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Heisman Boom or Bust?


The Gipper

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Why should we even talk about the Browns?  Lets try something that is at least a wee bit interesting. Here is a list of Heisman Trophy winners.  What say you, which ones were booms and which ones were busts in their NFL careers? Also, if you wish, pick a "middle ground....not bad, not great". For purposes of this I am  only going back to 1963 when Roger Staubach won the Heisman.  Why? Because he is like the first guy I ever remember winning it.

YEAR
WINNER
SCHOOL
POSITION
2016
Lamar Jackson
Louisville
QB
2015
Derrick Henry
Alabama
RB
2014
Marcus Mariota
Oregon
QB
2013
Jameis Winston
Florida State
QB
2012
Johnny Manziel
Texas A&M
QB
2011
Robert Griffin III
Baylor
QB
2010
Cameron Newton
Auburn
QB
2009
Mark Ingram
Alabama
RB
2008
Sam Bradford
Oklahoma
QB
2007
Tim Tebow
Florida
QB
2006
Troy Smith
Ohio State
QB
2005
Reggie Bush
Southern California
RB
2004
Matt Leinart
Southern California
QB
2003
Jason White
Oklahoma
QB
2002
Carson Palmer
Southern California
QB
2001
Eric Crouch
Nebraska
QB
2000
Chris Weinke
Florida State
QB
1999
Ron Dayne
Wisconsin
RB
1998
Ricky Williams
Texas
RB
1997
Charles Woodson
Michigan
DB/WR
1996
Danny Wuerffel
Florida
QB
1995
Eddie George
Ohio State
RB
1994
Rashaan Salaam
Colorado
RB
1993
Charlie Ward
Florida State
QB
1992
Gino Torretta
Miami
QB
1991
Desmond Howard
Michigan
WR
1990
Ty Detmer
Brigham Young
QB
1989
Andre Ware
Houston
QB
1988
Barry Sanders
Oklahoma State
RB
1987
Tim Brown
Notre Dame
WR
1986
Vinny Testaverde
Miami
QB
1985
Bo Jackson
Auburn
RB
1984
Doug Flutie
Boston College
QB
1983
Mike Rozier
Nebraska
RB
1982
Herschel Walker
Georgia
RB
1981
Marcus Allen
Southern California
RB
1980
George Rogers
South Carolina
RB
1979
Charles White
Southern California
RB
1978
Billy Sims
Oklahoma
RB
1977
Earl Campbell
Texas
RB
1976
Tony Dorsett
Pittsburgh
RB
1975
Archie Griffin
Ohio State
RB
1974
Archie Griffin
Ohio State
RB
1973
John Cappelletti
Penn State
RB
1972
Johnny Rodgers
Nebraska
WR
1971
Pat Sullivan
Auburn
QB
1970
Jim Plunkett
Stanford
QB
1969
Steve Owens
Oklahoma
HB
1968
O.J. Simpson
Southern California
HB
1967
Gary Beban
UCLA
QB
1966
Steve Spurrier
Florida
QB
1965
Mike Garrett
Southern California
HB
1964
John Huarte
Notre Dame
QB
1963
Roger Staubach
Navy
QB
       

 

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2 hours ago, The Gipper said:

Why should we even talk about the Browns?  Lets try something that is at least a wee bit interesting. Here is a list of Heisman Trophy winners.  What say you, which ones were booms and which ones were busts in their NFL careers? Also, if you wish, pick a "middle ground....not bad, not great". For purposes of this I am  only going back to 1963 when Roger Staubach won the Heisman.  Why? Because he is like the first guy I ever remember winning it.

Here is my  list of choices for Boom in Blue.   Choices for Busts in Red.  Others, left black,  are either middle ground or too soon (for the last 4)

YEAR
WINNER
SCHOOL
POSITION
2016
Lamar Jackson
Louisville
QB
2015
Derrick Henry
Alabama
RB
2014
Marcus Mariota
Oregon
QB
2013
Jameis Winston
Florida State
QB
2012
Johnny Manziel
Texas A&M
QB
2011
Robert Griffin III
Baylor
QB
2010
Cameron Newton
Auburn
QB
2009
Mark Ingram
Alabama
RB
2008
Sam Bradford
Oklahoma
QB
2007
Tim Tebow
Florida
QB
2006
Troy Smith
Ohio State
QB
2005
Reggie Bush
Southern California
RB
2004
Matt Leinart
Southern California
QB
2003
Jason White
Oklahoma
QB
2002
Carson Palmer
Southern California
QB
2001
Eric Crouch
Nebraska
QB
2000
Chris Weinke
Florida State
QB
1999
Ron Dayne
Wisconsin
RB
1998
Ricky Williams
Texas
RB
1997
Charles Woodson
Michigan
DB/WR
1996
Danny Wuerffel
Florida
QB
1995
Eddie George
Ohio State
RB
1994
Rashaan Salaam
Colorado
RB
1993
Charlie Ward
Florida State
QB
1992
Gino Torretta
Miami
QB
1991
Desmond Howard
Michigan
WR
1990
Ty Detmer
Brigham Young
QB
1989
Andre Ware
Houston
QB
1988
Barry Sanders
Oklahoma State
RB
1987
Tim Brown
Notre Dame
WR
1986
Vinny Testaverde
Miami
QB
1985
Bo Jackson
Auburn
RB
1984
Doug Flutie
Boston College
QB
1983
Mike Rozier
Nebraska
RB
1982
Herschel Walker
Georgia
RB
1981
Marcus Allen
Southern California
RB
1980
George Rogers
South Carolina
RB
1979
Charles White
Southern California
RB
1978
Billy Sims
Oklahoma
RB
1977
Earl Campbell
Texas
RB
1976
Tony Dorsett
Pittsburgh
RB
1975
Archie Griffin
Ohio State
RB
1974
Archie Griffin
Ohio State
RB
1973
John Cappelletti
Penn State
RB
1972
Johnny Rodgers
Nebraska
WR
1971
Pat Sullivan
Auburn
QB
1970
Jim Plunkett
Stanford
QB
1969
Steve Owens
Oklahoma
HB
1968
O.J. Simpson
Southern California
HB
1967
Gary Beban
UCLA
QB
1966
Steve Spurrier
Florida
QB
1965
Mike Garrett
Southern California
HB
1964
John Huarte
Notre Dame
QB
1963
Roger Staubach
Navy
QB
       

 

 

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One interesting case is Doug Flutie.  Here  I have him in the "middle ground", for his NFL career.   But the fact is, he is a HOFer in Canadian football. And though you love the guy playing for your team (ask Bills fans),  I don't think his NFL career was quite good enough to give him the Boom designation.

(one guy that should take a clue from Flutie is one of the busts up here:  Mr. JFF)

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23 minutes ago, The Gipper said:

One interesting case is Doug Flutie.  Here  I have him in the "middle ground", for his NFL career.   But the fact is, he is a HOFer in Canadian football. And though you love the guy playing for your team (ask Bills fans),  I don't think his NFL career was quite good enough to give him the Boom designation.

(one guy that should take a clue from Flutie is one of the busts up here:  Mr. JFF)

Doug Fluties NFL numbers would make him better than any QB we've had since 99.

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Agree with most..

Ingram - Bust

Bradford - Bust

Reggie Bush - If he's not a bust, he defines the bottom of the remotely-NFL-caliber category.

Newton - Defense carried them to the SB. He may not be a bust but he's nowhere near a boom.

Winston is closing in on bust level this year in TB.. I'm only paying attention bc he's riding the pine for me in FF.  He threw an int/fumble just yesterday that was high school caliber.. at no point is it a good idea to try an option pitch just to avoid a sack.

Mariota looks boom, too soon for Henry.

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Another couple I am having a debate with myself about:

George Rogers.   Did gain 7176 yards rushing in his career.  While not top tier, that is a pretty decent career.  Which is why I put him in "the middle ground".

On the other hand:  Herschel Walker gained 8225 yards rushing plus another 4859 yard receiving in his career....and that is just his NFL career, not including his USFL days. He had over 13,000 total yards....which puts him 45th all time.   I think I will revise him to a Boom.

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1 minute ago, Unsympathetic said:

Agree with most..

Ingram - Bust

Bradford - Bust

Reggie Bush - If he's not a bust, he defines the bottom of the remotely-NFL-caliber category.

Newton - Defense carried them to the SB. He may not be a bust but he's nowhere near a boom.

Winston is closing in on bust level this year in TB.. I'm only paying attention bc he's riding the pine for me in FF.  He threw an int/fumble just yesterday that was high school caliber.. at no point is it a good idea to try an option pitch just to avoid a sack.

Mariota looks boom, too soon for Henry.

Bradford and Ingram are still in the middle of their careers.....that is why I put them in the "middle ground" as they still likely have a lot of career left. Plus...they are not BAD.  Bradford is not like the Tebows, JMZ, Crouch, Weinke's, Leinert's, Ware etc. 

And While Bush's career is basically over, he has gained over 9000 total yards in his career.  Which is also pretty good.  More that some HOF, like Frank Gifford, Larry Csonka,  Paul Warfield, Terrell Davis, John Stallworth, Floyd Little, Ozzie Newsome. etc.   So, while not a boom, also not a bust.

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6 minutes ago, Unsympathetic said:

Rozier would have been right there with George Rogers had he not wasted 2 seasons on USFL rosters

Ron Dayne - Bust

 

Well, I did kind of put him there with George Rogers...in the middle ground area.   Rozier had over 4400 yards rushing in the NFL. Plus, as you say, USFL production.

Dayne?  Maybe....borderline.  He had 3722 yards rushing in 7 years.  Borderline bust.

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Notice, that in "this" Century....I only have two Heisman winners in the Boom category:   Palmer and Newton.....and you have argued about Newton.

Compare the period from like 1976 to 1988.   Only one bust on that group.  (Charles White.....only about 3K yards in 8 years). 

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Ingram is still Brees' primary back in NO along with Camara-the two sent AP packing so a bust he is most certainly not.

JFF was willing to go to Canada but they have not reciprocated as of yet.

Bradford is very good when healthy but that is not often.

Henry needs to be with anyone other than the team that is lost on when to use him. They suck as badly as we do coachingwise.

Famous Jameis is still in the running.

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9 hours ago, wargograw said:

Well good thing the award's not based on talent then....

To a great extent....that is true. 

Except, of course, the subject of this thread is:  how well did Heisman winners do in the pro ranks.

Yes....the award is based purely on performance...in one year....in college.   And that is fine....but its off topic.

But....no one thought that RGIII had better talent than Andrew Luck....yet, who won?

Jason White won the trophy over all of the following:  Eli Manning, Ben R., Phillip Rivers, Larry Fitzgerald

Chris Weinke beat out Drew Brees and LaDanian Tomlinson

And here is a real interesting Heisman voting year: 2001.....the top 5 vote getters for the Heisman were: Eric Crouch, Rex Grossman, Ken Dorsey, Joey Harrington, David Carr.    Probably the biggest bust year for QBs in history (though...OK, sure, Grossman did take his team to a Super Bowl).

 

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To be good in the NCAA football in general and the Heisman more specifically going back to 1935 has never been an guarantee of future success in the business of NFL football.

The rest of the list:

 
1962 Voting Terry Baker Oregon State 112 Cmp, 203 Att, 1738 Yds, 15 TD, 5 Int
1961 Voting Ernie Davis Syracuse 150 Att, 823 Yds, 5.5 Avg, 12 TD
1960 Voting Joe Bellino Navy 168 Att, 834 Yds, 5.0 Avg
1959 Voting Billy Cannon LSU 139 Att, 598 Yds, 4.3 Avg, 5 TD
1958 Voting Pete Dawkins Army 78 Att, 428 Yds, 5.5 Avg, 5 TD
1957 Voting John David Crow Texas A&M 129 Att, 562 Yds, 4.4 Avg, 6 TD
1956 Voting Paul Hornung Notre Dame 59 Cmp, 111 Att, 917 Yds, 3 TD, 13 Int
1955 Voting Howard Cassady Ohio State  
1954 Voting Alan Ameche Wisconsin 146 Att, 641 Yds, 4.4 Avg, 0 TD
1953 Voting John Lattner Notre Dame  
1952 Voting Billy Vessels Oklahoma 167 Att, 1072 Yds, 6.4 Avg, 17 TD
1951 Voting finger Kazmaier Princeton 77 Cmp, 123 Att, 966 Yds, 13 TD, 5 Int
1950 Voting Vic Janowicz Ohio State 32 Cmp, 77 Att, 561 Yds, 12 TD, 7 Int
1949 Voting Leon Hart Notre Dame 19 Rec, 257 Yds, 13.5 Avg, 5 TD
1948 Voting Doak Walker SMU 122 Att, 598 Yds, 4.9 Avg, 8 TD
1947 Voting John Lujack Notre Dame  
1946 Voting Glenn Davis Army 123 Att, 712 Yds, 5.8 Avg, 7 TD
1945 Voting Doc Blanchard Army 101 Att, 722 Yds, 7.1 Avg, 16 TD
1944 Voting Les Horvath Ohio State 14 Cmp, 32 Att, 344 Yds, 3 TD, 4 Int
1943 Voting Angelo Bertelli Notre Dame 25 Cmp, 36 Att, 512 Yds, 10 TD, 4 Int
1942 Voting Frank Sinkwich Georgia 89 Cmp, 176 Att, 1456 Yds, 10 TD, 9 Int FROM YOUNGSTOWN CHANEY, PLAYED BALL WITH MY FATHER IN LAW 
1941 Voting Bruce Smith Minnesota 13 Cmp, 31 Att, 320 Yds, 2 TD, 2 Int
1940 Voting Tom Harmon Michigan 43 Cmp, 94 Att, 506 Yds, 6 TD, 11 Int
1939 Voting Nile Kinnick Iowa 106 Att, 374 Yds, 3.5 Avg, 5 TD
1938 Voting Davey O'Brien Texas Christian 93 Cmp, 167 Att, 1509 Yds, 19 TD, 4 Int
1937 Voting Clint Frank Yale  
1936 Voting Larry Kelley Yale  
1935 Voting Jay Berwanger Chicago  
 
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