Hardly "The outstanding college football player" as if purports
While it is certainly nice to win it, the winner isn't the "most outstanding college football player" unless you are a qb on a top 10 team in a power conference.
75% of the last 25 are QBs at highly visible successful teams.
It has become a qb award and the only time a qb doesn't win it is because the possible list is really mediocre.
For example:
2005: Bush topped Young, Leinart, Quinn and Robinson
2009: Ingram topped Colt McCoy and Tebow:
2015: Derrick Henry topped Watson, Mayfield and Reynolds
2020: Smith topped Lawrence, Jones and Kyle Trask
Side Notes:
2006: Quinn had better #s than Troy Smith but OSU was 12-1 and ND was 10-3
2014: Melvin Gordan average 7.5 yds a carry (on a 10-3 team) while Mariotta double his vote on a team that last the NC game
In short, it has become a hype award when in many cases the sports media determines the winner before any games are played.
75% of the last 25 are QBs at highly visible successful teams.
It has become a qb award and the only time a qb doesn't win it is because the possible list is really mediocre.
For example:
2005: Bush topped Young, Leinart, Quinn and Robinson
2009: Ingram topped Colt McCoy and Tebow:
2015: Derrick Henry topped Watson, Mayfield and Reynolds
2020: Smith topped Lawrence, Jones and Kyle Trask
Side Notes:
2006: Quinn had better #s than Troy Smith but OSU was 12-1 and ND was 10-3
2014: Melvin Gordan average 7.5 yds a carry (on a 10-3 team) while Mariotta double his vote on a team that last the NC game
In short, it has become a hype award when in many cases the sports media determines the winner before any games are played.