In 2017, Jonathan Taylor of the Wisconsin Badgers finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting. In 2018, Taylor finished ninth. This year, with over 1,900 rushing yards and 2,100 yards from scrimmage, there is a very good chance Taylor will finish in the top 10 of the Heisman Trophy voting. Yet, he wasn’t invited as a finalist in 2017. He wasn’t invited in 2018. He wasn’t invited this year.
A great career — one of the best Wisconsin has ever had — didn’t merely fail to get a Heisman Trophy; it failed to get a single invitation to the Downtown Athletic Club as a Heisman finalist.
That is pathetic. It is an embarrassment to college football. It also shows how dumb and elitist the Heisman Trust is in the operation of its ceremony. This could all be done so much better, and more than that, this could be done in a way which makes more Americans interested in the Heisman brand and its big night of the year.
I would have to think that people in Wisconsin are a lot less interested in watching the Heisman ceremony on Saturday night because Taylor isn’t there. People in Virginia are less interested because Bryce Perkins isn’t there. People in Oregon are less interested because lineman Penei Sewell isn’t there. People in Annapolis and anyone who is part of the United States Naval Academy is less interested because Navy QB Malcolm Perry won’t be there.
It all seems very counterintuitive, even though I know ESPN wants a tightly-managed Heisman ceremony in which it can create packages for three or four candidates and have its personalities get sufficient airtime in one hour. Why not have more Americans interested in your product? Also, why not recognize and honor more fine young athletes who have had special seasons? Why not make sure that a team outside the elite power structure (the College Football Playoff has all the Heisman candidates this year) gets at least one representative on the Heisman stage?
There is a plan for this: Invite 10 Heisman finalists every year.
Jonathan Taylor would have gone to New York all three years, instead of NONE. Players from other programs which normally don’t receive Heisman Trophy recognition would make their schools extra proud to see them at the Downtown Athletic Club. More great careers would be appreciated on national television.
The Heisman Trust seems to have no desire to change how it does its business. I would simply tell the Heisman Trust to reconsider that fundamental point. If Wisconsin creates another great running back in the future, that player would deserve better than Jonathan Taylor got the past three seasons.