The top three Heisman Trophy finalists have been announced with no big surprises.
Here is the top three:
Troy Smith, QB Ohio State
Brady Quinn, QB Notre Dame
Darren McFadden, RB Arkansas
I don’t think Quinn or McFadden touch Smith. With all due respect to McFadden, who was virtually the entire offense for the Razorbacks this season, no other player meant as much to his team than Troy Smith meant to the Buckeyes. He completely transformed his game this year from just a quarterback who can make plays with his feet, to a precision pocket passer who could also change a game with his legs. Smith became a quarterback this season.
Numbers alone (although Smith had those too) don’t tell the entire story. Along with all the great things Smith accomplished on the field for OSU, becoming a leader for his teammates was the most important. This was a kid who made a mistake a few years ago by accepting money from a booster. He was punished and learned from it. Smith has grown up over the years and he should be recognized for that as well as what he did on the field in ’06.
