2013 BBS Awards: Doug Flutie Award for College Athlete of the Year

This award goes to the best college athlete in New England in the calendar year of 2013. This award also considers the size and scope of the sport. So while there are world class fencers, rowers, and gymnasts going to school in Boston and New England, the college sports that draw massive attention carry more weight in this award. The bigger the stage, the more likely an athlete will be considered.

There's really only one person this could go to. And it's Boston College running back Andre Williams.

Williams was nominated for the Heisman Trophy, he won the Doak Walker award for best RB in the country, was a unanimous All-American, unanimous All-ACC, and he set school and ACC records for rushing yards in a season with 2,102. So yeah, the best college athlete in New England. Without a doubt.

Give an honorable mention to BC hockey forward Johnny Gaudreau, UMass-Lowell goalie Connor Hellebuyck, Chaz Williams and Cady Lalanne from UMass basketball, and UConn basketball's Shabazz Napier.

Andre Williams' Heisman Hopes Fall Apart Against Syracuse

What happened to Andre Williams on Saturday makes you appreciate just how difficult it is to rush for 2,000 yards in college football. So many carries. So many tackles. So many times being dragged to the ground by multiple defenders. So many times shoulders, ankles, knees, and elbows would be pulled and strained and bent and pried and twisted. Especially for a north-south runner like Williams. So much wear and tear.

BC's first Heisman Hopeful since Matt Ryan was sidelined for most of the Eagles' 34-31 loss to Syracuse. Williams only managed to accumulate 29 yards on 9 carries. His lowest yardage total of the year. He did however manage to score a touchdown.

Williams' Heisman candidacy was always a longshot. Williams hasn't caught a pass all season, and the Heisman frequently goes to multidimensional players, such as running QBs (Manziel, RG3, Cam Newton, Tebow, Troy Smith, Eric Crouch), pass-catching RBs (Reggie Bush), and cornerbacks who return punts (Charles Woodson). Heisman winners also typically play for teams competing for conference and national titles, not teams that go 7-5 and lose to Syracuse.

I do think Williams deserves considerable hardware for his spectacular season. He's the best RB in the country. He is the second best offensive player in the ACC behind Jameis Winston. He's one of the best RBs in ACC and BC history. And he's the biggest reason that BC went from a 2 win team in 2012 to a 7-5 team in 2013. Give him trophies. Just not the trophy.

There are close to 10,000 scholarship athletes in Division I-A football each season. Only 1 of them wins the Heisman. Sometimes it's Barry Sanders. Sometimes it's Eric Crouch. This time it will not be Andre Williams. And that's not a thing to be ashamed of. It's a hard trophy to win.

Could BC's Andre Williams Win the Heisman?

There could be a perfect storm brewing that would put Boston College running back Andre Williams in position to win the Heisman Trophy. Two of the leading candidates - Johnny Manziel and Oregon's Marcus Mariota - are out of contention due to recent poor performances. And the most likely Heisman hopeful - Florida State QB Jameis Winston - is under a cloud of suspicion as he has been accused of sexual assault in 2012. Details of that situation remain unclear.

With these hazy conditions, a running back on a 7-win team has emerged as a potential winner of the most coveted award in college football. BC's Andre Williams has already passed the 2,000 yard mark and stands at 2,073. He's setting school and ACC records. He's responsible for 51% of BC's total offense. And he's the biggest reason that the Eagles have won 7 games this year, after only winning twice in 2012.

Williams has been on an absolute tear, rushing for 260+ in each of the last 3 games, accumulating 897 yards in that stretch (averaging 8.6 per carry) and 6 TDs. In his last 5 games he's rushed for 1,235 yards or 247 per game. He's scored 9 TDs in those games.

BC plays their final regular season game Saturday in Syracuse. The Orange are actually the 27th best team against the run in the country, in terms of rushing yard allowed per game (135.5).

If he has a monster game against Syracuse and pushes BC to an 8-4 record, he will continue to get Heisman consideration.

I like Andre Williams. I think it's good for him and for BC football that he's receiving this attention. However I don't think he's a Heisman winner. He doesn't do anything in the passing games (0 receptions). Against USC and Clemson he failed to rush for 100 yards (38 and 70, respectively). Five of his 16 touchdowns were scored against Army. He's carried BC, but only to 7 wins. BC has never been close to contending for a divisional title or anything more than bowl eligibility.

His season is impressive. It just doesn't knock your socks off like most Heisman winning seasons do. If Winston can't win it, then AJ McCarron would be my pick because he's led his team to an undefeated season (if Alabama do in fact go undefeated). There's also Northern Illinois QB Jordan Lynch (who added 4 more TDs to his total last night) and the Fresno State QB. As boring as it is to once again see the Heisman go to the best running quarterback in college football, Williams doesn't have the shock and awe value that previous Heisman winners have had. Or that these other 2013 hopefuls have.

He's done enough to earn a seat at the ceremony in New York, but not enough to go home with the trophy.

Johnny Manziel Not an NFL Quarterback

Johnny Manziel dazzles on the field with brilliant performances, like his 5 touchdown, 562 total yard game against Alabama. He's probably the most exciting player in college football, and he deserved the Heisman he won last year as the best player. However, I have yet to see anything that makes me think he'll have any measure of success in the NFL.

He has a strong arm. Great. There have been countless strong armed QBs who have failed miserably in the NFL. Manziel possesses the physical talents of an NFL QB. And he can even run, which is a bonus. Although he's also short (listed at 6' 1" but I'm not so sure about that). So that scram-bility is countered by the inability to see the field when surrounded by the behemoths of the NFL.

The height issue is minor, so forget about that. After all, Michael Vick is 6' and he's done okay in the NFL.

When I see Manziel make plays against college players, like he did against 'Bama this past weekend, I see a scrambler who takes advantage of defenses that don't contain the edge. Those reverse-field lanes won't be open for Manziel in the NFL. Bigger, faster, smarter defensive players will keep him much more contained than college defenses.

I see Manziel throwing a jump ball to 6' 5" Mike Evans, who is in single coverage against a small CB who doesn't have the awareness to turn around and play the ball. Corners who are that vulnerable are rarities in the NFL. Even the small ones know when to turn and jump to disrupt the play.

Then there's his decision-making. He seems more interested in making the big flashy play and not the smart play. Here's a highlight-reel throw that only he could make:

That's a great play, but a horrible decision. In a 14-14 game you blindly heave a ball downfield? You risk a turnover (and a return) just for a first down?

It worked, but I wasn't impressed. It reminded me of Brett Favre at his most moronic. And then seeing how impressed Manziel was with himself at making a lucky play, that revealed a great deal about Manziel's personality. What showed even more of that personality was his end zone interception 4 plays later, when he tried to make the difficult-but-amazing play instead of the easy play that was open.

Not only is Manziel willing to take stupid risks, he actively seeks them. Because that's how he gratifies himself. He builds his ego by taking risks and making big, flashy plays. He's cocky, not confident. Confidence withstands adversity, cockiness constantly seeks justification.

His off-field decision making is also questionable. I don't care about the partying or the sex or the drinking. If I were the QB at A&M, I'd be enjoying my share of T&A as well. But Manziel publicizes it. He revels in it. He broadcasts what he does. And that's not a desirable trait.

What motivates him to be so public about his private life?

Then there's his exit to the Manning Passing Academy. I don't care about his going out in New Orleans and drinking. Again, it's his life, live it up. But if you commit to something, then do it. He committed to an off-season academy and didn't follow through. And if you want to go out and party, then get away with it. Don't put yourself in a position to get caught. He was an idiot for thinking he'd get away with it.

As much as other athletes like Gronkowski party, they don't let it impact their commitments. Manziel is more like a Tyler Seguin type. He can't put the partying on hold, even for a few days. It's part of the massive ego he's built. And when criticized or questioned, he becomes spiky and defensive of his lifestyle.

For now, his on-field performances make his off-field activities a moot point. But at some point he will want to join the NFL. He will have to take that leap that all college players take. He'll go from being the big fish in the small pond to the minnow in the ocean.

How will he adjust? What will challenge him to make himself better? Guys like Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Aaron Rodgers all found a challenge that they used as motivation. Peyton was challenged by his family, Brady by his 6th round selection, Rodgers by being stuck behind Favre.

The QBs that fail in the NFL are the ones that don't face challenges. They cruise on talent and standard levels of effort. Then they get to the League, and they get baffled by the challenge. They have no idea how to approach it. Ryan Leaf, Mark Sanchez, Matt Leinart, Joey Harrington, etc.

Johnny Manziel lives in a world in which he is the center, he is the best, and everything he does is right. That works for him at A&M. And it works for the Aggies. However, that kind of attitude doesn't work for a rookie QB in the NFL.

I'd prefer AJ McCarron, who is more confident than cocky. Who looks for the smart play not the big play. Who has been challenged by Nick Saban to be the best he can be for the best team in the country. I'd give Manziel another Heisman over McCarron, I'd draft McCarron over Manziel.

But if the NFL doesn't pan out for Manziel, maybe he and Tim Tebow could star in an Odd Couple reality show. Maybe one week Tebow could bring Manziel to church on Sunday morning and the next week Manziel could bring Tebow to a club until 4 AM and have a drunken orgy with a group of Swedish exchange students. We can call the show Holy and Horny: The Heisman Homies.

Patriots Don't Take Leap of Faith With Tebow

The Tim Tebow era was over in New England before it began. There just wasn't any room on the Patriots' roster for a third pass-thrower who couldn't throw passes.

Speaking of leaps of faith, how about all those people who bought Tebow gear? All those t-shirts and jerseys will soon be half-price at the Pro Shop. People would have been wiser to have waited to see if he would make the team before they committed their cash. If cut, you can get the shirt at a bargain. If not, you can still deck yourself out in the jersey of a 3rd string QB.

I suppose being a Tebow fan does require tremendous faith. More faith than religion. Religious faith is the belief in something despite the absence of proof. Tebow faith is belief in something despite overwhelming evidence that it is incorrect. It's like having faith that the earth is flat. Or believing that the Theory of Evolution is wrong.

I don't mean to bash Tebow. He seems like a nice guy in a League populated with jerks, scumbags, and the occasional murderous sociopath. He just doesn't fit in the NFL, not as a person, not as a player.

When the Pats signed him I thought he could be a decent #2/#3 quarterback. After all, he's won games, even won a playoff game. You can do worse with your #3 QB. And I don't trust Ryan Mallett. Mallett is reckless. He just chucks the ball. He's Brett Favre, Jr. Mallett has a great arm, but Tebow seems to know how to win games.

I know now that Tebow is less likely to find work as a backup quarterback than he is to find it as a starter. Because as a backup putting him on the field requires the entire offense to change. He can't come into a game for an offensive series while trainers look at Brady. He can't play a quarter or a game if Brady gets a minor injury. Not without the offense changing everything about how it plays.

A backup QB is like a spare tire in the trunk of your car. A typical spare requires that you drive a little slower than usual. As a spare, Tebow is more like an oversized monster truck tire. The car won't function unless you change the 3 other tires on your car.

There are enough QB openings around the League for Tebow to find a job. And I wish him well. However, he seems to be falling victim to what happens to some Heisman winners. Sometimes what makes them great in college just doesn't fit in in the NFL game. See: Eric Crouch, Troy Smith, Matt Leinart, Doug Flutie, et cetera.

Johnny Manziel Gets Meaningless Suspension

Reason #1,384 that I'm getting sick of big time college football. The NCAA decides to discipline Johnny Manziel by suspending him for the first half of Texas A&M's game against Rice. RICE! A&M is going to slaughter Rice, with or without Manziel. And Manziel still gets to play a half.

I don't know whether Manziel should have been punished or not. The NCAA has cleared him of the paid autograph charges. But if you're going to punish a player/program/school, make it a real punishment. Something that will have impact. Something that will have an effect on the player/program/school. Manziel probably would have been benched for most of this game anyway. What difference does it make if he sits the first half or the second?

The punishment was agreed upon by the NCAA and A&M. Which I don't get. Because what did Manziel do wrong if he didn't get paid to sign autographs? If he did nothing wrong, let him play. If he did something wrong, give him a real punishment.

What's the NCAA trying to do with this punishment? It won't deter Manziel or any other player from doing anything wrong. It doesn't hurt A&M for losing control of a player. I think the NCAA is just trying to make itself appear like it has some power. Which it doesn't. The NCAA is a weak, withered, impotent force that wields no real power over schools, except to punish them when some other group or organization uncovers rampant violations and wrongdoing.

Manziel is good for business. He's good for A&M, he's good for ESPN's and CBS's TV ratings, he's good for the SEC, he's good for the NCAA. This token "no-one is above the law" suspension is an effort to prove that even the Johnny Manziels of the college football world are subject to NCAA and school rules. But they're not. The existence of this suspension actually proves how out of control the NCAA is. Otherwise they wouldn't try so hard to appear to be in control.

Why Notre Dame Linebacker Manti Te'o Should Win the Heisman

Let me preface this argument by saying that I don't like Notre Dame. I hate Notre Dame. I do get goosebumps while watching Rudy but apart from that I'm vehemently against anything that glorifies or promotes or helps Notre Dame in any way shape or form.

That being said, I think Manti Te'o, a linebacker for the Fighting Irish, should win the Heisman.

Maybe it's because I want to see a defensive player win the Heisman. Maybe it's because he's Hawaiian but his last name backwards looks semi-Irish (O'et). His name backwards also looks like the name of a mythical Druidic warrior from some ancient Irish saga.

Anyway, my argument for Manti Te'o to win the Heisman is two-pronged. Firstly, there is no clear-cut offensive candidate to win the Heisman. Secondly, Te'o does something that is a rare accomplishment for defensive players.

There is no RG3 this season. There are some fine Heisman candidates with impressive stats. Although few of them are on teams contending for a national title. And none of them are especially outstanding. Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M has had a fine year, but he's not amazing. Collin Klein of Kansas State is a dual threat QB, but that's nothing new. Marquise Lee is a ridiculously talented wide receiver who probably deserves it more than any QB, but he's still a receiver dependent on a talented passer to deliver the ball to him.

So there's no outright offensive player who has a strong claim to the Heisman.

Here is why Manti Te'o should therefore win it: He controls the game on defense. That is exceedingly difficult to do. It's easier for a quarterback, who handles the ball almost every down, to control the game. But for a defensive player to exert as much influence on the game as Manti Te'o does is simply extraordinary.

Te'o would be the first defensive player since Charles Woodson in 1997 to win the Heisman. The award is almost never given to a strictly defensive player. Even Woodson returned punts and played a few snaps as a wide receiver.

But considering there's no clear offensive candidate, and that Te'o is the best player on a #1 team, and that he controls the game as much as any defensive player could, I think he deserves the trophy.