CECIL HURT: Many deserving of Heisman
Most people know this already, but here's a quick reminder: Heisman Trophy voters agree not to reveal their ballots until after the ceremony is over. Otherwise, I'd have been happy to reveal my vote as soon as it was cast. Would people have disagreed? Sure. That's inevitable. College football inspires fierce loyalty and, within the vanishing boundaries of civil public discourse, debate is part of the fun.
With that said — and with some commentary to follow — here was my 2016 ballot.
1) Lamar Jackson, Louisville
2) Jonathan Allen, Alabama
3) Adoree Jackson, USC
That's not perfect, because it's a subjective exercise. There is a case for lots of others in that third spot. The first two were, in my opinion, the best offensive and defensive players in college football this season, and it would take a stronger argument than any that has been presented so far to change that.
Adoree Jackson didn't make the five finalists. (Neither did Allen, which has to be attributed to the overwhelming undervaluation of defensive linemen.) But he did combine versatility on defense and special teams and was as exciting to watch as any player in America.
There are changes that I would like to see in the process. First and foremost, the season isn't over and yet we've already voted on the biggest individual award. That's a remnant of a time when the postseason was considered a separate entity. The Associated Press used to choose its national champion before the bowl games, too, but it stopped doing that a half-century ago. If the AP can change, the Heisman Trophy Trust can change, too. It would be great to have a chance to see Lamar Jackson go against the LSU defense, to watch how Jonathan Allen affects a playoff game, to see if DeShaun Watson — who was on my ballot last year and would have been No. 4 this year if we had a fourth slot — can lead Clemson to a CFP Championship. Those things make a big difference. At least they should.
Speaking of having four (or five) slots, that would be better than three but not perfect. You'd still have worthy candidates and no room, but it might get more recognition to more players (and, in some years, make things more dramatic.)
Seeing players in person does make at least a subliminal difference. I saw every game Allen played and one of Adoree Jackson's. I haven't seen Lamar Jackson yet — maybe in the 2018 season opener between Alabama and Louisville, if he sticks around for a senior season. I try not to be geographically limited. I've had an Alabama player on the ballot for the past few years — Allen, Derrick Henry, Amari Cooper, A.J. McCarron — but if you go back beyond 2009 (Mark Ingram), I hadn't had an Alabama player since Shaun Alexander. There wasn't a deserving one for that decade. There have been many since Nick Saban arrived. All those mentioned above have been finalists (or winners) so they weren't far-fetched choices. (Since someone is bound to ask, yes, I voted for Cam Newton, too.) I make a concerted effort to see every player but admit that there is only so much time in a Saturday, and it does make it hard to have a good look at a player like Donnel Pumphrey at San Diego State.
There is no sense in running anyone down. I understood people who didn't vote for Henry last year but thought he got some shabby treatment from some (not all) people who favored another candidate. If someone's ballot this year was Dalvin Cook, Jabrill Peppers and Christian McCaffrey, I'd respect that, even though my opinion was different. So congratulations, not just to the winners, but to the many, many deserving players out there.
Reach Cecil Hurt at cecil@tidesports.com or 205-722-0225.
