Lavonte David vs Manti Te'o

[SandhillshuskerW]

I have no idea if anyone has already brought this up, but if Te'o was considered for the Heisman this year, why didn't David get more love. I'm not trying to take anything away from Te'o, but I'm just trying to understand. Is it because it's kind of a more down year for playmakers than it was a couple of years ago. Here are some side by side stats between David in his best year 2010, and Te'o this year.

 

 

Total Tackles: David (152) Te'o (103) Winner: David

Unassisted: David (84) Te'o (52) Winner: David

Interceptions: David (2) Te'o (7) Winner: Te'o

Tackles for loss: David (15 for 60 yards) Te'o (5.5 for 19 yards) Winner: David

Sacks: David (6 for 50 yards) Te'o (1.5 for 13 yards) Winner: David

QB Hurries: David (7) Te'o (4) Winner: David

Passes Broken up: David (10) Te'o (4) Winner: David

 

I could go on, but I don't think I need to. So, what's everyones thoughts? I was thinking about this a lot last night as I was watching the trophy presentation.

[The Dude]

The fact that Te'o made it, and got as many votes as he did, confirms what a joke the Heisman is.

 

They're not looking for the best player, they're looking for the best story.

[Mavric]

Interesting stats. It's all about the hype. If your team is good (as in, Top 10 good), you'll get more. Being on the #1 team is basically more important than having great stats. That's how Klein went from the Heisman front-runner to distant third in one game.

[SandhillshuskerW]

The fact that Te'o made it, and got as many votes as he did, confirms what a joke the Heisman is.

 

They're not looking for the best player, they're looking for the best story.

 

It sure seems that way. There are a lot of things that need fixed in college football, and the Heisman is one of them. I guess I'm just a little baffled that one defensive player can place second when anther defense player that plays head and shoulders better than he does, doesn't even get considered.

[Branno]

What really hurts is comparing him to Suh.

 

He was the best player in the NCAA that year. Period. In one game he took a player that finished higher than him in the polling and made him his bitch.

 

Being the best player doesn't matter to the voters. What matters normally is that your team plays for the MNC or you have a good story. It also helps if you don't play for Nebraska. Just ask Tommie Frazier.

[lo country]

The fact that Te'o made it, and got as many votes as he did, confirms what a joke the Heisman is.

 

They're not looking for the best player, they're looking for the best story.

Exactly this. Heisman=Hypesman. A joke. Would still love to have a Husker win one, but has nothing to do with the best player.

 

I think that other LB's did a better overall job that Te'o without the INT's.

 

I almost think it was a SUH redo, trying to right a wrong as it were IMO.

 

Great player, but the best this year. IMO, no.

[SandhillshuskerW]

What really hurts is comparing him to Suh.

 

He was the best player in the NCAA that year. Period. In one game he took a player that finished higher than him in the polling and made him his bitch.

 

Being the best player doesn't matter to the voters. What matters normally is that your team plays for the MNC or you have a good story. It also helps if you don't play for Nebraska. Just ask Tommie Frazier.

 

 

The only reason that I didn't compare him to Suh was the fact that I wanted a LB. I agree that Suh should have won that year too. I am just upset that David didn't even get a look from the national media. It could be that he was a virtual unknown going in to the season because of coming from a JUCO, but it's still sad.

[zoogs]

I think this is why defensive players almost never win the Heisman. You can almost never quantify a defender's impact accurately.

 

As great as David is, I would not be surprised if Te'o were subjectively a better all-around linebacker. In our scheme, it's ideal for a sideline-to-sideline, aggressive player like David to rack up tackles (and wasn't he often out of position? not to say his stats weren't great). Te'o is likely a pretty outstanding player in his own right, but one of several such LBs in the NCAA this year. I agree that Te'o being considered such a good guy is why he got a lot of hype for this award, although he might also be one of the top 5 defenders in the country anyway.

 

Thing is that Suh put up linebacker numbers from the DT spot. He changed the game and was the best defensive player the country had seen, period, for a span of QUITE some years. Suh I think had more passes defensed than both these guys combined. Qualitatively and quantitatively, a clear cut Heisman candidate.

[whateveritis1224]

Kuechly, the LB from Boston College, was an absolute beast. He was the Butkus award winner in '10 and '11 and had stats just as good or better than David in those two years.

[SandhillshuskerW]

I think this is why defensive players almost never win the Heisman. You can almost never quantify a defender's impact accurately.

 

As great as David is, I would not be surprised if Te'o were subjectively a better all-around linebacker. In our scheme, it's ideal for a sideline-to-sideline, aggressive player like David to rack up tackles (and wasn't he often out of position? not to say his stats weren't great). Te'o is likely a pretty outstanding player in his own right, but one of several such LBs in the NCAA this year. I agree that Te'o being considered such a good guy is why he got a lot of hype for this award, although he might also be one of the top 5 defenders in the country anyway.

 

Thing is that Suh put up linebacker numbers from the DT spot. He changed the game and was the best defensive player the country had seen, period, for a span of QUITE some years. Suh I think had more passes defensed than both these guys combined. Qualitatively and quantitatively, a clear cut Heisman candidate.

 

I guess I always thought that the Heisman was mainly for a player that was irreplaceable on his team, which David definitely was, the best player at his position that year, that I would argue David definitely was that year, and a good all around player that epitomizes college football. I just feel that it was a travesty that David wasn't really considered for it that year. I am obviously biased being a Husker fan though.

[Dawg to the Bone]

Down south, we say the same thing about Jarvis Jones and Jedevon Clowney. Te'o is a great player, but his stats are not as good as other players out there. I guess its debatable about the impact these players have had on their teams. IMO, a strong player from USC, Notre Dame, MICH and Ohio State will beat out other, similar or even better players from other teams. That seems to be what history shows.

[SandhillshuskerW]

Interesting stats. It's all about the hype. If your team is good (as in, Top 10 good), you'll get more. Being on the #1 team is basically more important than having great stats. That's how Klein went from the Heisman front-runner to distant third in one game.

 

I would agree that it helps out if you're on a really good team, but RG3 basically blew that out of the water!

[SandhillshuskerW]

Down south, we say the same thing about Jarvis Jones and Jedevon Clowney. Te'o is a great player, but his stats are not as good as other players out there. I guess its debatable about the impact these players have had on their teams. IMO, a strong player from USC, Notre Dame, MICH and Ohio State will beat out other, similar or even better players from other teams. That seems to be what history shows.

 

True story about the teams you mentioned. I get so tired of hearing about how awesome Notre Dame is from most sportscasters when they finally have a good year. I swear that Notre Dame could go 0-12 for two or three years in a row and still be in the top 10 pre-season AP poll.

[Mavric]

Interesting stats. It's all about the hype. If your team is good (as in, Top 10 good), you'll get more. Being on the #1 team is basically more important than having great stats. That's how Klein went from the Heisman front-runner to distant third in one game.

I would agree that it helps out if you're on a really good team, but RG3 basically blew that out of the water!

Not really. They lost three games but they won the last five before the Trophy presentation and were back up to #12. It was a little outside the norm but they were close to the Top 10 and he had plenty of "highlight reel" plays in addition to good stats.

[zoogs]

I guess I always thought that the Heisman was mainly for a player that was irreplaceable on his team,

 

I don't think teams with lots of good players should be punished, although I did feel David was the most irreplaceable guy on the 2011 defense for us.

 

which David definitely was, the best player at his position that year, that I would argue David definitely was that year

 

I don't know if he was. I think he was a pretty good one who was highly productive in our system, but there were a lot of top linebackers. What about Luke Kuchely (swept the LB awards), or Dont'a Hightower (Alabama), for example? Can't measure with stats alone, the way you can sort of do on offense.