These two were clearly just looking for an explanation for why Barry voted the way he did in that tight Heisman Trophy race.  Barry was announcing last night’s game as the Stanford Men’s Cardinal Basketball team took on Oklahoma State, and many fans reminded him of how he betrayed his conference.

Stanford Football is really making a splash on the recruiting front this year. While we’re still a long way from Signing Day, and there are many top recruits that have yet to commit to a program, the incoming Cardinal class is currently ranked 16th by ESPN.com and 18th by rivals.com. Other PAC-10 teams in the top 25 include UCLA (17th, 19th) and USC (11th, 10th). It’s early, I know, but to put this ranking in context, here’s where the Cardinal incoming classes were rated in the previous 5 years:

2009: 20th
2008: 50th
2007: 51st
2006: 53rd
2005: 41st

Harbaugh and the rest of the coaching staff’s “rah rah” attitude have resulted in an incredible transformation in the caliber of talent coming to play at The Farm, especially given that it’s one of the most (if not THE most) difficult FBS schools to recruit at. Let’s hope this upward trend in recruiting continues to translate into improved results on the field.

Just going by the facts here, it was only twice that was Gerhart didn’t reach 100 yards, but Ingram (the Heisman Trophy winner) didn’t hit the century mark of rushing yards five times. Ingram had a great game where he scored three touchdowns in a single 60 minutes; to that, I respond, Toby had an even better game where he scored four!  In addition, Gerhart didn’t get into the end zone only once, and Ingram was kept out 3 times.  Did I mention that in his second to last game, Ingram only rushed for 30 yards on 16 carries?  You only get 11 or 12 chances to prove yourself so using one of those chances with a 30 yd-rushing performance averaging under 2 yards per carry is not a Heisman-like game.

In terms of final stats, Gerhart is better than Ingram in carries, yards per game, and touchdowns. The only category that Ingram beat Gerhart in was yards per carry.

Maybe there were hanging chads?  I’d like to call for a recount!

As of December 1, 2009…

#1 in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision in rushing yards (1,736)

#1 in rushing TDs (26)

#1 in total TDs (26)

#1 in points scored (160 points)

New Pac 10 records:

#1 in rushing TDs in a season (26)

#1 in points scored in a season (160)

New Stanford records:

#1 in most rushing yards in a season (1,736)

#1 in most rushing yards in a game (223)

#1 in most TDs in a season (26)

#1 in most TDs in a career (42)

#1 in most points scored in a season (160)

#1 in most yards from scrimmage in a season (1,885)

#1 in most 100 yard rushing games in a career (19)

#1 in most 100 yard rushing games in a season (10)

#1 in most 200 yard rushing games in a season (3)

While Gerhart may have the skill, heart, courage and the academic ability every Heisman winner should posses,  Tebow, and McCoy have a defense to bail them out. Toby has spent the better part of the season carrying Stanford to their first winning record since 2001, and he did this with the help of the 85^th ranked defense in division 1 football. On the other hand Tebow and McCoy have had the 1^st and 5^th ranked defenses in the nation, respectively, to help them win. You may ask the question, why are we talking about their defenses, the Heisman is suppose to be about the best player in college football. I agree, but everyone is talking about how Toby’s record of 8-4 cannot compare to the others who are carrying undefeated teams. The truth is if you look at the other candidates they are not carrying undefeated teams, they are along for the ride. When they play defenses ranked in the hundreds they excel, but when it comes to playing good teams they let their defenses do the talking.

Although Texas is undefeated Colt McCoy started off the season very slow, and has only recently had Heisman numbers. And who did these Heisman numbers come against? In the last four games McCoy has faced Baylor and Kansas (who are 1-7 in the Big 12) and Texas A&M and UCF, who have the 111^th and 112^th ranked pass defenses. To compare Toby has rushed for his best games, averaging 158.3 YPG, against 4 teams currently ranked. It must be pretty nice to have the 5^th ranked defense to give you a perfect record until you can light up the worst teams in the FBS.

Tebow has had the benefit of the nations best defense behind him, and in the games that counted they played well ahead of him. In Florida’s only game against a ranked opponent, LSU #15, Tebow was 11-16 for 134 yards with a TD and Int. Having won the Heisman already I am sure Tebow knows those are not numbers worthy of another. So where are Tebow’s great numbers coming from? In the last two games, which were two of his three best outings of the season,  against FSU, 108^th ranked defense, and FIU, 119^th ranked defense (that is out of 120).  To be fair Toby has also had three of his best games in the last month. Against USC, ranked 9^th at the time, Gerhart had 178 yards, when every other team was averaging 116.5 YPG against USC’s defense. And lets not forget the record breaking 223 yards against Oregon, but they were only ranked 13^th in the nation when Toby ran all over them.

Coaches always harp on how defenses win championships. And it looks like they are right. Florida, Alabama, and Texas are among the best defenses and they are undefeated. But, you have to ask the question, should defenses win Heismans?

What do you think?

It just feels good to beat Notre Dame.  (Almost as good as beating USC, but not quite.)  It’s also always nice to score 45 points because it’s hard to have a boring game when so much scoring is involved.  I wouldn’t have minded a little more defense and a few less tournovers, but I can’t ask for everything.  A win against ND was a great Thanksgiving present.

And continuing to show why Toby Gerhart deserves the Heisman Trophy more than anyone else this year, he rushed for 205 yards, scored a handful of touchdowns, and THREW a touchdown pass.  The man can do it all.  Did I also mention that he’s awesome at baseball and was his high school’s valedictorian. Toby! Toby! Toby!

I don’t have too much to say except for this: The only consolation is that because Oregon beat Arizona today, even had the Cardinal topped the Bears, we still would not have been able to go to the Rose Bowl because that will be decided between Oregon and Oregon State.