Arkansas Razorbacks star running back Alex Collins went into this season as a dark horse of sorts to take home the 2014 Heisman Trophy. Now, through five games, those chances are pretty much sunk.
The reason for those odds going down the drain aren’t because he’s been playing poorly. No, sir, not at all. On just 86 carries so far this season Collins has put up 621 yards and 6 TD’s, good for 7.2 yards per carry. On a national level, he’s 5th in the country in total rushing yards, tied for 18th in rushing TD’s and is third in yards per carry (for those with 80 or more rushes). The reason is because of his team.
Ya see, the Heisman Trophy is an award that, essentially, goes to the QB of the best team (or one of the best teams) in the country. Just like the voting processes for any hall of fame or all star games, it’s a total sham. Look at recent history. Jameis Winston (Florida State), Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M), Bob Griffin (Baylor), Cam Newton (Auburn), Sam Bradford (Oklahoma), Tim Tebow (Florida), etc. You get the idea. Since 2000, 12 of the 14 Heisman winners were QB’s. Sure, there are two running backs in that time (Reggie Bush and Mark Ingram), but they were under different circumstances.
Bush, who has since forfeited the trophy due to NCAA violations, was one of the greatest running backs in college football history. A truly transcendent collegiate athlete who played for one of the best teams of the generation. Ingram put up solid numbers, but also played on an historically significant team with the 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide.
Running backs can win the Heisman, even though it feels like there’s better odds of seeing a unicorn walk down the street, but they have to play at a truly elite level and carry a National Championship-caliber team. Collins will likely put up enough numbers to warrant true consideration when the season ends. Assuming he continues his pace of roughly 17 carries a game, he’ll put up just under 1,500 yards with probably 14 or 15 TD’s this year. The problem is he won’t be on a National Championship-caliber squad considering the Razorbacks are 3-2 already, and there’s virtually zero percent chance a two-loss team makes the playoffs (and an even unlikelier chance the Hogs go undefeated here on out). It’s hard enough for a RB to win the Heisman when they’re on a top ranked team, but it’s impossible to do it on merely an above average team.
Collins, a 5-foot 11, 215-pound true sophomore from Fort Lauderdale (FL), will again have a chance next year, and his odds will certainly increase. The Hogs will return virtually their entire starting offense next year and will likely continue making strong developmental strides under HC Bret Bielema. And once again, it won’t be truly be about the numbers Collins puts up, but whether or not Arkansas is in the title hunt if Collins wants to be the first Razorback to take home college footballs most coveted award.
Rick Stavig is an NFL Draft Columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @rickstavig or add him to your network on Google+.
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