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Why I voted for Dayne
Posted: Thursday December 09, 1999 01:52 PM
Click here to send your college football questions to SI's Ivan Maisel. It is with very little ado that I announce I voted for Ron Dayne to win the Heisman Trophy. He had an outstanding year. Wisconsin won the Big Ten. I'm not excited about the vote. I wish I had someone more compelling to vote for. I couldn't justify it. I know that without Joe Hamilton, Georgia Tech would have been 4-7 or worse. But the Heisman is awarded to the most outstanding player, not the most valuable, so Hamilton got second place. My third-place vote went to Thomas Jones of Virginia, who finished so strongly. It's not a sexy ballot. I went with the chalk. I didn't have the conviction to do otherwise.
Last week you said you hadn't decided on your Heisman Trophy vote yet. What about the top-rated passer in Division I-A, who is also a dangerous runner, and just happened to lead his team to the national championship game? I know Michael Vick is only a freshman, but he is the main reason that Virginia Tech is going to the big dance. Steve, I know Michael Vick is the reason the Hokies are going to New Orleans instead of Nashville but even coach Frank Beamer says that Vick has only scratched the surface of what he can do. As he grows and gets better, I bet we see the difference.
Though I am from Illinois, I am a diehard Wisconsin fan and I think the Badgers should be No. 1, not No. 4. The only reason the Badgers lost two games was because of two plays -- a fumble vs. Cincinnati and a dropped pass vs. Michigan. I have seen Florida State, Virginia Tech and Nebraska make many more mental mistakes. Andrew, if it weren't for two or three plays, Illinois would have been 4-7 instead of 7-4. Of course only one play makes a difference. That's the essence of the sport. Michael Vick made one play to beat West Virginia. That's why Virginia Tech is going to New Orleans.
Why don't you think Notre Dame has made a move with their already proven disaster of a coach, Bob Davie? Davie has defended himself with excuses that this was the toughest ND schedule in history, but the computer rankings don't even have them in the top 10 in terms of schedule difficulty. How can teams like Clemson, Purdue, etc., be so successful with less talent and tough schedules, and the ND administration sits by and basically says, "let's see what happens next year." Don't you think that three years is a good time horizon to measure the success of any coach, particularly when there is no sight of improvement in the future? What is it going to take? With next year's schedule and an inexperienced quarterback, ND has the prospect of probably starting out with four or five losses! All Bob Davie proved this year is that Notre Dame wasn't good enough to overcome an incredible number of injuries on the offensive line. If history has taught us anything about ND, it's that coaches are allowed to coach. He has four years on his contract. He'll coach them. When Davie has all his resources and loses seven games, blame him. Until then, let him coach.
I've been in South Africa for the last couple of seasons so perhaps I missed a rule change regarding bowl eligibility. Why is Kentucky in a bowl with a 6-5 record, including a win against I-AA Connecticut? Do I-AA wins now count toward bowl eligibility and, if so, is there a limit? If not, perhaps Kansas State can do away with scheduling heavyweights like UTEP and Temple every year and go to a straight I-AA non-conference schedule. That should ensure unending 10-win seasons (if they could only get Nebraska to move to the Big-10). Christopher, I can't believe the Pretoria papers didn't run this story. Before the 1998 season, the NCAA football rules committee voted to allow I-A teams, once every four years, to count one victory against I-AA teams that give at least 60 scholarships. They did it to help I-AA schools schedule I-A teams and get those paychecks to pay their bills. And I-A schools whined that winning six games to get to a bowl was just too hard. Boo-hoo.
As a lifelong Georgia fan, I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly. Jim Donnan is a good coach but it seems the Dawgs can't quite get over the hump. Is it the talent? Is it the coaching? Is there any hope for next year or years to come? Jody, this year I think it was the coaching. The defense didn't get the job done, which indicates growing pains for first-year coordinator Kevin Ramsey. Hopefully he learned as he went along. Florida clearly is vulnerable, so now's the time for Georgia to make its move.
How does a 9-2 Mississippi State University team get relegated to the Peach Bowl? Georgia did almost everything wrong at the end of the season by looking mediocre against Auburn and Florida. Even if you take away the Georgia Tech loss, you're still left with a three-loss team. Hasn't Mississippi State proven that it is becoming a consistently strong team that deserves to play January 1? Joel, remember the lesson that Kansas State is learning: Bowls are about ticket sales and TV ratings. The Outback Bowl is going to lean toward SEC East teams and Atlanta, all things being equal, wants Mississippi State fans to fill hotel rooms, which Georgia won't do. One other thing: If Mississippi State had an offense, the Bulldogs wouldn't be in the Peach Bowl.
Please explain to me and all the other Big 12 fans in the nation how the Kansas State Wildcats can be railroaded twice in two years by the BCS. And everyone is saying that the BCS is working? Tell that to all the people down in Manhattan. TV ratings, George. It's simple. Michigan has more tradition and more TV homes. That's the bowl business. Sorry.
I was wondering if Youngstown State Coach Jim Tressel would get any looks from Division I-A schools. I would think with his 22-4 record in the Division I-AA playoffs, four national championships -- and a possible fifth coming -- that he would be a coach considered for some Division I-A job. I heard his name come up a couple years ago for the Pittsburgh job, but I haven't heard his name for other coaching vacancies. Jack, memory tells me that Tressel has said he likes where he is. There are a handful of top coaches in I-AA who feel that way. Jimmye Laycock of William & Mary took the Boston College job for one day a few years ago. Don't knock it. Feel good for Youngstown State, and especially for I-AA football.
Don't you find it a little disappointing that if you don't go undefeated, and put yourself in a position to win the national title, your conference championship means a little less? I am sick and tired of people thinking that an undefeated season (and a national title) is the only acceptable way to play football. It may mean less to spoiled Huskers, but just ask the folks at Alabama and Stanford how it feels.
Do you really think it's right for voters to deny Peter Warrick at least a trip to the Downtown Athletic Club? Look closely at the two games you point to in last week's mailbag as reasons for not giving him a vote. He dropped balls in Death Valley, but managed to post a career high 11 receptions (a minor miracle given the local circus during his suspension). He saw triple coverage in Charlottesville and still broke a spectacular 50-yard TD which iced the game. Yes, he messed up, but on the whole, he's handled Dillardsgate with class (see The Swamp). If Ron Dayne deserves a Heisman for a career of excellence, then Warrick deserves a seat at the ceremony in recognition of similar on-field exploits. Robert, you can't tell me he played as well in the first two games after the suspension as he did the rest of the year. What you're saying is that seven great games should equal a full season. Warrick was sixth in the voting when they issued the invitations. That's how it goes.
Maybe you could tell me which team Virginia Tech played that allowed them to earn your No. 1 ranking? I would bet you real money that Florida State and Nebraska would absolutely destroy Virginia Tech anywhere. Has Virginia Tech played anybody the quality of Florida, Kansas State, Texas, or even Texas A&M, or Georgia Tech? The obvious answer is no. When Virginia Tech starts playing a quality non-conference schedule (it is unfair to blame them for having to play in a weak conference), then they will start getting the respect they desire. I think it is sad that the fans of college football will have to witness Florida State dismantle an unchallenged and overrated Virginia Tech team. This supports even more the need for a playoff. So how do you explain that Virginia Tech beat Clemson and Miami much more decisively than Florida State did? Do you just write off Florida State's games with Duke and North Carolina? FYI, Virginia Tech, according to the BCS, played a tougher schedule than Kansas State and Wisconsin. I don't share your confidence that FSU will rout Virginia Tech. Neither does Bobby Bowden. Send a question to Ivan Maisel, and check back each week during the season to read more of his answers.
Sports Illustrated senior writer Ivan Maisel covers college football and appears regularly on CNN/Sports Illustrated.
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