Yes, Darren McFadden has had an incredible season rushing for an Southeastern Conference leading 1,724 yards and scoring 15 rushing TDs and throwing for four more. But before you hand him the Heisman, consider these facts: he’s only the fourth leading rusher in the NCAA’s Football Bowl Subdivision. Kevin Smith (UCF), Matt Forte (Tulane) and Ray Rice (Rutgers) all have more rushing yards and touchdowns than McFadden. Smith has 25 TDs, Forte 23 and Rice 20.
At first glance, you are probably thinking that you can throw out Smith and Forte because they don’t play in particularly tough conferences, but consider the fact that they both have more than 2,000 yards rushing. And Smith will be leading his team in the Conference USA championship game on Dec. 1. Central Florida is 9-3 and has the leading rushing the country and will be playing for its conference championship.
If I had to pick a running back to win the Heisman, I would take Smith or Rice. And don’t give me the “it’s more impressive to rush for 1,700 yards in the SEC than the Big East or CUSA” rant – that is an absurd and elitist argument. The Heisman goes to college football’s best player, not the best player from the SEC or Big 10.
The RB argument is a moot point in my mind, however. This year’s Heisman should go to University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. His numbers are otherworldly and his accomplishments this season have been etched in the record books. If he does not get the Heisman it will be one of the biggest travesties in Heisman history, right up there with Paul Horning’s 1956 win over Syracuse’s Jim Brown. Horning, a white player, was on the 2-8 Notre Dame team while Brown, a black player, led Syracuse to its best season in 21 years and a trip to the prestigious Cotton Bowl. Horning is the only Heisman winner to have played on a losing team.
Tebow set an NCAA record for a quarterback by throwing at least 20 TD passes and rushing for at least 20 TDs. So far this season, Tebow has rushed for 22 TDs and thrown for 29 TDs. That is a combined 51 TDs. Oh, and Tebow has only thrown six interceptions this season. He has one of the highest QB rating among starting signal callers, 177.9; he completes 68.5 percent of his passes; has thrown for 3,182 yards; and has rushed for 838 yards. Lastly, and it is important to include this because I have heard the misinformed arguments that his passer rating and completion percentage is based on short passes and flanker screens. Not true. Tebow leads all NCAA Division I-A QBs with 9.9 yards per pass attempt. How can you argue with those numbers? Let me rephrase that: How can you intelligently argue with those numbers?
Take away his 51 TDs and the rest of the Gators scored just 15 TDs (Tebow rushed for 22 TDs by himself). And no other QB on the team threw a TD pass this season. In fact, Tebow is actually tied for third in total scoring among NCAA Division I-A players with 132 points. Who does he trail? Kevin Smith of UCF (156) and Matt Forte of Tulane (140). McFadden is tied for 39th.
McFadden may be the college football’s most valuable player to his team, but he is not the best player in college football. Tim Tebow has proven he can do just about anything on the football field and has scribed his name in the records books en route to a 9-3 season. He is this year’s Heisman Trophy winner.
Macfadden should have won it.