Heisman Finalists 2011: Why Choosing Trent Richardson Would Be Huge Oversight

When a player is chosen to be a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, it signifies that he had a fantastic season. That is certainly the case with Alabama running back Trent Richardson, but due to the presence of Wisconsin running back Montee Ball, giving Richardson the Heisman would be a mistake.

Although it has always been something to be considered, it almost seems as though playing in the National Championship Game has become a prerequisite in order to win the Heisman. All that does, however, is punish players with inferior supporting casts.

Richardson put up monster numbers with nearly 1,600 rushing yards and 23 total touchdowns, but he also had the benefit of a top-flight offensive line and one of the best defenses in the country. While Ball has a solid group of players around him as well, his numbers far exceeded Richardson's with 1,759 rushing yards and an unbelievable 38 total touchdowns.

If the Heisman is meant to be given to college football's best player, then Ball and even Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III would be better choices than Richardson. In fact, you could even argue that Griffin should be the favorite as he has almost single-handedly taken a mediocre program out of the doldrums and put it on the map.

You simply can't ignore his stellar numbers either, as he has totaled well over 4,500 total yards, 45 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Baylor is far from being the best team in the nation, but without Griffin, the Bears likely wouldn't even be sniffing the top 25 right now, and very well may be a sub-.500 team.

The same can't be said for Alabama, though. While Richardson has probably been the Crimson Tide's biggest reason for success this season, Alabama is a program that continually recruits and lands the top talent in the nation, so who's to say that another Alabama back couldn't have done something similar?

Just a couple years ago, it was Mark Ingram winning the Heisman for Alabama, with Richardson as his backup. The point being that when you have a top-flight cast of teammates helping you along the way, it's much easier to put up great numbers than it is for somebody like Griffin, who has to do it all himself.

When it comes down to it, though, regardless of who actually wins the award, Ball should immediately cancel out Richardson's chances. As much as players like to say it is when they win it, the Heisman simply isn't a team award.

If the best player in college football with the most impressive numbers is going to win the award, then either Ball or Griffin have to be the pick. I fully understand that Richardson's team has been more successful this season, but I think we've lost sight of what the Heisman truly is.

I absolutely respect Richardson and the season he has had, and in another year he might be the clear choice. With him going up against a running back who is one score short of Barry Sanders' single-season touchdown record and a quarterback who has played like Cam Newton and then some, however, it just isn't his year.