Heisman winner White gives up football

nfl.com ^ | Today | NFL.com, from wire reports

[darkangel82]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Aug. 11, 2005) -- Former Heisman Trophy winner Jason White ended his professional career, citing his weak knees.

White, who had been competing for third quarterback with the Tennessee Titans, said he has the head and heart to play in the NFL. He doesn't have the knees.

"It's always been a dream of mine, but certain things won't allow me to chase that dream," White said. "It's kind of out of my hands at this point."

White won the Heisman Trophy in 2003 and led Oklahoma to back-to-back BCS title games. He also won the Davey O'Brien award twice and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm title and is Oklahoma's career passing leader with 7,922 yards and in touchdown passes with 81.

[Dog Gone]

That is pretty pathetic, lol.

[staytrue]

It only seems that way.

In reality, the NFL is the kiss of death for almost any college quarterback, Heismann winner or not.

The NFL is also the kiss of death for a lot of veteran pro QB's too.

The NFL is just really tough on QB's.

I think if you analyzed how Heismann QB's did vs. non Heisman's, the Heisman winners would come out pretty well.

[WestPoint90]

Well he also went to the Belly Button Academy. Just kidding all you boat schoolers out there. Beat Navy!!

[newfreep]

My Bengals have Carson Palmer who looked pretty terrific the second half of last season after adjusting. You heard it here first, the Bengals will win the Super Bowl and I'm marrying Ann Coulter!

What a year this will be!!!!

[Mind-numbed Robot]

I would have liked to have seen somebody give him a chance.

Tennessee did. He decided to quit on his own because of his knee problems. He wasn't cut.

[scott says]

I heard the Crouch tried to make a "comeback"...found this link http://kffl.com/player/1785/nfl
I couldn't believe the guy when he first walked away, it doesn't sound like his "comeback" is going very well.

[A message]

Interesting isn't it.

Like Kijana Carter, Archie Griffen, Ty Detmer, Desmond Howard.... the list is impressive.

[JeffAtlanta]

First Eric Crouch from 2001 and now White. The Heisman seems to be cursed at least at QB.

The problem is that the heisman trophy too often goes to players undeserving of the award. When Bo Jackson won the heisman, he BARELY beat out Chuck Long, a QB from Big 10 school Iowa. Peyton Manning was beat out by Charles Woodson, a CB from Big 10 school Michigan. The list goes on and on. Does anyone honestly think that a CB from Tennessee would ever beat out a QB from Michigan for the heisman?

The award doesn't go to the best player, but the player that the media has fallen in love with. This is usually a Big 10 or Notre Dame player. If a Big 10 or Notre Dame player makes a highlight reel type play in a big game then they are virtually guaranteed the heisman.

Also, if a player happens to be on a team that loses a big game to a rival (Manning vs Florida) then that usually sinks their heisman chances. It has been made clear by NFL success that this has nothing to do with how good a player is.

The bottom line is that the Heisman trophy has never been a curse as the players who win it (unless a RB or defensive player) are rarely even considered pro prospects to begin with.

Basically, heisman voters voter vote like they are 14 years old boys cheering for their favorite teams. If a guy makes a highlight reel catch then he must be really good - if a guy loses against a big rival then he must suck. If the guy is in your region then he is #1 - if he outside of your region then he is overrated.

While I used to be a big college football fan, it has pretty much fallen into an abyss of corruption (phantom pass interference calls after the whistle, some teams get whacked by the NCAA while others just get a hand slap) and incompetence. What sport can really call itself a true competition when sportswriters (the most ignorant of sports fans) run the show and determine its award winners and its champions.

Until college football gets serious about setting strict standards about its officials and kicks the sportswriters out of the game then its just going to continue its steady decline into the world of professional wrestling. Its corruption would have sunk it long ago if it were not for the fierce loyalty that people have for their schools.

[JeffAtlanta]

I think if you analyzed how Heismann QB's did vs. non Heisman's, the Heisman winners would come out pretty well.

Not really. I apprectiate your analysis as it is really level headed. Ordinarily your analysis would be spot on, but in this case the sportwriters just do a terrible job of picking Heisman trophy winners.

The last two Heisman trophy winners to have any sort of meaningful career were Jim Plunkett in 1970 and Roger Staubach in 1963. Doug Flutie (1984) and Testerverde (1986) had somewhat decent careers.

In comparison, the heisman winners that were running backs is actually pretty good - Bo Jackson, Hershel Walker, Earl Campbell, Barry Sanders, Marcus Allen, Tony Dorsett and OJ Simpson.

When Flutie won due to "The Play" (1984) and 1985 when Bo Jackson BARELY beat out Chuck Long, it signaled the start of the decline of the heisman trophy balloting. While the voting was always very suspect, those years ushered in the worst era of heisman voting. Here are the winners since 1989...

YEAR	WINNER	SCHOOL	POSITION
2004	Matt Leinart	Southern California	QB
2003	Jason White	Oklahoma	QB
2002	Carson Palmer	Southern California	QB
2001	Eric Crouch	Nebraska	QB
2000	Chris Weinke	Florida State	QB
1999	Ron Dayne	Wisconsin	RB
1998	Ricky Williams	Texas	RB
1997	Charles Woodson	Michigan	DB/WR
1996	Danny Wuerffel	Florida	QB
1995	Eddie George	Ohio State	RB
1994	Rashaan Salaam	Colorado	RB
1993	Charlie Ward	Florida State	QB
1992	Gino Torretta	Miami	QB
1991	Desmond Howard	Michigan	WR
1990	Ty Detmer	Brigham Young	QB
1989	Andre Ware	Houston	QB
1988	Barry Sanders	Oklahoma State	RB
1987	Tim Brown	Notre Dame	WR
1986	Vinny Testaverde	Miami	QB
1985	Bo Jackson	Auburn	RB
1984	Doug Flutie	Boston College	QB
1983	Mike Rozier	Nebraska	RB
1982	Herschel Walker	Georgia	RB
1981	Marcus Allen	Southern California	RB
1980	George Rogers	South Carolina	RB
1979	Charles White	Southern California	RB
1978	Billy Sims	Oklahoma	RB
1977	Earl Campbell	Texas	RB
1976	Tony Dorsett	Pittsburgh	RB
1975	Archie Griffin	Ohio State	RB
1974	Archie Griffin	Ohio State	RB
1973	John Cappelletti	Penn State	RB
1972	Johnny Rodgers	Nebraska	WR
1971	Pat Sullivan	Auburn	QB
1970	Jim Plunkett	Stanford	QB
1969	Steve Owens	Oklahoma	HB
1968	O.J. Simpson	Southern California	HB
1967	Gary Beban	UCLA	QB
1966	Steve Spurrier	Florida	QB
1965	Mike Garrett	Southern California	HB
1964	John Huarte	Notre Dame	QB
1963	Roger Staubach	Navy	QB
1962	Terry Baker	Oregon State	QB
1961	Ernie Davis	Syracuse	HB
1960	Joe Bellino	Navy	HB
1959	Billy Cannon	LSU	HB
1958	Pete Dawkins	Army	HB
1957	John David Crow	Texas A&M	HB
1956	Paul Hornung	Notre Dame	QB
1955	Howard Cassady	Ohio State	HB
1954	Alan Ameche	Wisconsin	FB
1953	Johnny Lattner	Notre Dame	HB
1952	Billy Vessels	Oklahoma	HB
1951	Dick Kazmaier	Princeton	HB
1950	Vic Janowicz	Ohio State	HB
1949	Leon Hart	Notre Dame	E
1948	Doak Walker	Southern Methodist	HB
1947	Johnny Lujack	Notre Dame	QB
1946	Glenn Davis	Army	HB
1945	Doc Blanchard	Army	FB
1944	Les Horvath	Ohio State	QB/HB
1943	Angelo Bertelli	Notre Dame	QB
1942	Frank Sinkwich	Georgia	HB
1941	Bruce Smith	Minnesota	HB
1940	Tom Harmon	Michigan	HB
1939	Nile Kinnick	Iowa	HB
1938	Davey O'Brien	Texas Christian	QB
1937	Clint Frank	Yale	HB
1936	Larry Kelley	Yale	E
1935	Jay Berwanger	Chicago	HB

[Dominic Harr]

I'll also add in the thought that a great college QB is often a *very* different animal from a great pro QB.

QBs who are smaller, faster, and more runners than passers often excel in College. But can't possibly survive in the modern NFL.

[kevkrom]

I was amazed no one drafted him because he lacked just two inches of height.

It's been a long time, but I thought he expressed a preference for basketball, and that's why he went undrafted in the NFL.

[Lawgvr1955]

Until college football gets serious ... and kicks the sportswriters out of the game

This won't happen anytime soon.

You make a number of valid points. The way I look at it is, QB is generally considered the most difficult position in sports. It is probably the most difficult position to measure across a broad field like NCAA football. Sportswriters seem to love QBs, but the QB Heisman winners seem to have less success in the NFL.

[Lawgvr1955]

Crouch pretty much screwed up when he left the Rams. A week later the Rams lost both of their QBs. I don't know if he would have gotten a look, but he lost out on his one chance to get a look.

[darkangel82]

Crouch was never the same, (and never played another down of football) after that 38-14 loss to Miami in the Rose Bowl.

[RobbyS]

Doak Walker; Paul Hornung and John David Crow--fair ball players.

[Always Right]

It seems like that award is the kiss of death for many college QB's pro career.

Did Manning win.

[airborne]

Can he pitch? Maybe be a closer or shot relief.

[mainepatsfan]

No he did not. Charles Woodson won it over Manning.