Spiller for Heisman?

by BirdGT on Dec 2, 2009 12:00 PM EST Comment 6 comments

Georgia Tech has faced eight Heisman Trophy winners during their Heisman Trophy season since 1942. They were Frank Sinkwich, Steve Spurrier, Pat Sullivan, Tony Dorsett, Herschel Walker, Bo Jackson, Charlie Ward, and Chris Weinke. Eight games, eight losses. C.J. Spiller is the closest thing to a Heisman contender that GT's faced since Philip Rivers or Brady Quinn. Spiller is the first return man to contend for the Heisman since Reggie Bush so I'm gonna start with a comparative breakdown of Charles Woodson, Desmond Howard, and Reggie Bush alongside C.J..

In all purpose yards/game, Spiller is quite comparable to Desmond Howard while his TD's per game is more similar to Reggie Bush. Reggie Bush is hard to beat as he played in a relatively weak defensive conference and pretty much got the ball whenever he wanted. Spiller also doesn't have near the surrounding talent that allowed Bush to pile up yardage against puny Pac 10 defenses. Woodson and Howard's stats are difficult to compare in all purpose yardage because of their positions.

Splitting up the yardage by type shows why fans of C.J. and Clemson's sometimes fruitless offense love C.J. Spiller. He gives Clemson good field position and 18.52% of his returns, he'll put 6 on the board.

The main flaw in C.J.'s campaign is that these other three guys had a Heisman tipping point that put them over the top against quarterbacks. Reggie Bush was a threat to score on every offensive play and would've had even more rushing touchdowns if not for the presence of the touchdown vulture. Charles Woodson was a great defensive back and a phenomenal weapon for Michigan's offense. Desmond Howard broke Notre Dame and Ohio State's backs in the same season with game breaker, nationally televised plays.

What do you all think? Does C.J. Spiller deserve the Heisman over guys like Case Keenum, Toby Gerhart, Colt McCoy, Mark Ingram, or even Tim Tebow?

Poll

Does C.J. Spiller deserve the Heisman Trophy?

Yes

71 votes

No

34 votes

Depends on his performance against GT this weekend

21 votes

What's the Heisman?

4 votes

130 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

When you look how comparable his stats are to Reggie Bush the year he won the Heisman, he definitely does. CJ Spiller has done anything and everything for Clemson, and they wouldn’t be in the ACCCG without him. That said though, this years Heisman is Colt McCoy’s to lose. Voting for the Heisman is incredibly fickle, so Clumpson fans shouldn’t get too worked up about their guy getting hosed.

by Yakub2 on Dec 2, 2009 12:36 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Matt Ryan was more of a Heisman candidate than Brady Quinn or Philip Rivers.

by Brian @ BCI on Dec 2, 2009 9:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

MY BAD BIG TIME

Totally forgot my favorite NFL quarterback.

This new learning amazes me, Sir Bedevere. Explain again how sheep's bladders may be employed to prevent earthquakes.

by BirdGT on Dec 2, 2009 10:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Also ...

C.J. Spiller doesn’t deserve the Heisman. Yes, he has been integral to Clemson’s success this season … but can you really be the best player in all of college football on a 4-loss team? I say no way.

by Brian @ BCI on Dec 2, 2009 9:51 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

See Tim Tebow...

circa 2007. I’m not saying it will happen for Spiller but Heisman voting is a very strange process…

Are you a LION or a GAZELLE?

by Wambam50 on Dec 3, 2009 11:13 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

ACC Offensive Player of the Year?

Call me a homer but I’m still trying to figure out if this award is based on player of the year statistically or based on the “most valuable” offensive player.

Spiller has amazing numbers on the year as a returner and has broken several big plays on offense, but every time I’ve watched them play this year, it seems like he’ll take off on a wheel route or something and either house it or get overthrown and walk to the sidelines for a breather…ACC player of the year, I agree. He’s probably the best all around player, but strictly offense, no way.

If you’re talking about the most valuable offensive player in the league, I think the conversation begins and ends with Josh Nesbitt…The man has played every meaningful down this season save 1 quarter against uga and willed us to win almost alone in our biggest wins of the season. That has translated into turning GT being the best team in the ACC this year.

And shame on you for forgetting Bird. Matt Ryan is 1,000,000 times the quarterback that Brady Quinn and Philip Rivers every will be. Every ball he threw against us couldn’t have been more on the money (and couldn’t have earned him more money in the long-term). If they hadn’t gotten up by so much early on, I think he could have thrown for 1,000 yards that night.

Are you a LION or a GAZELLE?

by Wambam50 on Dec 3, 2009 9:05 AM EST reply actions 0 recs