It is entirely plausible that children of a future age may think of our society's obsession with trophies as mind-boggling and pointless, much as we see rain-dances and human sacrifices. They may point to the controversy they cause, the lack of real closure, and especially the politicking as evidence for the futility of handing someone a trophy every year and calling them "the best".
So now that I've put reason and perspective out there, let me state with absolute certainty: if Manti Te'o does not win the Heisman this year, we deserve whatever is coming to us on December 21.
The Heisman is a tricky award for several reasons. First and foremost is that we're still not entirely sure what its supposed to mean. Is it for the BEST player in college football? The most valuable? The most accomplished? Is there any reason that every winner since 1997 has been a quarterback or runningback? If so, what makes it different than the Davey O'Brien Trophy (for the best quarterback) or the Maxwell Trophy (for best offensive player)? Why do we give this trophy at all?
Whatever the answers the fact is that the Heisman Trophy, like the Oscar or Nobel Prize, forever defines its winner. We never introduce Tom Hanks as the Golden Globe Winner. Only a handful of people remember that Drew Brees won the Maxwell award. Most trophies begin to fade the second they are handed out. Not the Heisman. Whether the recipient goes on to NFL stardom or obscurity, Heisman Winner has now become their prefix. Ask Gino Torretta. Ask Doug Flutie.
So in some sense, that's why I'm writing this letter to the ether. If we accept that Heisman is an award that shapes the narrative, rather than reflects it--this is how last season became the year of RG3, rather than the year of Andrew Luck--than we must admit that the winner should say something important about this year.
So what has happened this year? Notre Dame is having its best season in decades, while rotating quarterbacks and without a star on offense to speak of. They say if you have two quarterbacks you have none. Well, the Gold Domers have no quarterback and they are closing in on a perfect season. Why? Because of one of the most dynamic defenses in recent memory.
The Notre Dame defense is unique because it isn't loaded with first round picks, the way Alabama has been recently. If anything, there seems to be only one sure fire NFL starter on the roster: Te'o. The defense can't rely on simple athleticism. They don't have a vastly superior scheme a la Bill Parcells in the 80's. Technically speaking, they play the conventional wisdom defense that everyone plays. And they play it better than anyone else.
The defense has a knack for playing even better when the game is on the line. Te'o exemplifies that. When quarterbacks have a knack for stepping up when the game is one the line we call them legends and give them trophies. Linebackers deserve similar respect. Look at the numbers Te'o puts up. A veritable tackling machine. He can seemingly be by the ball at the end of every play. He makes his teammates better. Offenses account for Te'o first, leaving openings for the other gutsy players to make big plays.
Te'o is a traditional linebacker who excels in coverage. This is an increasing rarity, and pass rushing backers have become en vogue. he has 5 interceptions on the year. A free safety or corner with 5 interceptions would get All-America consideration. From a middle linebacker that number is absurd.
If you consider that Te'o is a similar size and speed to most quality inside linebackers, and on top of that, typically covers a similar area as most LB's, then the only explanation for his high number of picks is that he makes plays on balls that other LB's do not. Again if a quarterback was playing against a defensive back that had a rep for picking off passes, he would not throw to that side of the field unless he was very confident that said DB couldn't make a play on the ball. This is how offensive coordinators plan. But the fact that Te'o keeps making this pick can mean two things. Quarterbacks throw to receivers Te'o covers because normally LB's in that position can't pick off the ball. Or, Te'o has a knack for intercepting broken up passes in a way that, say, college age Patrick Willis could not.
Right now, most predictors have the award going to Collin Klein of Kansas State. Some have predicted Kenjon Barner of Oregon. No doubt, both are having great seasons and putting up great numbers. I stand, however, in the camp that the Heisman should not simply be a numbers game. Chris Weinke had great numbers and got the Heisman. He was also 28 at the time, and choked in the two biggest games of the year (Miami and Oklahoma). Now the connection of the words "Weinke" and "Heisman" is met with general derision. Had the award gone that year to a quarterback who put up lesser numbers, but lead his school--which was by no means a powerhouse--to the Rose Bowl in a very memorable season, the year 2000 winner would bolster the trophy's credibility, rather than tarnish it, as Weinke has. Oh yeah, the aforementioned Rose Bowl QB was named Drew Brees.
Collin Klein is a unique player, who runs his system well. Kenjon Barner is a beneficiary of a unique system that allows him to put up ungodly numbers. Neither will be long term fixtures in our memories, whether they win the Heisman, or not. They would go the way of Torretta, Weinke, Salaam, Jason White, and half a dozen others in the past 20 years that take some of the shine off the trophy.
We WILL remember Te'o. We WILL remember this defense. This is all likelihood will be remembered as the year of Alabama and Notre Dame. The Heisman Trophy should align itself with that narrative.
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