Heisman Trophy 2011: How One Man Would Have Ranked Them

When looking at the lineup that finished as the top five votes receivers for this seasons Heisman voting, there is little room to wiggle Robert Griffin III out of first place. Griffin III had the most explosive season of any player in college football this season, shredding defenses and taking over games single handily.

The remaining vote getters had great seasons in their own right and depending on which player you watched most often may be how you rank the remaining field. Every player brought a unique set of stats and abilities to New York City.

Taking a deeper look at the top five finalists for the Heisman, here is the way my Heisman ballot would have finished. 

Robert Griffin III

Griffin III was the most explosive player in college football this season. He finished the regular season with 3,998 passing yards, 36 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He added to that a 72.4 completion percentage and a record setting 192.3 passer rating and it is hard to deny his Heisman worthiness.

Griffin III had nine games with over 300 yards passing and seven games where he added 50 or more yards on the ground. His impact for Baylor was enormous as he was the best player the Bears have had in their team’s history.

Griffin III was the clear cut leader for the Heisman when his biggest performance of his career landed a victory over Oklahoma as the final seconds ticked off of the clock. Griffin III was the most valuable player to his team in college football this season.

Montee Ball

Ball didn’t receive a lot press around his Heisman campaign this season. He likely fell victim to the confusion card as Wisconsin carried two legitimate candidates for the Heisman in Russell Wilson and Ball.

Ball is looking to finish a record breaking season of his own with his 38 total touchdowns making him one touchdown away from tying the all-time touchdown record set by Barry Sanders. Ball and his 38 total touchdowns account for more than 45 other football teams that play FBS football.

Ball has 1,759 yards rushing and 32 rushing touchdowns. He averages a score nearly every seven touches and averages 6.4 yards a carry. Ball was a game changer for the Badgers this season; unfortunately his national attention was shadowed at times by his teammate Russell Wilson. 

Trent Richardson

Richardson had a great season for the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2011. He is a big part of the success that Alabama has found this season as their offense absent of Richardson is not likely to be very successful. Richardson wasn’t necessarily a one man show for the Tide, but he was definitely the spotlight back.

Richardson had to face some of the most talented defenses in the country in the SEC during this past season. He still managed to roll up 1,583 rushing yards and was the first back in SEC history to rush for 20 touchdowns in a season.

Richardson became a household name nationally mainly due to the recognition that was received by the ESPN family of networks. But he did finish the season as one of the better backs in the country. If Richardson returns for a senior season he will be a frontrunner to start the season.

Andrew Luck

To start the season Andrew Luck was the hands down favorite to pull the Heisman victory to conclude the season. He had a huge junior year that would have led to a first round drafting in the NFL Draft, but he instead opted for the senior season.

Luck had a very good season and was consistent across the board in every category, but at the end of the day there were three other players that were way more explosive this season. Unfortunately for Luck, he was a steady performer and virtual sure win, but his lack of explosive Heisman type moments may have been his downfall.

He finished the regular season with 3,170 passing yards, 35 touchdowns and only nine interceptions. He was no threat on the ground, but his ability to roll out and make plays was crucial to his success. It also helped him only get sacked nine times all season.

Tyrann Mathieu

Mathieu is only the 22^nd player to have made it to the Heisman ceremony as a defensive player. Mathieu was one of the most explosive players in college football and would take over games with his explosive turnovers and punt returns.

What Mathieu was not able to accomplish however was enough votes to garner more than a top five finish. He was a talent that is going to provide many more highlights before his young career is finished at LSU, but he was not the most impactful player to his team.

Without Mathieu, LSU is still in the national title game. Mathieu will likely continue to be in the discussion well into next season, but unless he adds some impact offensively it is unlikely for him to garner enough response to finish in the winners circle.