Smith, OSU Shown Lacking in BCS Game - As Expected

I'm sure you've heard the score of the BCS Championship Game, and you've heard that tOSU got an amazing 82 yards in the game.

Eighty-Two.

EIGHTY-TWO. And most of those yards were from Antonio Pittman.

Which means that the guy who won the Heisman finished 4-for-14 for 35 yards and ended up with the lowest passing efficiency rating of any quarterback in BCS history. And mostly got his clock cleaned all night as his vaunted unstoppable offensive line was pummeled by Florida's speed.

Now, the point I'm going to make here is to show you that I WAS RIGHT. And so was anyone who said that Troy Smith wasn't worthy of the Heisman this season due to the power of the rest of his team. They made him look good all season, and he obviously was just a "good" player at best. When faced with that good a defensive line, he folded.

Let's compare: in a 47-21 loss to Michigan, Brady Quinn threw for 234 yards and 3 touchdowns. In a 44-24 loss to USC, he threw for 274 yards and 3 touchdowns. And in the Sugar Bowl against LSU, a 41-14 loss, he threw for 148 yards and 2 touchdowns.

So even in losing efforts (where the majority of the losing was by the defense), Quinn put up good numbers (well, fair numbers in the case of LSU). Smith? Nope.

Once again, the Maxwell Award got it right (as well as, apparently, the Cingular award) and the Heisman got it wrong. Maybe it's time to start ignoring the Heisman as the end-all and be-all of college football individual awards.

The final point I'd like to make is that the Big "We Can't Count" needs a championship game. If you're not going to play everyone in your conference (which OSU COULD do, but that would leave room for only two patsies on their schedule other than their conference "rivals") then you need to have a championship game. As in 2002 when OSU didn't play Iowa and therefore ducked a major conference powerhouse, OSU didn't have to play Wisconsin this year (who WON their bowl game). A championship game would serve two purposes: 1) it would legitimize the "conference champion" and 2) it would give the team one more game closer to the bowl game.

The Big "We Can't Count" would be well advised to stop listening to their juggernauts in OSU and U of M who don't want to lose the "importance" of their big game together at the end of the season and simply instate a championship game.

And one more thing: the Heisman folks need to stop awarding their prize before the season's over.

Spectre of Willingham Still Looms Large Over Irish

I couldn't do it.

As much as I do and always will support the Fightin' Irish, I couldn't watch another bowl loss this season. I stopped watching after LSU scored their first TD of the second half, and went to bed. Part of this was because I was just really tired after unwisely staying up playing Splinter Cell two nights ago, but the other part of me was the weariness of seeing my team try desperately to overcome the carnage that Tyrone Willingham has wreaked on it for three years.

A friend of mine told me that he thinks Notre Dame screwed Ty Willingham over by letting him go after only three years. I think this is a fallacy for the following reason: Ty Willingham was simply not willing to do what it took to attract top rank talent to Notre Dame across the board.

Now, some of you will say "oh, Brady Quinn isn't top rank talent? Jeff Samardzija isn't?" I'm not going to disagree with you there: those guys are first day draft picks, no doubt. Maybe even Victor Abiamiri and Derek Landri. But that's where it ends. And the real problem isn't in the high-profile roles: it's in the down and dirty grinder players: your two lines (offensive and defensive), linebackers, and particularly our defensive backs. Let's put it this way: look at our linebackers and d-backs: each of them featured a player who had to be converted from another position (Travis Thomas at LB, Chinedum Ndukwe at safety) in order to fill a need. And both decisions also left us light at other positions.

Notre Dame, on its own as a name and as an academically high-ranked school, is going to attract a few smart talented players. That's where Brady Quinn and his ilk show up. But let's face it: recruiting isn't something you can do by just walking up to some recruit's door and saying "hi, I'm from Notre Dame." You have to put some work into it, particularly with all the media bad-mouthing that goes on. And for whatever reason, that wasn't something that Willingham was able to do on a national basis like Notre Dame requires.

LSU dominated us last night because of their two lines and their defensive backs. We couldn't break through their offensive line enough to put pressure on Jamarcus Russell, nor stop them from setting up a good running game. Their defensive backs were able to cover our receivers well enough that Quinn had to take too much time in the pocket. ND never stopped trying, and I have all the respect in the world for the drive of our players. But if the size and speed aren't there, you're never going to be able to get anything done.

People say Charlie Weis is overrated. Well, I look at it this way: he's currently being asked to excel with players who are outclassed at almost every position by the opposition. And for the most part, he's succeeding. The only teams who have beaten us in the past 2 years, with one exception, are GREAT teams. Michigan State (the exception), USC and OSU last year, U of M, USC, and LSU this year. And hell, we almost beat USC last year.

Check out this blog entry at Her Loyal Sons. They say it much better than I can, particularly when I'm so full of vitriol.

Update: More support for this thought (though a little less giving than my own words) from Dan Wetzel at Yahoo! Sports.

Final Brady Quinn Commentary

The gentlemen at the Blue-Gray Sky blog have put together the most absolutely complete and concise look at the travesty that was the media's treatment of Brady Quinn this season.

My only comments: is Troy Smith a good player? Yes. Is Brady Quinn a better player? Yes. He did more against a tougher schedule (complain all you want about ND's playing the three service academies, one of whom went 9-3. ND's strength of schedule was 19th in the country versus tOSU's 40th) and with fewer quality supporting players.

ESPN and the rest should be absolutely ashamed of themselves for their anti-Notre Dame bias. If Katie Couric or Brian Williams showed this much enmity for Israel or France in the news, they'd be roundly lambasted and forced to make public apologies, if not openly fired. But in sports, it seems to be perfectly acceptable to hate on one team and focus the opinions of the sports world against them.

Quinn Wins Award For Nation's Best Player

It's not the Heisman, but it rewards the same thing: best college football player in the country. It's the Maxwell Award, given by the Maxwell Football Club in honor of Robert W. (Tiny) Maxwell, legendary college player, official and sports columnist. And this year it went to top quarterback Brady Quinn, of Notre Dame.

Interestingly enough, last year the awards were split between Texas's Vince Young winning the Maxwell and USC player (of questionable status) Reggie Bush winning the Heisman. And this year, with OSU's Troy Smith (also of questionable status) being the front-runner for the Heisman, the awards may be split again.

Seems the Maxwell award has more scruples than the Heisman, given the fact that this year's probable winner of the latter and last year's winner both were/are under investigation for breaking NCAA rules for taking money.

Quinn Awarded "Best Quarterback" Prize

Brady Quinn received the Johnny Unitas Award for best senior quarterback in the nation for 2006, from the Johnny Unitas Educational Foundation.

So that means he's the best quarterback in college football today, right? And... there's some other guy who took money from a booster... and is currently in the running for the Heisman Trophy... and he's also a quarterback... but apparently not as good a quarterback as Brady Quinn...

So, this clinches it: there's really no reason Brady Quinn shouldn't be winning the Heisman this season.

More Support for Brady Quinn for Heisman

Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post makes a strong case for Brady Quinn and the Heisman Trophy. It's a good point of view on things and even takes on Heisman voting in general for the past few years.

Also, I read the Heisman prediction article at ESPN and once again, the spin-meisters in Tolland have skewed the wording of Troy Smith's and Quinn's accomplishments this season in a fashion that has been typical for this season:

1. Troy Smith, QB, Ohio State
Troy Smith had his worst showing of the season in a near miss versus Illinois two weeks ago, but he recovered nicely with a four-touchdown outing in the Buckeyes' drubbing of Northwestern on Saturday. Some argue against Smith because Ohio State's schedule wasn't overly difficult and because Smith's numbers are short of exceptional. I completely disagree. Smith has transformed his game from a run-first quarterback to a patient pocket passer with pinpoint accuracy as a senior. He has shown tremendous poise and leadership in tough road trips to Austin, Texas, and -- at the time -- Iowa City, Iowa, and the statistic that outweighs all others is his ridiculously impressive touchdown-to-interception ratio of 26-to-4. If he leads the Buckeyes to a perfect regular-season record with a win over an undefeated Wolverines team Saturday, Smith should be the runaway winner.

So... basically what they're saying here is that Smith should get the Heisman... because he's better this year than he was last year? And his "ridiculously impressive touchdown-to-interception ratio of 26-to-4" is somehow better than Quinn's ratio of 29-4?

Like I've said in previous posts, there are precisely two games you need to consider when comparing Smith and Quinn, the two opponents that they have in common: Penn State and Michigan State.

2. Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame
As expected, Quinn continues to put up big numbers versus marginal competition. Since the embarrassing home loss to Michigan in the third week of the season, Quinn has thrown 23 touchdown passes, compared with just one interception. Although the Michigan loss left an indelible stain and his numbers since then admittedly are inflated, Quinn does have some memorable Heisman-like moments so far this season, including comebacks versus Georgia Tech, Michigan State and UCLA. If Smith and the Buckeyes come up short against the Wolverines on Saturday, Quinn will have a golden opportunity to swing the vote his way one week later when the Irish travel to the Coliseum to take on the Trojans.

Once again they talk about how Quinn's numbers have all come against "marginal competition," where Ohio State's schedule has been so tough? Two MAC teams, a low-lying Big East team, and the pansies of the Big Integer.

"But Texas was #2 when Smith played them!" True. And Michigan State was undefeated when Notre Dame played them. In fact, the first FIVE teams Notre Dame played were undefeated when they faced the Irish.

The fact remains - Quinn has done more with less all season. Notre Dame is still dragging itself out of the recruiting quagmire that was left it after the horrible Davie/Willingham years. Weis is playing Willigham's recruits right now. His offensive line is fair at best. He's dealing with a defense that consistently gives up big plays and has needlessly kept games close.

Yet his numbers tower over Smith's.

No matter what the outcome of next weekend's Michigan/tOSU tilt, Quinn has proven himself in clutch situations time and time again. OSU hasn't faced a clutch situation all season.

Brady Quinn For Heisman

Here's a great list of articles that talk about the reasons Brady Quinn should win the Heisman.

Trust me - there are plenty.

Brady Quinn vs. Troy Smith

Heisman Shenanigans

The Best Argument For Quinn

Heisman Talk

I'm sure it's no secret that I think Brady Quinn should be leading the Heisman race right now. If you click on my Heisman Label at the bottom of this post, you'll see a couple of posts that go further with this. But here's a little op-ed from some of the writers at ND Nation about the Troy Smith vs. Brady Quinn choice:

Brady Quinn is having a hell of a year. It's not his fault we started off with Georgia Tech, Penn State and Michigan. Hell, Troy Smith had his worst game of the year against Penn State and Brady Quinn rolled the Lions. If Quinn were on Ohio State, who do you think would start? In their two games against like opponents Quinn has dominated and that's with no running game and a crappy offensive line. Quinn has been sacked 21 times this year. Smith? 8. Ohio State's running game is 15th in the country. I can't count how far down Notre Dame's running is. Defenses? Uh. Let's not go there. Brady Quinn has done it on his own with a constant rush in his face. The Heisman doesn't go to the best team, it goes to the most outstanding player. Any idiot who says that Ohio State winning out locks up the Heisman doesn't understand the award. If Quinn were on OSU, they'd still be undefeated. If Smith were on ND, we might have two more losses.

The key thing here is the point that the Heisman goes to the best player period, not the best player on the best team. Doesn't matter what the record of that team is. Hell, Paul Hornung won the Heisman back in 1956 despite having a 2-8 season.

Sportswriters of today need to rethink their hype machine and actually report facts. Sure, Troy Smith's having a great season. But he hasn't been THE DIFFERENCE in any of those games. Quinn most certainly has.

Irish Defense Earns Win For ND

Okay, sure, Brady Quinn is the pre-season favorite for the Heisman. For whatever that's worth. I'd rather he not win the Heisman and ND win the Mythical National Championship than the other way around. Let the stats-hounds from the Bugeyes and such run up their numbers against crap opponents like Northern Illinois, while Notre Dame grinds out a win against a real opponent (one that IS going to be a force this season) in Georgia Tech.

And that's exactly what happened on Saturday night (after the Crew slaughtered the New England Revolution 3-0, of course). The Irish defense stepped up and delivered notice that they weren't the same defense that was on the field last season. No, they were the game winners tonight, and at this point in the season I'd much rather see that than an offensive show. The defense was the real question last season, obviously, and it bit them in the ass against Cheaty McSweatervest's boys.

Quinn and the Irish offense will come around, soon. I have faith in that. Weis isn't going to let them penalize themselves out of games like they did tonight for too long. And to see the defense hold a quality opponent to 10 points? Yeah, I'll take that. Spreads are for gambling. The only number that matters is the final score.