Tebow For Heisman

Kyle Kelaghan

Mr. Brocato

Sports Lit.

12-7-08

Tebow For Heisman

Why shouldn’t he get a shout out? He is the reigning Heisman trophy winner, and oh yeah, he could play another year of football at Florida. He is the first player in the history of the sport to win it as a sophomore, giving him a chance to do something thats never been done in his sport before He is also playing in the 2008 national championship game against Oklahoma, giving him a chance to win three national championships, if he were to win in this year, and then return for his senior year. With a Heisman trophy victory this Saturday, Tebow will be given the option to head straight for the draft, or return for a senior year, giving him a chance to change the sport forever, and potentially become the first three peat Heisman trophy winner ever. Now if that were to happen could anyone but Tebow be considered the greatest college player ever. If a player could win three straight Heisman’s, he would be in a category of his own, essentially making him the best player ever. Also if he were to win three national championships, then I feel it should be an unanimous feeling that Tebow is the greatest college football player the sport has ever seen.

However, with all his upside, he has a tough competition with three Big 12 quarterbacks Graham Harrell, Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy and a Big 12 wide receiver in Michael Crabtree. All of them are able to make good arguments for themselves to why they should be the Heisman trophy winner. Graham Harrell led one of the most dominating offenses this season and at one point was ranked number 1 in the country and have been top 5 for majority of the season He has only thrown 7 interceptions compared to 41 TD’s, 18 to Michael Crabtree, 4th highest in the the FBS. Colt McCoy has the highest completion percentage in the country with a 77% completion percentage. He has led a strong offense all year and his longhorns were also ranked number 1 in the country, but now sit in the third spot. He has thrown 32 touchdowns and only thrown 7 interceptions. However, Sam Bradford should be Tebow’s greatest competition. Bradford has led the greatest offense in the history of college football. He has thrown 48 touchdowns compared to his 6 interceptions, he has thrown for nearly 70% this season while still throwing for nearly 4500 yards. If this award is based on stats alone, no doubt should there be that Bradford should win.

Now lets see what Tebow has done this season. He has thrown on 2 interceptions this season, lowest in FBS, he has thrown 28 touchdown passes and has ran for 12, and has run for 564 yards this season, making his career total nearly 2000 yards rushing in his career. He brought a team considered down and out early, ranked number 5 only a few weeks ago, and had no talk of a BCS national championship birth. Yes, it is true all of those Big 12 quarterbacks listed above will probably go higher than Tebow in the draft, but the heisman trophy is supposed to go to the quarterback whose pass happy offensive coordinator has him rack up amazing passing stats with no rushing attack. The trophy should go to a player who changes the sport, and who does that better than Tim Tebow, he is the first North-South quarterback in the history of college and pro football, making him the most dual threat athlete in the history of his position. Finally, the most important attribute to Tim Tebow is that he wins, and he does this by keeping the ball in his hands. The key to winning in football, but especially college football, is keeping the ball on the offensive end, not allowing the other team to score. Tim Tebow does that better than another quarterback in recent memory. Sam Bradford throws and interception ever 58 pass attempts, Colt McCoy throws and interception every 49 pass attempts. The reason why he should win this award over his opponents is that he throws an interception ever 113 pass attempts, and incredible achievement, and stat.

When you say Heisman, people think most touchdowns, yards and interceptions thrown. What you need to see is a winner, and see a winner in a system where his offense is not based off a passing style like the other candidates. He is changing the quarterback position becoming the first north-south bull running quarterback. He has a chance to win three straight heisman trophy’s and win three national championships. Not only does he deserve this award through his football and stats, but I feel like its time the sport found a new super hero, and a new era of who to compare college footballs future greats with.