It is no surprise that ESPN is ignoring one of the most qualified candidates in the country as they talk about their Heisman watch. Heaven forbid they give any credit to a team or athlete that isn’t in the SEC, Pac- 12, Big 10 or Big 12. If you keep up with sports you know that this is nothing shy of the truth, and while I understand that these conferences compete at a slightly different level than the Sun Belt, there is no excuse for ignoring talent.
Currently, everyone is drooling over Leonard Fournette. Fans and analysts alike are so infatuated with the sophomore phenom from LSU that they can’t even seem to get their facts straight:
This picture, tweeted by @SDS (Saturday Down South) on Twitter, was clearly not fact-checked. Mr. Fournette does lead the country in total rushing yards, rushing yards per game and is *tied* for first in touchdowns, but he does not lead in yards per carry. At the time of the Tweet (October 4) Breida was the overall leader in the NCAA for yards per carry at 10.3 and is still averaging 9.6 yards through week eight.
I in no way want to discredit Fournette or any of the other Heisman candidates, I simply want to draw attention to the fact that raw talent is overlooked when considering these men for such a prestigious award simply based on team ranking. All 10 Heisman candidates are on a Top 15 team (based on week seven standings), which in a sense is understandable, but in the same regard, when you have a guy consistently putting up the numbers Breida does, there is something to be said about him.
In 2014, Breida was a finalist for the Doak Walker award, presented to the best running back in the country and is again a nominee for this year. He completed the 2014 season rushing for 1,485 yards and scoring 17 touchdowns. This year, he is already on pace to beat both of those numbers with 953 yards currently, averaging 136 yards per game and 11 touchdowns through six games. He is ninth in the nation in rushing yards, leading the nation’s number one rushing offense in total yards, yards per carry and touchdowns. Breida has been able to put up these numbers on only 99 attempts, meaning he scores roughly every tenth time he’s given the ball. Even after a poor overall team performance last week against App State, Breida remains the top running back in yards per carry and stays in the top ten in total rushing yards. The numbers are there, the talent is there, yet the recognition he deserves is not.
The Heisman is not meant for the number one guy on the number one team going first overall in the NFL Draft, it is meant for the guy who best exhibits excellence through integrity. Not to point fingers or anything, but I think the 2012 and 2013 picks say a lot about how the value of the award itself has been lost. Breida plays the game the right way, always exhibits sportsmanship, and works hard for his success. Sure, he isn’t Leonard Fournette putting up 150+ yards on ranked teams, but he’s an outstanding athlete who deserves to be at the very least recognized on some national level, if not considered for the Heisman trophy.
Keep giving ‘em hell, Matt. Eagle Nation knows how lucky we are to witness such greatness, and maybe one day the rest of the nation will realize it too.
