College Football 2011: Who Should Have Their Own Statues?

With Auburn Athletic Director Jay Jacobs recently announcing that statues of Pat Sullivan, Bo Jackson and Cam Newton are in production, one must naturally question who truly deserves a statue in their honor.

It is a risky proposition to build a statue honoring a player who may have only played a year for their school, such as Cam Newton.

Not to discredit his phenomenal season or his immense talent, but it seems slightly premature to permanently cement a player into a school's legacy when he is still being investigated by the NCAA regarding his recruitment.

Don't we honor college coaches and players enough?

Whether a human being should have a statue erected in his honor is debatable as perhaps they should be left for military heroes and Greek gods.

Either way, colleges will always put their stars on a pedestal, whether they truly deserve it or not.

Here is a list of the top 10 sports icons who deserve a statue and 10 who don't.

Enjoy.

Maurice Clarett, No

A promising Ohio State career became plagued by a plethora of concerning incidents.

He was seen yelling at his position coach during a game against Northwestern in 2002.

In 2003, The New York Times was told that Clarett had gotten better treatment from a professor, but evidence was never sufficient.

Clarett was eventually suspended for that season after being charged with filing a false claim of more than $10,000 that he said was stolen from a car he borrowed.

His post collegiate career is murky and insignificant.

Jim Thorpe, Yes

Perhaps the best football player of all time, this warrior looks like a dominant athlete.

In 1911, he played running back, defensive back, place-kicker and punter, while leading Carlisle Indian Industrial School to an 11-1 record.

The next year he scored 25 touchdowns and 198 points, while leading Carlisle to the national collegiate championship.

President Dwight Eisenhower put it best, "Here and there, there are some people who are supremely endowed. My memory goes back to Jim Thorpe. He never practiced in his life, and he could do anything better than any other football player I ever saw."

If only most of us were able to see him.

A statue will have to suffice.

Lloyd Lake, No

The convicted felon sued Reggie Bush and his parents in 2007 for cash and goods he said he lent and spent for them in an unsuccessful marketing venture.

Reportedly owing $300,000, Bush denied receiving the benefits during his sophomore and junior years at USC.

In 2010, he gave back the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first athlete in the 75 year-history of the Heisman trophy to return it.

It all began with Lake, who once worked in the rap music industry. 

"It has never been about the Heisman or USC," he told Fanhouse.

Right.

Ernie Davis, Yes

Having a statue built should represent a legacy.

This All-American running back left a mark on Syracuse and college football forever.

He was the first African American to win the Heisman and was a first team All-American twice.

Dealing with discrimination and racism during his three years at Syracuse, Davis became a prolific rusher and was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1979.

Not only did he wear No. 44, just as Jim Brown had, but he also followed Brown in becoming a member of the National Intercollegiate All-American Football Players Honor Roll. 

He was called "The Elmira Express" for a reason.

Nick Saban, No

His eight-year contract for a total of $32 million, making him one of the highest paid college football coaches in the United States at the time he signed it, led Saban to be featured on the September 1, 2008 cover of Forbes magazine as "The Most Powerful Coach in Sports." 

While his career collegiate record of 134–53–1 (43–11 at Alabama) is more than respectable, does it really warrant a statue?

Not to detract from his accomplished career, but it seems as if the value of a statue has declined.

He should be admired for the way he inspires his players to focus on their education and be active in the community, but a statue seems superfluous.

He has had a short stint as head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, hired in 2007.

A statue should be saved for the elite and, in terms of coaches, for the upper echelon of dedicated leaders who have spent a long career with one team.

Saban doesn't meet that criteria.

Herschel Walker, Yes

As a freshman at UGA, he set the NCAA rushing record and led Georgia to the national football championship.

While earning three consecutive All-American honors, Walker set 10 NCAA records, 15 Southeast Conference records, 30 Georgia all-time records and won the 1982 Heisman Trophy award.

He is the only player in NCAA history to be in the top 3 in Heisman voting in every season he played.

Elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999, Walker was a remarkable running back and a legendary college star.

Watch the video... enough said.

Steve Spurrier, No

Aside from throwing for 4,848 yards and 37 touchdowns at Florida, Spurrier became known for waving off the starting place-kicker and kicking a forty-yard field goal to beat Auburn 30–27 in a key game during his senior season in 1966.

While it may seem like a testament to his leadership, it has also been called selfish.

Despite a stellar career at Florida, a statue for the former Heisman winner is unnecessary considering Jim Brown doesn't even have one.

Tim Tebow, Yes

After becoming the first college football player to both rush and pass for twenty or more touchdowns in a single season, Tebow finished his career with two national championships and three SEC title games in his first three years at Florida.

He was the first sophomore to win the Heisman and created a loyal throng of followers who idolize him.

Tebow's NFL career should have no effect on the indelible legacy he left at Florida.

Harvey McDougle Jr., No

The Toledo running back was involved in one of the most controversial college football stories of 2007.

Allegedly taking bribes in exchange for shaving points, as well as getting teammates and Toledo basketball players to join him, McDougle and five other Toledo athletes pleaded guilty to charges that violate NCAA rules in 2010.

They had received cash and other amenities to sit out with "unknown" injuries and would also bet on games.

Sammy Baugh, Yes

One of the first great passers in college football, Baugh attended TCU and threw 587 passes for 39 touchdowns in three seasons for the Horned Frogs. 

After being named as an All-American in 1935 and 1936, "Slingin' Sammy" led his school to two bowl game wins, over Louisiana State in the 1936 Sugar Bowl and over Marquette in the first Cotton Bowl Classic in 1937.

He was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951.

It should also be known that Jay-Z wore Baugh's Mitchell & Ness 1947 Washington jersey in the music video for "Girls, Girls, Girls" in 2002.

LeGarrette Blount, No

After rushing for over 1,000 yards in each of his two seasons in junior college, Blount transferred to Oregon and ran for over 1,000 yards and a school record 17 touchdowns in 2008.

In the opening game of the 2009 season, Oregon lost 19-8 to to Boise State and Blount finished the game with -8 yards and was tackled for a safety.

After the game, Boise State defensive end Byron Hout taunted Blount, who then punched him in the jaw when he wasn't looking.

To make it worse, Blount hit teammate Garrett Embry, who was just trying to hold him back.

When he was going to the locker room, Blount was faced with fans trying to punch him and toss chairs in his direction.

Joe Paterno, Yes

The head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions since 1966, Paterno holds the record for most victories by an FBS football coach (401).

Having coached more bowl game wins than any coach in history, Paterno has created a legacy at Penn State and, even at the age of 84, seems like he's far from done.

Perhaps the biggest icon in college football during the last 50 years.

Pete Carroll, No

If Woody Hayes doesn't get a statue, Pete Carroll sure doesn't.

He did have seven consecutive AP Top-4 finished, five BCS bowl victories, a national-record 33 consecutive weeks as AP's No. 1 ranked team and a winning record of 83-19.

But with all that, call it the luck of the hand with four top-5 recruiting classes, twenty-five 1st team All-Americans and 53 players selected in the NFL Draft (14 in the first round).

Not that these players coached themselves, but Carroll had the benefit of perhaps the best scouting in college football history.

The plethora of talent led to his hype as one of the best ever.

Bear Bryant, Yes

Coaching the likes of Joe Namath and Ken Stabler, Bryant is perhaps the most accomplished college football coach of all time.

Six national championships and 13 conference championships during his 25-year tenure at Alabama cemented him as a legend.

He was known for his white houndstooth hat and for having Paul W. Bryant Museum, Paul W. Bryant Hall, Paul W. Bryant Drive and Bryant–Denny Stadium at the University of Alabama all named in his honor.

Mike Leach, No

Despite a career record of 84-43, 5-4 in bowl games, as head coach of Texas Tech, Leach was suspended indefinitely pending an investigation of his treatment of Adam James.

According to a family source, James, after suffering a concussion, was ordered by Leach to stand in a darkened garage near the practice facility.

While Leach denied the accusations, he was given an ultimatum by Texas Tech in which he could apologize to James in writing or he would be suspended.

His refusal to apologize led to him being fired the day before he was allegedly owed an $800,000 tenure bonus.

Knute Rockne, Yes

Rockne just looks the part.

Known as "American football's most-renowned coach," Rockne is famous for popularizing the use of the forward pass.

Having coached Notre Dame for 13 seasons and compiling a 105-12-5 record, Rockne left an irreplaceable legacy on the school.

He achieved five undefeated seasons.

Unfortunately, a plane crash ended his career.

Cam Newton, No

Maybe these schools should spend less money on statues and more on education. 

While he was arguably college football's best player in 2010, the athletic signal caller doesn't seem the ideal candidate for a statue.

Isn't it premature to honor Cam Newton so significantly when the NCAA investigation into his recruitment is still pending?

Auburn recently had four former players go on HBO and admit that they received cash from supporters or boosters to sign with Auburn.

Could Newton do the same later on the line and further tarnish their recruitment reputation?

While he had perhaps the best individual season in college football history in winning the Heisman and leading the Tigers to a national championship, a statue for a player who only attended the school for one year seems undeserved.

If Vince Young doesn't get a statue for his tenure at Texas, Cam Newton shouldn't either.

Danny Wuerffel, Yes

While his NFL career was a running joke, his time at Florida surely wasn't.

Statistically one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in college football history, Wuerffel led the Florida Gators to four consecutive Southeastern Conference titles between 1993 and 1996, as well as the 1996 national championship.

He finished his career with 10,875 yards passing and 114 touchdowns, the best in SEC history and second-most in major college history. 

In 1995, he finished with an efficiency rating of 178.4, setting a single-season collegiate record.

He is also the only Heisman Trophy winner to receive the Draddy Trophy, given to the nation's top football scholar-athlete.

Reggie Bush, No

Despite finishing with 6,890 all-purpose yards in his prolific career, Bush's tenure at USC wouldn't have been as productive without his work-horse counterpart, LenDale White.

Don't be mislead, Bush had an amazing career and nobody can blame his family for allegedly accepting benefits that violated NCAA rules.

However, his consistent denial might have tainted an otherwise spectacular collegiate career.

A statue is all but impossible for this five-way-threat.

LenDale White, Yes

In three years at USC, the lesser hyped running back set the USC career rushing touchdowns record of 52.

He was his best in big games, rushing for three touchdowns in a 55-19 victory over Oklahoma in the 2004 BCS National Championship and for another three touchdowns in a 41-38 loss to Texas in the 2005 Rose Bowl.

He finished his career with 3,159 yards rushing and a 5.9 average per rush.

If he had stayed at USC for his senior season, with Reggie Bush gone, he could have starred and finally garnered the attention he deserved.

He chose the professional route.