Bigger Heisman Oversight, Suh or Frazier?
17 comments so far
December 12, 2009 by
As expected, the Heisman voters made a huge error by giving the trophy to someone other than Ndamukong Suh. Husker fans would probably all agree, he is the most deserving candidate. That, of course, makes you think back to the last Nebraska player to get screw...er...snubbed by the Heisman selectors - Tommie Frazier. Which begs the question which is the bigger crime, slighting Suh or Frazier?
The Heisman trophy is supposed to go to the best player in college football. The fact that a lineman hasn't won the award and that they seldom are a finalist should tell you right away that there is bias in the selection process. So while Suh seems pretty clearly to be the best football player in college football, he hasn't scored touchdowns which even a defensive player like Charles Woodson did as a return man. No touchdowns, no trophy. It's probably not fair, but at least it's consistent. And Suh will be recognized in the upcoming NFL draft. Chances are, when it's time to cash his rookie paychecks, he'll be second to none.
In Frazier's case, he did play the right position. So the bias to quarterbacks and running backs was still in his favor. He was the top quarterback vote-getter but lost to a running back in Eddie George. George may have been the better NFL talent, but his college career pales compared to Frazier. To be fair, Frazier didn't compile especially gaudy statistics. We remember him as a shifty runner, but one of his greatest skills was drawing defensive attention and making the perfect pitch to a running back. In those situations, the statistics go the I-back. So a lot of the rushing yards that should belong to Frazier, didn't wind up on the stat sheet. You also don't get credit for touchdowns in those situations. Frazier's winning should have counted for something, but remember that Danny Wuerffel had gaudy statistics and an undefeated team when the vote was taken. Frazier's amazing Fiesta Bowl performance (and subsequent post-season all-star game), could not be taken into account. "How many tackles can one man break?" may be a line and a moment NU fans won't forget, but it's one the voters hadn't seen yet. So maybe it's understandable that the voters got it wrong, even if in hindsight Frazier was the best player in college football. That is, if we exclude members of his own team. Lawrence Phillips seemed like the clear favorite for the award before he disqualified himself with his off-the-field issues.
What seems criminal in Frazier's case is that there was no NFL payday in his future. Eddie George can enjoy the honor of being a Heisman winner, but it doesn't mean near as much financially as it would have for Frazier. These days a former Heisman recipient can basically make a living as a former trophy winner. Frazier gets plenty of mileage out of his playing days, but he'd get that much more with a Heisman on his shelf. And it's not like he didn't deserve it. He stepped off the field in his last game as the unquestioned king of college football.
So maybe the voters made a bigger mistake this year because they should know better. But if you could give just one of the two players a Heisman, you'd probably give it to Frazier. Because he's a player that the game should never forget.
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Chris Dec 12 09
I'm okay that Suh didn't win the Heisman. It's always been offensive (no pun intended) and always will be. Tommie on the other had should have nailed it his senior year. It's still a Nebraska versus the east coast thing in my opinion.
mark Dec 12 09
Hey how about Eric Crouch winning the Heisman in 2001 over Rex Grossman, Ken Dorsey, and Joey Harrington, all of whom are at least on NFL rosters currently, while Crouch had no NFL career whatsoever? Did he really deserve it after NU failed to win even the Big XII North, let alone the Big XII? Husker fans may be very gracious winners, but you are the poorest losers ever, especially with this tantrum of an article. Oh, and defensive linemen CAN score touchdowns, just ask Iowa's Adrian Clayborn.
Count Istvan Dec 12 09
First of all the answer is Frazier and second of all Mark show me where the Heisman Trophy mentions NFL capability please. But hey you are an Iowa Fan. I shall now write about the big games Iowa has won in it's history....
The End.
Rupes Dec 12 09
mark-
Wow are you voting against the Huskers. I don't see what tantrum you're referring to in the article. It's laid out very logically.
In regards to Crouch, there are a few reasons he won it. Namely, Crouch in 2001 was similar to McCoy this year in that he had a great career, was the star player on a very good team that revolved around him, and he finished the season kind of poorly. However, none of the other candidates stood out and he won largely because of that. Also, he did break NCAA records, so it's not like you can claim he wasn't any good.
Lastly, look at the argument made for Frazier... most fans are bummed he didn't win MOSTLY BECAUSE he didn't get a shot in the NFL. The option-QB doesn't translate well to the NFL but that doesn't make it unimportant to the NCAA game. By your argument we should just give it to the player taken first in the draft every year.
Count Istvan Dec 12 09
I can remember when Frazier didn't win it thinking Oh well he'll win something much more important. And he did.
Steve Dec 12 09
While Ingram is certainly deserving of the award it was a crime of the highest order that CJ Spiller of Clemson University did not even get invited. CJ is 3rd in all or college history in total all purpose yards gained and that while playing behind an offensive line that was less than stellar. You can't talk about being snubbed without putting CJ in your discussion.
Qualuedtke Dec 12 09
6% of the Heisman voters had already voted before December 5th. Doesn't make sense to me, with hugh games to be played on that day. I'm guessing if they had waited, Suh gains some votes and McCoy loses some. On the Suh/Frazier question, that's a tough call.
Ilovesteak Dec 13 09
I'm glad Suh or McCoy didn't win it.....The curse always rears it's ugly head....
As far as Suh vs Fraizer....Fraizer all the way. From all the talk I've heard about the Heisman, I was led to believe it was that it went to the best player in college football. That player also led their team to championships (and won). In that case, Fraiser should have won over Eddie "Whatever his name is? Who won it for somebody that lost in a bowl game...."
To all you whiny people who think Crouch shouldn't have won it....Cry, Cry, Cry, and Cry some more....Your actually vindicated by my last paragraph....But I believe that Crouch won it because people remembered that Fraiser was snubbed...
Ilovesteak Dec 13 09
*Frazier
aj Dec 13 09
I bleed Husker Red like everyone else who visits this site, but one of the most baffling things to me is how many Husker fans dog Eddie George for winning the Heisman that year. Did he deserve it over Tommie Frazier? It's hard to say. Tommie had a great year and a great career, and I'm a little biased toward saying he should have won. But Eddie George rushed for over 1,900 yards and 24 touchdowns at Ohio State running through a strong Big 10 conference, as well as non-conference games against Notre Dame and Washington. His team didn't win the bowl, and Touchdown Tommie ran wild in the Fiesta Bowl, but (like every year) the Heisman is awarded before that, so it doesn't matter what happened then. We got a national title out of the deal, so I'm not too upset.
Tommie was great that year, but Eddie was just as good. It would have been a tough ballot to fill out. Let's not pretend that he got royally screwed for some inferior player.
(Now, I don't see how it's possible to forgive any voter for putting Colt McCoy over Ndamukong Suh this year. What was going on that night? Were they watching one of the six TVs in the country that don't get ABC?)
Count Istvan Dec 13 09
What was going on that night? Were they watching one of the six TVs in the country that don't get ABC?)
They voted already before the game.
kw Dec 14 09
The thing that drives me nuts about the Heisman, is the argument about the player's team not winning championships. The award is suppose to go to the best player in the country. Not the best player on the best team, which it too often goes to. Is it not more impressive for a player to stand out on a not-so-great team? It's harder for those players to put up the stats they do, yet they persevere. Is it Suh's fault we have no offense? Not saying Suh didn't get help from his fellow blackshirts, but it is a team sport. People kept saying, I have a hard time voting for a player on a 4 loss team. We would have lost more had it not been for Suh! Same could be said for other players on lesser teams.
Scott Dec 15 09
Nobody got screwed this year. People voted and now it's done with. I think Spiller should have been in the mix also.
The Heisman Trophy is a joke anymore. If you listen to the reasons why people vote the way they do it really is a joke. Some talk about a career trophy, some talk about a big game trophy, some talk about a season, some say it's only for offensive players. And those are the people that vote for it!!!!
I lost respect for the award when they gave it to Eddie George that year. He was the best running back, but not player. They should get rid of the award and just have an Offensive Player of the Year and a Defensive Player of the Year and call it good.
John Tawm Dec 28 09
Frazier wuz robbed! He was the best player in college football that year!
Suh was not as clearly the best as Farzier was.
In the last 25 years the 2 best college quarterbacks were Frazier and Testaverde. Frazier should have won the national championships as a freshman, however, the linesman had a "phanton" call on a kick-off return which negated a 'Husker touchdown.
John Tawm Dec 28 09
Frazier wuz robbed! He was the best player in college football that year!
Suh was not as clearly the best as Farzier was.
In the last 25 years the 2 best college quarterbacks were Frazier and Testaverde. Frazier should have won the national championships as a freshman, however, the linesman had a "phanton" call on a kick-off return which negated a 'Husker touchdown.
John Tawm Dec 28 09
Frazier wuz robbed! He was the best player in college football that year!
Suh was not as clearly the best as Farzier was.
In the last 25 years the 2 best college quarterbacks were Frazier and Testaverde. Frazier should have won the national championships as a freshman, however, the linesman had a "phanton" call on a kick-off return which negated a 'Husker touchdown.
John Tawm Dec 28 09
Frazier wuz robbed! He was the best player in college football that year!
Suh was not as clearly the best as Farzier was.
In the last 25 years the 2 best college quarterbacks were Frazier and Testaverde. Frazier should have won the national championships as a freshman, however, the linesman had a "phanton" call on a kick-off return which negated a 'Husker touchdown.