This is a two part question---
1) Why are Heisman Trophy winners not "shoe-ins" to make it in the NFL? Wasn't it Charlie Ward that went and played pro basketball? Some have done well but others have flopped.
2) Do you have to be on a Nationally Ranked team in order to get the media coverage neccessary to win the Heisman? Could someone at a small school ever pull it off?
Anonymous
Favorite Answer
Compared to college football, the NFL is an very team-oriented game. Any star player needs solid backup (an offensive skill player, whether a QB, RB or WR needs offensive lineman, for example). In addition, NFL strategy is sophisticated, requiring far more strategy and good decision making than the average fan ever sees.
A Heisman candidate often has superior physical skills, enough to dominate another team. But that is no guarantee that they have the mental skills to comprehend an NFL defensive scheme, or even be able to understand their own offensive playbook. Running backs do best here, I think, because the position is least sophisticated. Quarterbacks the opposite: super-talented Michael Vick has struggled compared to much less athletic Peyton Manning.
Another reason is that a college system can be more one sided - generating huge stats for their key players. Quarterbacks benefit from a passing game (and a bad defense) just as a running back benefits from a running game. Such players find it hard changing roles to fit into an NFL where those college strategies fail.
I also feel that any discipline issues will kill a player faster than any other flaw: if you are a Heisman with attitude (Marinovich, Leaf) you will find yourself on the bench, assuming you stay out of jail.
A small school can field a real Heisman candidate, but it's tougher. Media attention is key, and you need exposure to generate that kind of contention. But you can earn your exposure, too. ESPN started covering division I-AA Alcorn State because of some quarterback named Steve McNair, currently playing for the Ravens. He became the highlight reel of the NCAA that year by generating 527 yards per game of offense (including over 600 yards in one game!) Jerry Rice (Miss. Valley) also finished in the top-5 Heisman voting.
Hope this helps!
Anonymous
Question 1: Why are Heisman Trophy winners not "shoe-ins" to make it in the NFL?
http://www.lifeaftersports.org/article-jarvis.php
Only 5 percent of college athletes go on to play sports professionally
Let's take the last 20 - and compare
1986 Vinny Testaverde Miami (Fla) QB Sr. 2,213 (Played well)
1987 Tim Brown Notre Dame WR Sr. 1,442
1988 Barry Sanders Oklahoma State RB Jr. 1,878 (Played well)
1989 Andre Ware Houston QB Jr. 1,073
1990 Ty Detmer Brigham Young QB Jr. 1,482 (Played well)
1991 Desmond Howard Michigan WR Jr. 2,077
1992 Gino Torretta Miami (Fla) QB Sr. 1,400
1993 Charlie Ward Florida State QB Sr. 2,310
1994 Rashaan Salaam Colorado RB Jr. 1,743
1995 Eddie George Ohio State RB Sr. 1,460 (Played well)
1996 Danny Wuerffel Florida QB Sr. 1,363
1997 Charles Woodson Michigan CB Jr. 1,815
1998 Ricky Williams Texas RB Sr. 2,355 (Played well)
1999 Ron Dayne Wisconsin RB Sr. 2,042
2000 Chris Weinke Florida State QB Sr. 1,628
2001 Eric Crouch Nebraska QB Sr. 770
2002 Carson Palmer USC QB Sr. 1,328 (Played well)
2003 Jason White Oklahoma QB Jr. 1,481
2004 Matt Leinart USC QB Jr. 1,325
2005 Reggie Bush USC RB Jr. 2,541 (Played well)
Without even looking up the other guys, I as a casual football fan know that these guys all played - that's at least 7/20 or over 30%, well, well above the average
But, let's look on
Matt Leinart
Jason White
Eric Crouch
Chris Weinke
Ron Dayne
Charles Woodson
Danny Wuerffel
well, I won't go on - so far all of them have made it to the NFL - I guess startdom is reserved for a very few, and since these are mostly skill positions, there is a lot of completion.
2. I'd say definitely - I don't see too many Omaha College of DENTISTRY guys on that list. I doubt a guy could win the Heisman from a team outside of the BCS these days
Anonymous
To answer your first question, college football and the NFL can be 2 very different games. Defensive backs are not nearly as fast and talented as in the NFL team by team, so a QB can very effective in college football who is very accurate without necessarily having a super strong arm, where in the NFL you need to be able to zip a ball in to a much smaller space. There have been a number of very good college QB's whose arms where not strong enough for the NFL- take Troy Smith this year, Brad Banks from Iowa, Josh Heupel from Oklahoma, and of course Ward. These guys were all Heisman winners or runners up, but none of them went on to NFL success. Also, some college offenses use system you would never see in the NFL, the spread and the option are perfect examples. You could have a super talented option QB, but no NFL offense would ever run those plays, so his skills do not translate to the NFL--- Antwan Randle El is the perfect example, he of couse has made it in the NFL at WR, but no team would have ever used him as a QB like in college.
Your second question as to can a small school team produce a Heisman winner, I would say hypothetically, yes, but that team would have to be nationally ranked and had a great year. I don't care what your numbers are, if your team is 3-9 you are not going to get any respect, but a Boise State type team could produce a Heisman winner. There have been a number of smaller schools have players in the Heisman talk before, it would just require a perfect storm for that player to win it. There have been a number of runner ups from smaller schools in just the last decade--- Larry Fitzgerald from Pitt, Michael Bishop from Kansas State, Troy Davis from Iowa Sate, and Andre Ware won a Heisman for Houston in 1989.
Anonymous
Name 1 Heisman Trophy winner who went to the Hall of fame Trick question There is a Heisman Curse i remember there are 15 heisman trophy winners that never got ask to even go to training camp some just get hurt others sit on the bench for there whole career If i was a college Player who wanted to be big in the nfl i would Refuse the Heisman Trophy I Truly believe there is a curse
Anonymous
Charlie Ward won the award while at Florida State by the second largest percentage
in history behind O.J. Simpson.When Ward was told he was probably not a first
round draft pick he got ticked off and went to the NBA instead to the New York Knicks.
Players from lesser known or ranked schools do have a harder time getting recognition.
How many times did Jerry Rice win the Heisman?
Other Heisman flops include Pat Sullivan,Chris Weinke,Matt Leinart,Gino Toretto,
Andre WareJohn Capaletti and Johnny Rodgers.