Badgers Bits: Gushing about Montee Ball because, seriously, he deserves it
by Louis Bien on Dec 12, 2011 9:01 AM CST
in Badger Bits
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PrintMontee Ball didn't win the Heisman this past weekend, playing third runner-up while Robert Griffin III took home the trophy. A late-starting campaign put Ball behind the curve, not to mention facing one of the most stacked Heisman classes in years. Individual awards don't matter, true, but it is disappointing that a man who became one of the best players in the country through sheer force of will--after contemplating a switch to linebacker post Ohio State 2010--isn't being heralded via Greek chorus like Badger fans know he should.
Still, Ball made people notice. He didn't cash in after the win over OSU, he waited for the first glimmer of opportunity and then refused to let go. Disappointed in a 132-yard performance against TCU, he lost 26 pounds in the offseason, adding an extra gear and a deadly shimmy that has resulted in countless inadvertent Heisman poses throughout the season. He spearheaded college football's fourth-highest scoring offense and did so while managing to say exactly the right thing, and credit all the right people, at every available opportunity.
It is exceedingly difficult to argue with what RG III accomplished this season, and by all accounts he is a fine fellow himself. My objective side knows that what he did to make Baylor relevant deserves all the recognition in the world. The unabashed partisan in me would just like to remind you all, again, that Ball is about to break a record that may not be touched for a long, long time. That record will do nicely as a consolation prize, and if all goes well a win over Oregon too. For now, Ball will simply have to do with being tweeted at by Barry Sanders.
I mean, Barry Sanders, for God's sake.
@BarrySanders
Barry Sanders@M_Ball28 - I hope the record breaker is also the game winner... Records are great - bowl wins are better! Will be pulling for you.
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Team awards were handed out this weekend. Ball and Russell Wilson split the offensive MVP award. Mike Taylor and Antonio Fenelus divvy things up on the other side of the ball.
Crist-watch 2011: Charlie Weis' move to Kansas suddenly makes the Jayhawks a major player.
Ball became the eighth Wisconsin player to win the Chicago Tribune's Silver Football award given to the Big Ten's player of the year as voted on by league coaches.
More Montee Ball superlatives from the Journal Sentinel.
Barry Alvarez, maybe somewhat surprisingly, gives Ball a full NFL endorsement. He still hasn't cracked the first round yet in early mock drafts, however.
Badger BBallers put together a solid performance against UNLV, putting the Rebels in an offensive sleeper hold.
Outside of an 0-for-10 performance from Jordan Taylor.
A career high 25 points from Ben Brust also helped.
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Badger alum here in KC.
I think it’s pretty obvious Weis wants Crist. In his opening press conference he alluded to “some things will happen in the next few days” that will “show what kind of team I’m going to build here” (approximate quotes).
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks
Christ isnt going to Kansas
He turned town Texas OC, what makes you think he’ll go to Kansas which at the moment is like going to Minnesota.
Paul Chryst is the UW Offensive Coordinator.
Dayne Crist is the former Notre Dame quarterback Charlie Weis recruited. And rumors say he could land at UW, but now that Weis is at KU, he is just as likely to follow the guy that recruited him.
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks
C is for Consolation
http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2011/12/12/2630192/heisman-trophy-robert-griffin-rg3
An excellent look at the top 5 contenders for the Heisman and a very nice shout out for Montee Ball.
Sidenote on the Jayhawks
As someone who watches an inordinate amount of Big 12 football throughout the year I’ve got to say that Charlie Weis is going to end up dissapointing people in Kansas. He was successful in the NFL but fails in FBS due to overcomplicating his playbook. These are college athletes who have more on their plates than just football and considering that the NCAA limits the amount of practice hours leaves teams not gelling on his formula.
Seriously, if he couldn’t succeed in Southbend where he was given nationally ranked recruits then what makes people think he will succeed in Lawrence?
That's an easy one:
The bar for “success” at KU is set pretty low. Getting above .500 and winning a couple Big 12 games would be successful for KU fans.
Side note, Weis even talked about the same topic you reference in his first press conference: The limited number of hours coaches have with players in college (20 / week) as compared to pro (unlimited). ND is one of the most high-profile gigs in college football; at KU it’s nothing but bottom feeders.
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks
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