I don’t like the Heisman Trophy. For one thing, football is a team sport that requires all of the team’s members, not just some superstar, to succeed. For another, the award usually goes to players in “glamor” positions such as quarterback and running back. As far as I know, no lineman has ever won the Heisman, even though there were several who deserved it such as Ohio State’s John Hicks in 1973.
The award also goes mostly to players from big schools that get a lot of TV exposure. Thus Ed Marinaro, arguably the best running back in the country, was passed over in 1971 because he played for Cornell. And for some reason, they don’t wait for the season to conclude before they start voting. Thus, Anthony Davis missed out in 1974 because most of the votes were in when he scored four touchdowns against Notre Dame during the last game of the regular season.
The least they could do would be to award the trophy after the bowl games.
Ed Marinaro was the media's darling. The Heisman announcement was simply a special carried on one network where two announcers presided.
The two announcers announced the candidates by name, pausing at the penultimate name, Marinaro, and then went on a long media promotion of video clips and boot-licking,
They followed the worship service with "and Pat Sullivan of 'Aww-Burn."
"And the winner is . . . Pat Sullivan of Aww-burn?????"
"He led the nation in total offense or something, right?"
"Well, here in the studio we have Ed Marinaro to comment on the selection."
Sullivan set an NCAA record for yards per play and career touchdowns, total offense, and more.