterback. But he's not the best player in college football. That's not the same thing.
The national media has been pumping Andrew Luck all year (at least until Stanford lost to Oregon) - just like they pumped Cam Newton all of last year.
When I was a kid in the 70s and early 80s, the Heisman went exclusively to running backs. And many of those guys went on to have standout NFL careers. Franchises were built: Archie Griffin, Tony Dorsett, Earl Campbell, Billy Sims, Marcus Allen, Herschel Walker, etc.
Now in the 2000s, the Heisman is awarded overwhelmingly to quarterbacks. Yet the elite NFL quarterbacks of today who play on a level far and above the rest - Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and The Manning Brothers were all passed over for the Heisman.
I'd like to see more RBs win the Heisman again.
Which franchise did Archie Griffin build?
You mean there's another player on the Wisconsin team besides Russ Wilson?
damikesc, I wasn't aware they played defense in the Pac 12. LSU put 40 on Oregon and 9 on Alabama. In my opinion Pac 12 is by far the weakest of the 4 big conferences.
PAC-12 is horrible --- but defensively, it's better than the disaster that is the Big 12(10).
At this point, it's not fair to compare other conferences to the SEC. Heck, South Carolina, my team, took the ACC Champion to the woodshed the week before they won their conference.
In a game Clemson actually concerned themselves with more.
Andrew Luck is going to make a fine NFL quarterback. But he's not the best player in college football. That's not the same thing.
I disagree, honestly. Take away Ball and RG3 and their teams, while impacted, won't fall apart into quivering messes.
Stanford is going to really, really, really bad once Luck leaves. Not Florida post-Tebow bad --- but pretty bad.
The national media has been pumping Andrew Luck all year (at least until Stanford lost to Oregon) - just like they pumped Cam Newton all of last year.
That Auburn wasn't punished over the Cam thing is a joke.
RG3 throws, runs, catches, punts, graduates, and takes Baylor to 9 wins beating #2 Oklahoma and Texas. BAYLOR.
I disagree about Stanford. I think Stanford will be solid next year. Also, Griffin III makes Baylor electric. When he was injured, they took a huge step back.
I do certainly think that Luck is a great player, though. He would be #2 on my ballot.
I disagree about Stanford. I think Stanford will be solid next year. Also, Griffin III makes Baylor electric. When he was injured, they took a huge step back.
RG3 is a scary good QB. Won't make it as a pro QB, but he's scary good in college.
I just think Luck is the better choice. I thought he should've won it last year also.
He'll likely take it next year barring injury or Murray of Georgia developing into what so many down here think he might become.
Montee Ball is a very good running back. Barry Sanders was the best I ever saw in person. My rankings are Jim Brown, Barry Sanders then Gayle Sayers. It's still early but Montee Ball, to date, is no Barry Sanders. I took my bride to a Packer/Lions game. She loves baseball and is tepid about football. In that game Sanders made one of his incredible runs..55 yard for a td. It was routine for him. My bride stood up in amazement. I said to her you could beam down someone from another galaxy and if he/she/it saw that run they would have the same reaction.
Costas did a piece last Sunday night. He, like most real men, have derision for all the horseshit "look @ me" dances you see now. He pointed out Sanders would just gently hand the ball to the ref. His work spoke for itself. I research the clowns who dance, almost to the player, they were raised by single moms. Moms can't teach sons how to be real men, only dads can.
Nothing to take away from Ball. But he's no Barry Sanders, even if he's close to his td record. I doubt anyone would disagree.
Costas did a piece last Sunday night. He, like most real men, have derision for all the horseshit "look @ me" dances you see now. He pointed out Sanders would just gently hand the ball to the ref. His work spoke for itself. I research the clowns who dance, almost to the player, they were raised by single moms. Moms can't teach sons how to be real men, only dads can.
Barry definitely subscribed to the "Act Like You've Been There Before" school of TD celebrations.
By the way, check out the ESPN documentary on Herschel Walker. That guy was awesome. It was a travesty of a mockery of a sham that he didn't win the Heisman his freshman year.
By the way, check out the ESPN documentary on Herschel Walker. That guy was awesome. It was a travesty of a mockery of a sham that he didn't win the Heisman his freshman year.
When was his Freshman year?
Because I'd agree, but my school got our only Heisman winner in 1980 (George Rogers) and I'd hate to agree if it'd remove that.
...but Herschel was a freak of nature. Still is to this day. One bad trade by Minnesota to acquire him seems to have caused some to forget how insanely awesome he was.
MaggotAtBroad&Wall said...
When I was a kid in the 70s and early 80s, the Heisman went exclusively to running backs. And many of those guys went on to have standout NFL careers. Franchises were built: Archie Griffin, Archie Griffin again, Tony Dorsett, Earl Campbell, Billy Sims, Marcus Allen, Herschel Walker, etc.
FTFY
I'll have to disagree damikesec. RG3 will be a great pro. He gets better all the time. More accurate and more electric than Luck.
RG3 will be America's first Heisman winning, Super Bowl MVP, NFL Hall of Famer, to be elected President of the United States. You heard it here first.
I'll have to disagree damikesec. RG3 will be a great pro. He gets better all the time. More accurate and more electric than Luck.
I wish him well --- but mobile QB's don't tend to become great pros. He is helped, a lot, by playing some really terrible pass defenses. Cunningham is still the best of the lot that ever came out and he was never the best at his position. Most end up being mediocre...like Michael Vick.
Most exciting best running back I've ever seen:
Leroy Keyes.
The Heisman Trophy Trust made a mistake in 1968.
I think a bylaw of the Heisman Committee is that a winner cannot be named Leroy.
Is should be Matt Barkley.
Vicki from Pasadena
Tyrann Mathieu deserves to win more. He's been more important to a better team.
Geaux Tigers!!!
I know you folks probably don't remember LeRoy Keyes. He played in the Hoosier state @ Purdue. He was about the same as Montee Ball, a good running back.
Michigan State shut Montee Ball down and that will keep him from getting his Heisman. Ditto Denard Robinson of Michigan.
Keshawn Martin was the standout in the BigTen championship game.
@ndspinelli, Keyes played both ways, which even in 1968 was really rare. My recollection, which might be faulty, was that he made All American at both running back and safety. He was the 2nd best running back that year, but in 1968 the Heisman winner was O. J. Simpson, who was one of the best running backs of all time.
Big Mike, You're correct, Keyes did go both ways. Not that there's anything wrong w/ that.
I knew Barry Sanders. I watched Barry Sanders. Montee Ball is no Barry Sanders. -Sparty...still smarting over the game last weekend.
PS- on the other hand, I'd sure love to see Montee Ball in a Lions uniform next year at this time.
Tyrann Mathieu deserves to win more. He's been more important to a better team.
The Honey Badger don't give a f---.
But he's certainly not a real Heisman candidate ... he's only there because of the last few weeks. Griffin and Ball have been doing it all year long.
RG3 will be the winner.
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