The Heisman Trophy - Does Anyone Actually Want To Win?

[GSPODS]

It has almost never "paid" to win the Heisman as a Quarterback. In the 72 year history of the award, there have been 26 Quarterbacks to win this award. Of those 26, Troy Smith, Jason White, Eric Crouch, Chris Weinke, Danny Wuerffel, Charlie Ward, Gino Torretta, Ty Detmer and Andre Ware all probably wish they had refused the award. And that is only dating back to 1989. Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart and Vinny Testaverde are the only three quarterbacks since 1986 who may not have been cursed by receiving the Heisman, although the jury is still out on both Palmer and Leinart to different degrees.

By comparison, there have been 37 running backs to receive the award. Reggie Bush, Ron Dayne, Ricky Williams, Eddie George, Barry Sanders, Bo Jackson, Herschel Walker, Marcus Allen, George Rogers, Billy Sims, Earl Campbell, Tony Dorsett, Archie Griffin (twice), O.J. Simpson ... the list goes on.

To my original point, if I am a collegiate quarterback with any aspirations of playing in the NFL, I'm not accepting this award and I'm not even attending the ceremony. Give it to a running back. You couldn't pay me to take it, but it seems to pay not to take it.



Year Name School Position Class Points
1935 Jay Berwanger Chicago RB Sr. 84
1936 Larry Kelley Yale END Sr. 219
1937 Clint Frank Yale QB Sr. 524
1938 Davey O'Brien TCU QB Sr. 519
1939 Nile Kinnick Iowa RB Sr. 651
1940 Tom Harmon Michigan RB Sr. 1,303
1941 Bruce Smith Minnesota RB Sr. 554
1942 Frank Sinkwich Georgia RB Sr. 1,059
1943 Angelo Bertelli Notre Dame QB Sr. 648
1944 Les Horvath Ohio State QB Sr. 412
1945 Doc Blanchard Army FB Jr. 860
1946 Glenn Davis Army RB Sr. 792
1947 John Lujack Notre Dame QB Sr. 742
1948 Doak Walker Southern Methodist RB Jr. 778
1949 Leon Hart Notre Dame E Sr. 995
1950 Vic Janowicz Ohio State RB Jr. 633
1951 Dick Kazmaier Princeton RB Sr. 1,777
1952 Billy Vessels Oklahoma RB Sr. 525
1953 John Lattner Notre Dame RB Sr. 1,850
1954 Alan Ameche Wisconsin FB Sr. 1,068
1955 Howard Cassady Ohio State RB Sr. 2,219
1956 Paul Hornung Notre Dame QB Sr. 1,066
1957 John David Crow Texas A&M RB Sr. 1,183
1958 Pete Dawkins Army RB Sr. 1,394
1959 Billy Cannon Louisiana State RB Sr. 1,929
1960 Joe Bellino Navy RB Sr. 1,793
1961 Ernie Davis Syracuse RB Sr. 824
1962 Terry Baker Oregon State QB Sr. 707
1963 Roger Staubach Navy QB Jr. 1,860
1964 John Huarte Notre Dame QB Sr. 1,026
1965 Mike Garrett USC RB Sr. 926
1966 Steve Spurrier Florida QB Sr. 1,679
1967 Gary Beban UCLA QB Sr. 1,968
1968 O.J. Simpson USC RB Sr. 2,853
1969 Steve Owens Oklahoma FB Sr. 1,488
1970 Jim Plunkett Stanford QB Sr. 2,229
1971 Pat Sullivan Auburn QB Sr. 1,597
1972 Johnny Rodgers Nebraska RB Sr. 1,310
1973 John Cappelletti Penn State RB Sr. 1,057
1974 Archie Griffin Ohio State RB Jr. 1,920
1975 Archie Griffin Ohio State RB Sr. 1,800
1976 Tony Dorsett Pittsburgh RB Sr. 2,357
1977 Earl Campbell Texas RB Sr. 1,547
1978 Billy Sims Oklahoma RB Jr. 827
1979 Charles White USC RB Sr. 1,695
1980 George Rogers South Carolina RB Sr. 1,128
1981 Marcus Allen USC RB Sr. 1,797
1982 Herschel Walker Georgia RB Jr. 1,926
1983 Mike Rozier Nebraska RB Sr. 1,801
1984 Doug Flutie Boston College QB Sr. 2,240
1985 Bo Jackson Auburn RB Sr. 1,509
1986 Vinny Testaverde Miami (Fla) QB Sr. 2,213
1987 Tim Brown Notre Dame WR Sr. 1,442
1988 Barry Sanders Oklahoma State RB Jr. 1,878
1989 Andre Ware Houston QB Jr. 1,073
1990 Ty Detmer Brigham Young QB Jr. 1,482
1991 Desmond Howard Michigan WR Jr. 2,077
1992 Gino Torretta Miami (Fla) QB Sr. 1,400
1993 Charlie Ward Florida State QB Sr. 2,310
1994 Rashaan Salaam Colorado RB Jr. 1,743
1995 Eddie George Ohio State RB Sr. 1,460
1996 Danny Wuerffel Florida QB Sr. 1,363
1997 Charles Woodson Michigan CB Jr. 1,815
1998 Ricky Williams Texas RB Sr. 2,355
1999 Ron Dayne Wisconsin RB Sr. 2,042
2000 Chris Weinke Florida State QB Sr. 1,628
2001 Eric Crouch Nebraska QB Sr. 770
2002 Carson Palmer USC QB Sr. 1,328
2003 Jason White Oklahoma QB Jr. 1,481
2004 Matt Leinart USC QB Jr. 1,325
2005 Reggie Bush USC RB Jr. 2,541
2006 Troy Smith Ohio State QB Sr. 2,540

[BeeGee]

I have no respect for the award because it's a farce. It's supposed to go to "College Football's best player", but obviously, unless you're a QB or RB and from a major university, you'd better be from another planet to even have an outside shot at winning the award.

When you look at the positions and schools from which the winners have come, it's easy to see that the Heisman "experience" is as engulfed in politics as any other facet of NCAAF. I can't respect it at all.

[Deadskins]

Tim Tebow, the first Sophomore HT winner. Gives him a great chance to become only the second two-time winner.