When the Heisman race is tight, Thanksgiving weekend is always a great time to state your case. A lot of football fans and the media have the opportunity to see your game when they otherwise might not. Three players stated their cases emphatically and one saw their hopes take a shot over the holiday.
It all began with my choice, Colt McCoy on Thanksgiving night showing the country he’s not only the best passer, but a pretty darn good runner as well. In addition to throwing for 304 yards and 4 TD’s against arch rival Texas A&M, McCoy rushed for a career high 175 yards, including a 65 yard TD run that left defenders in his wake. He’s continued to improve as the season has gone on and now his Longhorns get Nebraska in the Big 12 title game.
Alabama’s Mark Ingram was the favorite of a lot of people, but against the 80th ranked rush defense in the country, he managed just 30 yards on 16 carries and was on the sidelines late in the game against Auburn with freshman Trent Richardson in his place. Not what you’d expect of a Heisman candidate with an undefeated season on the line although it may have been due to a bruised hip.
Tim Tebow said farewell to Gator fans in the swamp by having one of his best days of the season in a win over Florida State. Tebow threw for three TD’s and ran for two scores with 221 yards in the air and 90 on the ground. He’ll no doubt be back in New York for the award ceremony.
Stanford’s Toby Gerhart keeps reaching in and trying to grab the trophy from the big three. He put on a Heisman show in a thrilling come from behind win against Notre Dame. The senior rushed for 205 yards on 29 carries, added three more TD’s to up his total to 29 to lead the nation and he threw for a score as well. He ran over, around and through the the Irish defense making a closing statement of his own that he deserves to be considered. He’s finished the regular season with 1736 yards rushing.
It was a showcase weekend and players stepped up. My vote today, is McCoy, Gerhart and Tebow in that order. Next week won’t change it.
No comments:
Post a Comment