From: billms@eecs.umich.edu (William Mangione-Smith)
Subject: Re: Elvis!!! was Re: Michigan RB's Was: Re: Heisman Poll Update
Organization: University of Michigan
	<1992Jul28.035347.26298@u.washington.edu>
	<BILLMS.92Jul29104030@z.eecs.umich.edu>
	<1992Jul29.205824.27289@u.washington.edu>
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 22:40:04 GMT

In article <1992Jul29.205824.27289@u.washington.edu> crs@milton.u.washington.edu (Cliff Slaughterbeck) writes:

   The reason why Elvis was rated so highly last year (and probably will be
   again this year is simple.  You stated it yourself--the offensive line.

Nope.  The strength of the offensive line at Michigan last year, and for as
long as I can remember, has been the running game.  They were solid last
year, but they were not known for their pass blocking.  

   With the exception of the Washington game, Elvis had hours to throw the 
   ball, and some pretty good targets to hit as well.  

Nope.  He had one great target and a cast of fill-ins, after Alexander went
down.

   QB's will have outstanding ratings if they are given all day to throw.

That wasn't the case last year.  And much of the time that he did get has to
be attributed as much to the running game as the pass blocking.

   There are many QB's who play major college division I-A football who could
   complete passes to Howard and company if they were given Michigan's offensive
   line to hide behind.

Fine.  Washington also has a top line.  So does Miami.  Clearly all of their
qb stats don't matter.  They have great receivers too.  Hobert and Toretta
really are just average guys.  Anybody could do as well as they do behind
their lines.

   Even football writers are not so stupid as to miss this (OK, they are, but
   we can dream can't we?).  For that reason, I doubt Grbac will win the 
   Heisman, unless there are just no other candidates.

You don't win the Heisman based on your potential as a pro player.  You win
it based on what you do on the field.  Last year, of all the quarterbacks in
the NCAA, you could have made a solid case that Grbac deserved the award.  I
don't think he did, but based on his numbers (which is all that they look at
along with highlight film which was just as good) there wasn't anybody who
blew him away as a qb.  If he puts up similar numbers, and nobody explodes
this season like Ware and Ty did, then he will again look very competative
against the other candidates.  What exactly do you think they give the award
out for?  Hell, Ty won it and was drafted way down.  And we all know that
anybody can succeed in his system, and it must be the system since he isn't a
top pro prospect.

I really didn't want to get into an argument about how good Elvis is or
isn't.  I don't think there is much chance he will win the award this year,
and I doubt that he will look stiffed if he doesn't.  But if you want to run
the guy down you've got to come up with better reasons for discounting his
stats.  The man has delivered on the field for 3 seasons now, with a wide
variety of receivers.  It hasn't just been Howard catching his passes.  And
Michigan's line has *never* been known as a pass-blocking stronghold.

Bill
--
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	Bill Mangione-Smith
	billms@eecs.umich.edu
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college