Give the trophy to Tomlinson LaDainian Tomlinson is the best player you’ve never heard of. He’s not flashy like Michael Vick. He’s not on Social Security like Chris Weinke. He doesn’t have a weird birthmark like Drew Brees. He doesn’t have a ridiculously difficult name to say like Marques Tuiasosopo. He’s not a track star in a football uniform like Santana Moss. But what he does do is take the football and run. For 400 yards in a single game (that’s not a typo). More importantly, according to his Web site Ltfor2000.com, “he loves his momma.” Tomlinson, a junior from Texas Christian University, is rewriting the school’s record books. He has done some damage to the national ledgers as well. He began to make his mark in NCAA history last season when he rushed for 406 yards against UTEP, setting the all-time Division I-A single-game rushing record. Everyone who sees him play will tell you he is the best player in the country. The problem is, no one ever sees the true talent of LaDainian Tomlinson. Playing for TCU, the national exposure that has become imperative for any Heisman Trophy candidate is non-existent. The trophy winner is voted on by writers all over America, most of whom only see highlights of Tomlinson on ‘SportsCenter’. The country happens to be missing out on the next great NFL running back. Running behind his “big uglies” (offensive line), the junior star is having a monster season. He has led his Horned Frogs to a 8-1 mark, a record which was unblemished until they were upset by San Jose State last weekend. Despite the loss, TCU is still one of the best teams in the country. The ‘Frogs would put up a fight against any team the BCS crowns National Champion. How do I know this? LaDainian Tomlinson, that’s how. Critics wonder how he would do against a top-ranked defense like Mississippi State. He would run all over them like he does his own defense in practice. The TCU defense also happens to be one of the best in the country. Tomlinson, like all good politicians, doesn’t take all the credit. He knows that half the job of running the football belongs to the offensive line. Barry Sanders bought his offensive front Rolex watches when he won the rushing title. What will Tomlinson buy his o-line if he wins the Heisman? Probably some cows, but we’ll hope the “big uglies” don’t eat them whole. Chances are, the junior sensation won’t win the most prized trophy in all of college sports. Due to the focus of media giants on schools like Florida State and Nebraska, a small school star will never get the attention he deserves. In all likelihood, Chris Weinke will win the trophy since his numbers are ridiculous and he plays for Bobby Bowden. But unlike Tomlinson, FSU could survive without Weinke. Some say you can tell a lot about a football player by how he reacts to adversity. Tomlinson faced it this weekend, following the unexpected loss at SJSU. How did he respond? By rushing for 231 yards this week, which single-handedly defeated Fresno State. That performance marked his 11th straight game with more than 100 yards rushing. Utterly amazing. TCU would be nothing without Tomlinson. He is the first option. He is the second option. He is the third option. It’s too bad the voters won’t notice. Hey, it won’t be the first time this year the nation elected the wrong guy. But that’s for another column. Jared is a junior and senior staff writer for The Daily Aztec. Send e-mail to knick914@aol.com. Heupel deserves all the hype As all or some of you may know, on Dec. 9, a few of the nation’s best college football athletes will gather at the Downtown Athletic Club in New York for the awarding of the Heisman Trophy. This historic occasion never fails to spark debate among sports journalists and sports fans nationwide. Regardless, in the spirit of a presidential election gone haywire, I would like to present to you my candidate for the Heisman hardware. Ladies and gentlemen, Oklahoma’s own Mr. Josh Heupel. He’s the people’s choice. Oh and by the way, he can play too. As any decent presidential candidate would, a Heisman hopeful should meet a list of sure-fire qualifications. My list is accurate enough to measure an athlete deserving of the Heisman. OK, OK, so I’m only a writer for a college newspaper. I have no real credentials. Heck, I can barely make toast in the morning without burning it. Bare with me folks, and I think you might just agree with me once this is all over. Qualification No. 1: solid individual statistics. Of the leading considerations for the Heisman, Heupel may not have the best stats. Don’t get me wrong, his stats aren’t something to be looked over. But heck, when you play on the No. 1 team in the nation, sometimes you don’t have to. This season, Heupel has accumulated 2,770 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns, six rushing touchdowns, and a quarterback rating of 153.81. All this while playing at the helm in every game of the Sooners’ current undefeated season. Qualification No. 2: candidates should play big in big games. In college football, big games and rivalries are the filling in the pie. A true test of Heisman consideration can be easily determined if the candidate can lead his team in a big game. You want big games? Heupel has four. First victim: No. 11 Texas. Heupel threw for a solid 275 passing yards in a 63-14 obliteration by Oklahoma. Next up, No. 3 Kansas State. In a showdown of undefeated Big 12 teams, Heupel responded with his best game of the season. The senior threw for 374 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for another in the Sooners 41-31 victory. October 28th: No. 1 Nebraska. Facing a 14-point deficit after the first quarter, Heupel rallied the troops and passed for 300 yards in the 31-14 triumph. This last Saturday, Heupel faced a huge challenge. He was facing a pissed off Texas A and M team in front of 89,000 really pissed off fans. Down 24-10 in the third quarter, Heupel and the Sooners were in deep excrement. However, instead of folding up shop, Heupel and Oklahoma rallied for 22 points in the fourth quarter. Final score: Oklahoma 35, Texas A and M 31. Qualification No. 3: Heisman candidates should possess character. After all, John W. Heisman was a hell of a historian, innovator, athlete and outstanding student. Whoever wins the award should live up to its namesake. Of all the candidates for the trophy, Heupel stands out as a quality person. In a recent chat with cnnsi.com, Heupel responded to the hype surrounding the award. “That’s something that I’m not worrie
d about or focused on,” Heupel said. “Again, outside attention is due to team success.” Perhaps I shouldn’t be picking a quarterback to win the award. If the curse of the Heisman quarterback follows Heupel, he is in trouble. Danny Wuerffel, Ty Detmer, Gino Torretta and Andre Ware will be waiting in the parking lot of the Downtown Athletic Club for Heupel, urging him to return his award. Unfortunately it is the year of the quarterback for college football. Looks like somebody is in trouble. Nick is a junior and staff writer for The Daily Aztec. Send e-mail to the nextdon@hotmail.com