Heisman Trophy should go to defensive player this year

Local Scoreboard for Feb. 8
2/7/12
Tough week ahead for Tigers men
2/7/12
Emmanuel becomes tribute to hard work
2/7/12
Plush basketball offices and other facilities send clear signal to recruits
2/7/12
LaForce leaves lasting impression on Aviators
2/7/12
> More sports headlines

By Doug Harris, Staff Writer 12:23 AM Thursday, December 10, 2009

A pure defensive player has never captured college football’s Heisman Trophy, and I don’t think that will change this year. But I believe Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is deserving of the award.

He absolutely dominated the Big 12 championship game, albeit in a losing (barely) cause. He toyed with Texas offensive linemen while registering seven tackles for loss and 4½ sacks.

He was first on my ballot this year. My second-place pick was Alabama running back Mark Ingram (the probable winner), and Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was third.

The award is meant to go to the most outstanding player in the nation. Who cares what side of the ball he plays? Suh was a force all year and will be a monster in the pros.

Ingram was college football’s best back, rushing for 1,542 yards in the nation’s toughest conference for the No. 1 team. And he was a beast in the Southeastern Conference championship game, scoring three TDs.

I wavered on my third-place pick between Florida QB Tim Tebow and McCoy and, since it was close, I decided to go with the Longhorns’ four-year starter as a kind of career-achievement nod. He was awful in the Big 12 title game, but he completed 70.5 percent of his passes this season with 27 TDs and 12 interceptions for an undefeated team.

Tebow is a great leader, and he’s had a phenomenal career. But I don’t think he was as good this year as he was in the previous two seasons.

Looks like legendary Ohio State running back Archie Griffin will still be the only two-time winner when the stiff-armed statue is handed out Saturday, Dec. 12.

Share this article