Does Javon Ringer deserve a trip to the Heisman Trophy presentation?

There’s no denying that Javon Ringer’s name has been mentioned by both local and national media when talking about who is in the Heisman race. Following Michigan State’s win over Purdue, ESPN experts rank Ringer as the #6 candidate, albeit very distant from #5.

It’s hard to argue against the candidacy of those individuals ahead of Ringer- they are all exceptional players having exceptional seasons for exceptional teams.

However, it would be remarkable if no running backs make their way to New York for the trophy presentation. (Typically, five finalists are chosen to attend to ceremony). The last time this happened was in 2001, and before that it was 1991.

Ringer has put up outstanding numbers in 2008, but he has a few problems that are hurting him

Javon has not had big games against great teams. The three best opponents on MSU’s 2008 schedule are California, Ohio State, and Penn State. Ringer had 81 yards and 67 yards against California and Ohio State, respectively, and the Spartans don’t play Penn State until November 22nd. Heisman voters are impressed by big performances in big games, and Javon hasn’t pulled this off yet.

Big Ten backlash is strong in the national media. Following Ohio State’s lopsided defeats in consecutive national championship games, the national media is very down on the Big Ten as a whole. Many bloggers and analysts expressed glee when Penn State lost to Iowa, effectively ending their shot at the BCS title game. Voters are likely just as hesitant to support the Heisman candidacy of any Big Ten athlete.

Michigan State has only one regular season game left. Other players included in ESPN’s Heisman Watch have two games remaining, with the potential of a conference championship appearance. This is a huge advantage for them, since they have more opportunities to make a positive impression.

At this point, it’s clear that Javon Ringer is having a terrific season- but he’s probably not worthy of a trip to New York. That being said, he can change minds and make a lasting impression with a big game against Penn State. That won’t be easy, however, as the Nittany Lions are ranked #9, nationally, in rushing defense and #6 in total defense. Statistically, this makes them the best defense Michigan State has seen all year, and they’ll be playing in Happy Valley with a Rose Bowl appearance on the line (for the Nits, at least). But these facts are exactly what will propel Ringer’s Heisman candidacy if he has a good day.

This entry was posted on Friday, November 14th, 2008 at 12:00 pm and is filed under Football, Javon Ringer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.