LITTLE ROCK — ESPN slow-played news of the Heisman finalists, promoting a 5 p.m. announcement and finally pitching it to Eddie George after 5:15 p.m. to read the names alphabetically.
The first name was something of a surprise; No. 4 was a shock. After all, Wisconsin running back Montee Ball did score 38 touchdowns; LSU’s Tyrann Mathieu only touches the ball by mistake.
Add up his punt returns, fumble recoveries and interceptions, and the Tigers’ cornerback had his hands on the football a total of 32 times.
For comparison’s sake, Ball had 38 carries in the Illinois game alone and Alabama running back Trent Richardson, one of the other finalists, carried 32 times against Mississippi State.
Simply because they play quarterback, Robert Griffin III of Baylor and Andrew Luck of Stanford have stats that dwarf those of Mathieu.
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The fact that Mathieu received enough support to earn a trip to New York for the Heisman presentation speaks volumes about his involvement in LSU’s back-to-back nationally televised victories over Arkansas and Georgia.
Like Mathieu, Charles Woodson of Michigan, the only strictly defensive player to win the Heisman, was a kick returner. Mathieu got LSU going against the Razorbacks with his 92-yard punt return — made possible when Dylan Breeding kicked down the middle of the field instead of up against the sideline — and his 62-yarder for a TD in the SEC championship game put the Tigers in the unheard of position of trailing only 10-7 at half without making a first down.
The longest of long shots to hear his name called on Saturday night, Mathieu’s splash reaffirms that there is more to measuring a player than height, weight and time in the 40. Some guys are simply football players; years ago, we said they had a nose for the football.
In a day when the major football programs identify prospects in the 10th grade or earlier, Mathieu’s scholarship offers prior to his senior year were from the likes of Western Kentucky. That summer, matched against the cream of the crop, he was the MVP of a camp at Tennessee. One coach said he couldn’t remember anybody catching a ball against Mathieu.
Still, Tennessee didn’t offer. Too small, some coaches said. In July 2009, somebody wrote that Les Miles’ decision to offer Mathieu a scholarship was a bit of a surprise.
Now a sophomore, he’s supposed to be 5-foot-9, 175.
Ball was only a bit more hyped out of high school, with offers from Wisconsin, Indiana and two other schools. One recruiting service said there were 32 high school senior running backs better than him.
The other finalists were four- and five-star athletes with a string of recognizable suitors.
Mathieu’s penchant for big plays is appreciated, but he did not have enough opportunities to get my vote.
Before last weekend, the candidates had been reduced to Luck, Richardson and Griffin. Sunday morning, ballot No. 468 began with Griffin, followed by Luck and Richardson.
Heisman winners play on successful teams and three months ago, I didn’t think Baylor would win enough for Griffin to be seriously considered. Not only did the Bears win nine games for the first time in 25 years, Griffin was brilliant in defeat, completing 70 percent of his 121 passes. He also finished strong with 13 TD passes and two interceptions during Baylor’s season-ending, five-game winning streak.
Unlike in 2010, there is suspense about the Heisman winner.
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Harry King is sports columnist for Stephens Media’s Arkansas News Bureau. His e-mail address is hking@arkansasnews.com.