Montee 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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Monday's Links
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.