Heisman controversy

Posted December 12, 2008

The Heisman finalists were announced this week and Florida’s Tim Tebow, Texas’ Colt McCoy and Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford are getting a free trip to New York City for the award ceremony. There aren’t any surprises when it comes to those three guys; everyone expected they’d be there. The only surprise for many came from not who was invited, but in fact who was not invited as Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell was snubbed by the Heisman Committee.

Harrell has had an incredible season with a lesser known Red Raiders squad. Against McCoy’s Texas team, Harrell put up 474 yards passing. Against a highly regarded Oklahoma State squad, Harrell surpassed his Texas numbers with 456 yards passing and six touchdowns. If that wasn’t enough, Harrell then played through two broken fingers the last game of the season against Baylor for 309 yards and 41 completions. Considering Tony Romo could barely take the field with one broken pinky I’d list that under the “highly impressive” category.

So, should Harrell be at the Heisman ceremony? I can see this argument both ways. He’s done enough to be regarded as one of the best in the nation this year. He’s certainly done enough where no one would have an issue with him getting the invite. A move that I suppose would bring a certain level of respect and honor; so in that sense then yes, Harrell should probably be in New York City.

The other side of this coin though, is Harrell has no shot at winning the Heisman so why parade him up to New York to lose? Tim Tebow is often regarded as one of the best collegiate football players of all time and has a real shot at winning this thing (he did just win his second Maxwell Award). Colt McCoy was the front runner most of the season, and with Texas getting slighted by the BCS in regards to the National Championship game; McCoy may get extra votes out of sympathy. Sam Bradford has passed for 4,080 yards this season and a nation’s best 46 touchdowns; he will likely get many nods from Heisman voters. Graham Harrell though, even with the gaudy numbers from some of his most explosive career highlights still can’t overcome the fact that he has the nation’s best receivers around him simplifying his job. He also can’t overcome Texas Tech is not Texas, nor is it Oklahoma or even Florida (unfortunately for Harrell, big time schools bring big time support for these things).

Of course, two guys are losing Saturday night any way you cut it so what is one more? That being said, does Graham Harrell even want to get the invite just to sit there and watch someone else win? I honestly have no idea but it’s a question worth asking (athletes’ pride is rarely matched by any other profession).

I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer to this one. If he was going, I wouldn’t mind. He’s not going, and I don’t particularly mind. What I do know is this: if Graham Harrell hadn’t been ranked near the bottom of everyone’s ballots believe you me, he’d be in New York City. I’ll put my money on the fact that each one of the other three guys made number one on someone’s ballot if not multiple times over. That in itself tells me the right guys are sittin' pretty in the Big Apple.