We're number 1 on the list according to Bleacher report for top5 power schools for this....

#27
#27
Daniel_Lincolns_Foot said:
But was he? I mean, Ryan Leaf alone shows that, like I said, there was a near-identical QB that year. He had more passing yards, more yards per attempt, a better passer rating. Only 2 fewer TDs and the same amount of interceptions—meaning Peyton was barely the best QB that year.

Charles Woodson was a playmaker—with season defining plays in all 3 phases of the game—on the national championship team. No matter what he was doing, he was a threat.

So I guess the question becomes: how do you define the best football player? Because Woodson was a next level player that year. And he wasn’t some flash in the pan college player, either. Dudes in the HOF.
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Leaf showed how much better he was in the pros...
 
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#28
#28
As long as we have Huepel at the helm, we are bound to get one eventually. Huepel's offense is too electric and puts up astronomical numbers. We are now getting the recruits and surrounding talent to always compete at the highest level. And once the playoffs expand and SEC divisions altered, Tennessee hopefully won't be as punished for injuries or coming 2nd in the East.
 
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#29
#29
Daniel_Lincolns_Foot said:
Peyton and Leaf had near-identical stats in 1997. At least Charles Woodson offered some appointment TV excitement every week.

Vols fans need to let the ‘97 Heisman go.
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Woodson's defensive stats and punt returns were only slightly better than the Vols DB Terry Fair stats in 1997. Woodson also played on offense as a receiver mostly because Michigan didn't have other especially good receivers that year, whereas Fair probably would have done well at receiver but the Vols had some excellent receivers including Marcus Nash and Peerless Price and didn't need Fair on offense.
 
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#30
#30
Daniel_Lincolns_Foot said:
But was he? I mean, Ryan Leaf alone shows that, like I said, there was a near-identical QB that year. He had more passing yards, more yards per attempt, a better passer rating. Only 2 fewer TDs and the same amount of interceptions—meaning Peyton was barely the best QB that year.

Charles Woodson was a playmaker—with season defining plays in all 3 phases of the game—on the national championship team. No matter what he was doing, he was a threat.

So I guess the question becomes: how do you define the best football player? Because Woodson was a next level player that year. And he wasn’t some flash in the pan college player, either. Dudes in the HOF.
Click to expand...
Peyton’s 60% accuracy (actually his lowest in college) vs Leaf’s 55% (his highest) is significant. It was also a good indicator of which one was going to be a better pro, though that’s a bit of a digression.
 
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#31
#31
TVOL71 said:
Woodson's defensive stats and punt returns were only slightly better than the Vols DB Terry Fair stats in 1997.
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This is what really seals the deal for me - the fact I can go find a dozen other cornerbacks in college who had comparable or BETTER stats than Woodson, who were also game changers, and who never even got mentioned for the Heisman. Hell, Eric Berry in 2008 had more interceptions, including two he ran back for touchdowns, and did anyone talk about the Heisman for Berry? Not that I can remember. But ooooh, Woodson played a handful of plays on offense and caught a few passes, so somehow he's the best and most amazing cornerback of all time. Give me a break.

It was a screw job courtesy of ESPN. They manufactured Woodson, and they knew they were doing it. Something people don't often recall is that CBS owned the rights to the BCS title game back then, whereas ABC and ESPN had the rights to - you guessed it - the Rose Bowl, which always featured a Big 10 team and a Pac 10 team. Funny coincidence, that. Also funny how all of a sudden you had this huge push from various media outlets to emphasize Woodson's highlights and take shots at Manning, particularly going into the last month of the season. It's almost as if ESPN and ABC hired outside marketing and PR companies to help hype up their most prized post-season contest ... and minted Woodson as its featured Heisman-winning player in the process.

Anyone who was alive back then can attest to how, suddenly, miraculously, Woodson was on every highlight reel, and Peyton was only shown losing to Florida. They never showed Peyton at his best; only at his worst. It was all intentional. They used their platform and money to engineer Woodson's campaign, start to finish. Well, mission freaking accomplished. To hell with 'em for all of that nonsense. Never - NEVER - forgive them.
 
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#33
#33
franklinboy said:
  1. Tennessee has never had a Heisman winner, and has had four runner-ups in its history. The first came in 1951, when single-wing running back Frank Lauricella, known as “Mr. Everything” for his running and passing prowess, finished behind Princeton’s Dick Kazmaier. Five years later, tailback Johnny Majors finished second to Notre Dame’s Paul Hornung, who is still the only player ever to win the Heisman for a team with a losing record.
    In 1993, quarterback Heath Shuler finished second to Florida State’s Charlie Ward for the Heisman. Then came the one that probably stings the most for Vol fans. Peyton Manning is one of the most popular and beloved players in UT history. But he couldn’t overcome the national appeal of Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson. Woodson scored 1,815 points to Manning’s 1,543, becoming the only defensive player ever to win the Heisman.
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Majors and Manning both were $h!t on and should have won. Shuler was very close also!
 
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#34
#34
Daniel_Lincolns_Foot said:
Peyton and Leaf had near-identical stats in 1997. At least Charles Woodson offered some appointment TV excitement every week.

Vols fans need to let the ‘97 Heisman go.
Click to expand...
Yeah not much of a fan are you ? I think maybe your on the wrong board. Appointment tv excitement every week ? Seriously? Yep your on the wrong Chanel ! Sounds like you may be a ESPN lover and ol woody Woodson excited you. ? Lol
 
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#35
#35
Voltopia said:
This is what really seals the deal for me - the fact I can go find a dozen other cornerbacks in college who had comparable or BETTER stats than Woodson, who were also game changers, and who never even got mentioned for the Heisman. Hell, Eric Berry in 2008 had more interceptions, including two he ran back for touchdowns, and did anyone talk about the Heisman for Berry? Not that I can remember. But ooooh, Woodson played a handful of plays on offense and caught a few passes, so somehow he's the best and most amazing cornerback of all time. Give me a break.

It was a screw job courtesy of ESPN. They manufactured Woodson, and they knew they were doing it. Something people don't often recall is that CBS owned the rights to the BCS title game back then, whereas ABC and ESPN had the rights to - you guessed it - the Rose Bowl, which always featured a Big 10 team and a Pac 10 team. Funny coincidence, that. Also funny how all of a sudden you had this huge push from various media outlets to emphasize Woodson's highlights and take shots at Manning, particularly going into the last month of the season. It's almost as if ESPN and ABC hired outside marketing and PR companies to help hype up their most prized post-season contest ... and minted Woodson as its featured Heisman-winning player in the process.

Anyone who was alive back then can attest to how, suddenly, miraculously, Woodson was on every highlight reel, and Peyton was only shown losing to Florida. They never showed Peyton at his best; only at his worst. It was all intentional. They used their platform and money to engineer Woodson's campaign, start to finish. Well, mission freaking accomplished. To hell with 'em for all of that nonsense. Never - NEVER - forgive them.
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Here's how twisted the narrative became about Peyton. Paul Finebaum mentioned it a few days ago. He said the SECCG really hurt Manning because the narrative after the game was that he played terribly since Auburn led most of the game before Tennessee finally took the lead in the 4th. Manning had 371 yards and 4 touchdowns in that championship game. That was a 10 win Auburn team and people acted like they were a 6-6 team.

Manning was entirely left off something like 150 ballots. That many voters somehow didn't think he was a top 4 player in CFB. The reality is, he's a top 4 player in CFB in the entire decade of the 1990s, let alone 1997. Woodson wasn't the best defensive back in CFB that year. Let alone the best player.
 
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#37
#37
Charles Woodson - $97,899,369 . Career football earnings - Spotrac.com

Peyton Manning - $248,732,000 . Career football earnings - Spotrac.com

Now throw in endorsements, Papa Johns, Nationwide... etc... Peyt is good, Y'all. Don't worry about him, none. He probably bought Reggie Bush's trophy at private auction, right after he bought Lance Armstrong's left.....
 
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#43
#43
I remember late that season, maybe vs S. Carolina that Manning didn't have a great day and Woodson had a "good" game. The narrative & focus towards Woodson really started to change then.
 
#48
#48
Daniel_Lincolns_Foot said:
But was he? I mean, Ryan Leaf alone shows that, like I said, there was a near-identical QB that year. He had more passing yards, more yards per attempt, a better passer rating. Only 2 fewer TDs and the same amount of interceptions—meaning Peyton was barely the best QB that year.

Charles Woodson was a playmaker—with season defining plays in all 3 phases of the game—on the national championship team. No matter what he was doing, he was a threat.

So I guess the question becomes: how do you define the best football player? Because Woodson was a next level player that year. And he wasn’t some flash in the pan college player, either. Dudes in the HOF.
Click to expand...

A) Leaf played in the Pac 10. Those stats aren't apples to apples. Also, you omit that Leaf only completed 55% of his passes, Manning 60%. Comparing a QB against SEC defenses and Pac 10 defenses, then or now, is silly.

B) You mention what CW did in the NFL to back your point, so does the same apply to Manning and Leaf? No, those two were not the same QB. At all.

C) Woodson was a great player. But he's not the greatest defensive player in college football history. They chose that one year to promote a defensive guy. Hell, Champ Bailey was more impressive the next season, but he didn't even get an invite to NYC. The Woodson propaganda machine was powerful. Case in point...the Ohio State game was touted as the game that put him over the top because he got an INT in the end zone on an awful throw by Germaine and he caught a long pass. But he was also burned for a 70 yard TD by David Boston, a fact which was rarely mentioned. They just glossed over it because they really wanted him to win it.

Again, great player, but odd to change the standards for one year, just as they did for Majors. It's telling that no defensive player has won it in the 25 years since.
 
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#49
#49
franklinboy said:
  1. Tennessee has never had a Heisman winner, and has had four runner-ups in its history. The first came in 1951, when single-wing running back Frank Lauricella, known as “Mr. Everything” for his running and passing prowess, finished behind Princeton’s Dick Kazmaier. Five years later, tailback Johnny Majors finished second to Notre Dame’s Paul Hornung, who is still the only player ever to win the Heisman for a team with a losing record.
    In 1993, quarterback Heath Shuler finished second to Florida State’s Charlie Ward for the Heisman. Then came the one that probably stings the most for Vol fans. Peyton Manning is one of the most popular and beloved players in UT history. But he couldn’t overcome the national appeal of Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson. Woodson scored 1,815 points to Manning’s 1,543, becoming the only defensive player ever to win the Heisman.
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Look up Champ Bailey stats in college. He was never mentioned for the Heisman but Woodson wins it over Peyton?
There was definitely a negative bias towards Manning that year. 1 defensive player has won the award. Woodson is great but is he the best college defender ever? Not even close in my mind.
 
#50
#50
Good2bavol said:
Again I will say, that TN could have a QB to go 15-0, throw for 7500 yard, run for 1500 yards for the year, Win the NC, and there is no way he would win the Heist-Man. The media is the swamp!
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Boy, you are sure one of the most overdramatic fool I have ever heard...
 
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